FILIPINO CYBORG SEXUALITIES | CHATROOM

MASCULINITIES | SELF-ASCRIBED IDENTITIES | EPHEMERAL

SELVES

Alvin Concha, MD

Ateneo de Davao University

Mobile +639174004945; Fax +63844004597
Human Resources and Training Unit, Davao Regional Hospital, Apokon, Tagum City
alvinconcha@yahoo.com

Abstract

This research aimed to: describe the creation and expression of male sexualities among
self-ascribed Filipino men in online chatrooms; describe the virtual environments
wherein cyber male sexualities are constructed; discuss the extent to which virtual male
sexualities reflect contemporary physical world male sexualities and implicate gender
relations; and, document my own experiences and reflections in doing online research.
For over two years, I went to chatrooms in the Yahoo chat system as participant observer.
I chatted with chatroom goers who spoke Filipino or Bisaya and who self-identified as
males. The results of this research are derived from cyberethnographic descriptions of
chatroom environments, textual analysis of conversations and webcam screenshots and
discourse analysis of masculinities in chatrooms. Crafting and carrying out the
methodology for this research had not been easy, especially because cyberethnography is
a relatively new approach to knowledge production within a relatively new research
space. Chatroom selves are self-ascribed and ephemeral selves that abound in an
indulgent ambiance. The chatroom provides a generous, lenient and non-judgmental
context for chatroom goers. It sanctions a whole range of behaviors that afford
meaningfully lived freedom to persons. This research eventually reminds us that we play
multiple roles in life that require more than one fixed self. It also teaches us a potentially
powerful and empowering practice of determining for ourselves the sexual identities that
we want to project in particular situations, without the fear of being rejected, denigrated
or silenced. I argue that under social conditions similar to those of online chatrooms, the
practice of masculinities can potentially become non-oppressive, egalitarian and
liberating for the self and for others.