Table 1.
Subject Classification Scheme for Facebook Groups
| Subject Category | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sexual Attraction * | Groups that underscore physical/sexual attractiveness and that enable partner “cruising”, flirtatious exchange, sexual networking, and sexual expression |
| Chat * | Groups that provide a casual forum for posting and conversational exchange among members; posts tend not to be subject specific and content tends to be random (e.g., gossip groups) |
| LGBTQ Identity * | Groups that are about gay pride or gay identity; the focus is on celebrating gay identity and “being” in the LGBTQ community (e.g., LGBTQ advocacy groups) |
| Ballroom Culture * | Ballroom Houses are queer surrogate kinship groups that take on the role structure of traditional hetero-normative families (e.g., mothers, fathers, children, siblings) and participate in gender expression competitions/performances. These are groups for members of specific Ballroom Houses and Gay Families, groups about Ballroom culture, groups about performance styles (e.g., vogueing) |
| Events | Groups that promote events — e.g., nightlife/club events, festivals, community events, live shows, etc. |
| Recreational Interests | Groups about past time interests and hobbies pursued for fun, amusement, or entertainment. Examples include: sports, gaming, dance, poetry, art, reading, listening to music, watching TV etc. |
| Personal / Professional Promotion | Groups that promote an individual’s image and/or talent for that person’s gain; groups that enable professional networking, promote personal businesses and jobs, money-making opportunities, career advancement etc. |
| Health & Well being | Groups that provide information and/or support to members with respect to physical, emotional, and spiritual health and well being. |
| Community | Groups about place-based community life (e.g. school alumni groups, neighborhood alumni groups, church groups, groups about living in Chicago, etc.) |
*
Subject categories included in the featured analysis; In the analysis presented here LGBTQ Identity and Ballroom Culture were combined into one subject category (called LGBTQ Identity)