This collection draws together contemporary research into queer theory and practices as they
intersect with new media and communication technologies. It provides a synthesis of critical
debates in these fields followed by empirical analyses of current and historical internet
activities. These include among others a study of changing leathersex identities as meeting
spaces moved from bars to online chat rooms an investigation of the dynamics of racial
identity as social sites moved from text-based to visually-based media and the tensions between
community and audience identities inherent in commercial affinity portals. The chapters
investigate the relations between the technical legal and industrial organization of online
media and the queer practices that they facilitate. While scholarly and theoretically rigorous
its rich empirical detail makes Queer Online vital reading for activists and members of queer
communities in the academy and beyond.
