Why Is This Eight-Year-Old Loose on the Internet?: Exploring Labels, Queer Online Spaces, and Racial Fetishization w/ Tiffany

This week, Tiffany joins the show to share her insight on how the Internet, stereotypes, and racism have shaped her perception of herself and the world around her. She also plugs her middle-school LGBTQ+ Instagram meme account, and yes, Brianna and Kenna scroll through it while they are recording.  

 
Below you can find a glossary of jargon-y terms we might’ve said on the show: 

• Bisexual:  A sexual orientation that describes a person who is emotionally and sexually attracted to people of their own gender and people of other genders.  
• Pansexual: A sexual orientation that describes a person who is attracted to people regardless of gender. For many pansexual people, this can be described as feeling ‘gender blind’ where gender isn’t a factor in deciding a partner.  
• Polysexual: A sexual orientation that describes a person who has attraction to many, but not necessarily all, genders. 
• Queer: An umbrella term that is used to describe identities that do fall under straight and/or cisgender. Many LGBTQ+ people use queer as a label for their sexuality or gender and some people prefer it to express that their label does not cleanly fall into other specific identities under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Also important to note that in the past it has been used as a slur against LGBTQ+ people, however many people have worked to reclaim the term though it is not universally perceived as a positive term. 
• Racial fetishization: The practice of placing an unreasonable amount of importance onto race in romantic and sexual relationships. It places undue emphasis on racial stereotypes as sexually desirable which can reinforce racist ideas and dilute an individual to their race alone. 
• “Yellow fever”: The racial fetishization of Asian people, and specifically women, on the basis of incorrect stereotypes of submissiveness, passivity, and quiet demeanor. 

Resources: 

Naked Truth: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-southwest-central-florida/community-and-education-programs/peer-education 

Special thanks to:  

• Planned Parenthood Staff: Paola Ferst, Kelsey Hunt-Dolan, and Nan Morgan 
• Audio Editor: Martin Pelaez 
• Music: Rascal Miles with the song “Imagination.” Also check out their new project Tailor-Made at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhJDNtkZTYI  
• Cover Art: Brianna Nelson 

Disclaimer:
The experiences and opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida. Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida does not guarantee the completeness, nor the accuracy of the content of this podcast and accepts no liability for any direct or indirect damage of any kind arising from, or in any way related to, the podcast’s content. The information provided in this podcast does not constitute medical, mental health, legal, or other professional advice or services.

Thank you’s and credits to the following amazing people:

• Hosts: Brianna Nelson and Kenna Bartlett
• Planned Parenthood Staff: Kathy Dobson, Kelsey Hunt-Dolan, and Nan Morgan
• Audio Editor: Brianna Nelson
• Intro and Outro Music: “Mellow” by Ethan Korvne (Check out his LP “Something Else to Do” on Spotify and Apple Music!)
• Cover Art: Brianna Nelson