Exploring Online Forums with an Academic Atmosphere for Informal Sexuality Education in China: A Case Study of a Douban Group.
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| Title: | Exploring Online Forums with an Academic Atmosphere for Informal Sexuality Education in China: A Case Study of a Douban Group. |
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| Authors: | Yao, Xing1 (AUTHOR) xingyao@iu.edu |
| Source: | American Journal of Sexuality Education. Apr-Jun2026, Vol. 21 Issue 2, p245-260. 16p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Sex education, *Internet forums, *Nonformal education, Self-consciousness (Awareness), Gender identity, Sexual orientation |
| Geographic Terms: | China |
| Abstract: | In mainland China, sexuality education is inadequate due to prevailing conservative social and cultural attitudes. This paper explores the role of online forums as alternative spaces for informal sexuality education, focusing on the Douban group named "Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation Self-Study" (GISOS). Douban.com, a popular social networking site in China, allows users to create groups for discussions on various themes. To explore whether and how the GISOS group can serve as informal sources of sexuality education for young people in China, this study adopts a qualitative research design, using reflexive thematic analysis to examine ten selected posts and their comments within the GISOS group. Emergent themes reveal that GISOS serves as both a "user-generated content gender forum with an academic atmosphere" and an "online mutual support community that supports self-exploration." The GISOS group creatively encourages members to use reliable academic resources for narration and discussion, fostering a positive environment that addresses some limitations of online forums as platforms for sexuality education. This innovative form of online forum-based sexuality education could serve as an example of similar informal platforms for sexuality education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Abstract: | In mainland China, sexuality education is inadequate due to prevailing conservative social and cultural attitudes. This paper explores the role of online forums as alternative spaces for informal sexuality education, focusing on the Douban group named "Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation Self-Study" (GISOS). Douban.com, a popular social networking site in China, allows users to create groups for discussions on various themes. To explore whether and how the GISOS group can serve as informal sources of sexuality education for young people in China, this study adopts a qualitative research design, using reflexive thematic analysis to examine ten selected posts and their comments within the GISOS group. Emergent themes reveal that GISOS serves as both a "user-generated content gender forum with an academic atmosphere" and an "online mutual support community that supports self-exploration." The GISOS group creatively encourages members to use reliable academic resources for narration and discussion, fostering a positive environment that addresses some limitations of online forums as platforms for sexuality education. This innovative form of online forum-based sexuality education could serve as an example of similar informal platforms for sexuality education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 15546128 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/15546128.2024.2444441 |
