Keywords
digital identity
precariat
digital ethnography
employment discrimination
How to Cite
Abstract
This study aims to analyze how trans women construct and negotiate identity on social media while confronting employment precarity and structural discrimination. The study employs a qualitative approach using digital ethnography through in-depth interviews with five trans women who reside and work in South Jakarta, observations of social media activity, and observations of their work environments. The data were analyzed thematically and triangulated by comparing interview and observational findings. The findings show that four of the five informants engage in multiple jobs in response to income instability; all informants face limited employment security and social protection in different forms; and three informants engage in sex work as one source of income when access to formal employment is limited. Social media functions as a space for identity negotiation as well as an economic infrastructure, although digital visibility also requires identity-management strategies to reduce the risk of discrimination. This study is limited to five informants in one geographical area. Its contribution lies in connecting studies of digital communication, gender, and precarious work. Its novelty lies in an integrated reading of employment precarity, identity performativity, and the survival strategies of trans women in digital spaces.
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