ABSTRACT
This chapter draws on, redevelops, and brings together the growing but still sparse research on Tran's community building online and general attempts to theorize YouTube as a community. It explores how notions of a YouTube trans community circulate and how such notions are designated meaningful among the trans vloggers. YouTube as a platform and the vlog as a medium have certain technological affordances that influence the communication and social connections that are possible. YouTube as a platform enables communication and social connections through the search function and suggested related videos. AsJose van Dijck Dijck also argues, YouTube is 'giving amateur videographers less exposure, funneling viewers toward fewer choices, and shepherding them towards TV-like channels'. YouTube facilitates and mediates the exchange of skills and material artifacts. Entering the YouTube community and becoming an established vlogger also entails having, or at least feeling that one has, a social responsibility.
