Transgender community resilience on YouTube: Constructing an informational, emotional, and sociorelational support exchange

This strength‐based, mixed‐methods study explored how trans individuals utilize transvlogs as a community building and resilience resource. Eighty‐six transvlog viewers explained their motivation for viewing transvlogs and additionally rated their self‐efficacy and well‐being. Narrative analyses indicate that participants viewed transvlogs to gain informational, emotional, and sociorelational resources. Twelve percent of participants additionally shared those resources with others and contributed to a relational resilience exchange. In addition, transvlog viewers' self‐efficacy and well‐being scores were higher than previously reported means. While prior research has noted the benefits of transvlog creation, the present study furthers this study by suggesting that transvlog viewers interactionally benefit as well. Participants in this study were not passive viewers, but rather active, agentive contributors to a trans community resilience exchange. Building on this study, we conclude with a discussion of how therapists can incorporate extant trans‐created resources to foster trans community resilience.