Risgo: Exploring Queer Men’s Narratives of Risks and Stigma in Queer Dating Applications through an Interactive Film

Abstract

Risgo, a practice-based research initiative, employs interactive film to intricately explore the experiences of queer men navigating dating apps, focusing on risks and stigma. Through intimate narratives shared by eight queer-identifying men, the analysis is guided by the Sexual Script Theory, revealing five prominent themes: hypermasculinity, body shaming, misgendering, prejudice in sex roles, and inherent risks. In the transformative process of translating these findings into an interactive film, Brecht’s Aesthetic Theory plays a pivotal role, incorporating historicization, gestus, and alienation techniques. The resulting interactive film undergoes assessment for interactivity and narrativity, drawing from Windsor’s explanation-demonstration model for interactive visualizations. The film provides users with a unique ‘branching narrative’ approach, empowering them with control over the story’s progression and facilitating a profound understanding of the experiences within the realm of queer dating apps. By immersing viewers in these diverse narratives, the film elucidates the impact of knowledge gaps and the pervasive stigma within LGBTQ+ communities. This interactive medium ultimately catalyzes open discussions and the acknowledgment of challenges faced by queer individuals in the dynamic landscape of dating apps, casting a spotlight on the critical issues within the LGBTQ+ community.

 Keywords: Interactive film, Queer dating applications, Queer men’s narratives

Received Date: January 15, 2024
Revised Date: February 17, 2024
Accepted Date: March 6, 2024