Reading Between the Lines: LGBTQ+ Representation, Identity Expression, and Community Belonging on BookTok Across English and Spanish-Speaking Contexts

Ever since books were written, they have been reviewed. However, where and by who these books were reviewed shifted from professional reviewers in newspapers to amateur reviewers on online platforms. Such an online platform is TikTok, where users share short videos or comments about books in the subcommunity BookTok. This serves as a digital book club by and for young readers who influence what kind of stories and voices are heard. These voices typically include members of the LGBTQ+ community. However, limited research has been done on how book reviews with LGBTQ+ representation are discussed across different linguistic and cultural contexts within BookTok. Therefore, this thesis combined research on BookTok, LGBTQ+ communities, and identity to examine how books with LGBTQ+ representation were discussed across different linguistic contexts. It aimed to answer the research question: How are books with LGBTQ+ representation discussed on BookTok across English and Hispanic-speaking videos? In answering this question, there was a specific focus on identity and community belonging. To answer this research question, this thesis utilized qualitative thematic analysis. It examined 40 TikTok videos and corresponding 300 comments from English and Spanish contexts to analyze recurring themes or patterns within the data. The main findings from the data included three recurring themes: community belonging, identity and representation, and experiences of repression or support. First, BookTok functions as a community of practice and as an imagined community, where a feeling of belonging is created in both the English and the Spanish-speaking context. Second, users from the English and Spanish context felt safe sharing their personal experiences and sexual orientation on TikTok, which is particularly significant in the current sociopolitical climate marked by uncertainty and polarization. Lastly, the feeling of safety in this turbulent world did differ from where a person is from. Both contexts showed support, but in the Hispanic context, this support is more pronounced compared to the English context, where religious-based repression mirrors the current sociopolitical environment. These findings illustrated how community, representation, identity, and culture are all interconnected on BookTok, resulting in different experiences and types of engagement for LGBTQ+ users. This thesis concluded with a recommendation for future research as this thesis illustrated how books with LGBTQ+ representation are discussed across different cultural and political climates, giving marginalized groups the chance to share their voices and stories in a safe environment where research contributes to making the world a more inclusive one.