Black women’s identity discursive performances in a community for black people in Orkut

Abstract

This article aims at analysing racial identity performances enacted in texts produced by black heterosexual women in a community of black people at Orkut. This study is based on new digital literacy and queer theories. We analyzed messages in a forum specifically geared towards Brazilian black women. The analytical framework is derived from Goffman’s concepts of footing and frame. The results indicate that participants’ identity performances are permeated by sexuality, gender, race and social class oscilating between a queer position and essencialized performances.