ABSTRACT
For gay immigrants in particular, informal chats on gay dating platforms can be a useful way to engage initially with others in the host country and to build social and logistical networks. However there are some problems that immigrants and ethnic minorities face online, namely when encountering exclusionary or xenophobic messages. Caleb, originally from China, recurrently treads through profiles posted by men who announce that ‘No Asians’ need contact them. Şenol from Turkey was perplexed when an ano nymous user called him a ‘Turkish prostitute’ before ignoring him entirely. In response to these negative experiences, both Caleb and Şenol have re-written their profile texts to address prejudicial comments on gay social media, thereby hoping to encourage users to problematise and be reflective about race-related communiqués.
