Instructions: Discuss what you see as your focused research topic for the class. Why are you interested? Based on your research topic/question thus far, answer/freewrite “so what?” questions on BWR p. 34.

I see the representation of queer identities as my focused research topic for this class. My interest in this topic stems from my thesis, which focuses on queer representation that is both digital and visual in nature, so I’m pulling from previous studies of visual queer representation and contemporary studies of digital queer representation.

Who will care about the research I do?
Ideally, queer individuals, those who study critical theory, and those who fit into both groups will care about my research.

Who will your research affect?
My research could affect queer people who express themselves in online communities.

How will your research affect your own situation?
Queer theory is a subject of interest for me due not only to my own identity, but also because the notion of challenging supposedly fixed identities excites me.

What other situations or contexts will your research affect?
Hopefully, my research could serve as a launching pad for additional studies of virtual digital representations of queerness.

Who does your research need to matter to and why?
My research matters to queer individuals because subversion has been an integral part of queer representation and identity for such a long time; the fact that such a study has not been carried out (at least to my knowledge) surprises and somewhat disturbs me.