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Student: James Brosius
Advisor: Scott Shall
Content Experts: Edward Orlowski, Laura Walker
In the aftermath of the 2020 pandemic, the dynamics of queer space have undergone a profound shift, with conventional physical queer spaces shifting to digital forums. This transition, exacerbated by anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and rising heteronormative ideals of the United States suburban landscape, has compelled the queer community to embrace an almost exclusively online presence. This shift has left an outstanding amount of the community in the dark with very minimal physical space left to exist as their true self, begging to return to some form of anchored physicality for connection. To comprehend and contextualize this discussion of queer space’s current issue, drawing reference to the idea of “event-spaces,” (Bernard Tschumi, 1994-2010) helps to understand this shift in the nature of queer space. Event space ideals helps navigate the conversation around the challenges and opportunities presented by this new paradigm, emphasizing the adoption of event spaces as queer space going forward.
The transition to online platforms appears as a reaction in accordance with event-space concepts – as queer space can happen anywhere now instead of holding noteworthy scenes for assemblage. This shift has simultaneously challenged the sense of community and connection, specifically in the suburban context. Due to this shift, these specific queer communities have been left in a state of isolation and uncertainty. Being online completely challenges community mental health, wellbeing, and identity, especially when constant discrimination forces a community to reside there (Abreu, R. L., et al., 2023)(Graham, M., et al., 2023).
As both a dwindled physical and fully digital environment has shown to not keep queer communities together without issue, this investigation proposes the idea of hybridized environments to ignite a new form of connection to make up for the downfalls of each respectively. Recognizing the historical proclivity for the queer community to adopt new technologies for refuge in hostile environments such as heteronormative suburbia, hybridized environments aided by new and emerging tech aligns well with the nature of evolving queer space, with the potential of founding healthy queer communities in the long run (Miles, 2018)(Human Rights Campaign, 2023). To investigate this concern, this thesis will test the implementation of augmented reality in existing fully-physical spaces that used to be queer as an ingredient in the manifestation of post-Covid queer space, acting as a promising avenue for insight in how to re-ignite queer connections and community.
Use Your Cell Phone as a Document Camera in Zoom
From Computer
Log in and start your Zoom session with participants
From Phone
To use your cell phone as a makeshift document camera
