Safe Sex Practices and Social Support Typologies in Digital Spaces: Assessing Nigerian Gay Men's Sexual Health Information Exchange on Social Media.

Abstract

Digital platforms are reshaping how historically marginalized populations, especially LGBTQIA+ people, access and share health information. In Nigeria, where LGBTQIA+ people face lynching, legal persecution and systemic discrimination, men who have sex with men (MSM) remain underserved in both sexual and mental healthcare. We examine how Nigerian gay men use Facebook to share sexual health information and social support in the face of homo/queerphobic violence. Drawing on social support theory and a thematic analysis of comments on a public post by a prominent Nigerian pro-LGBTQIA+ influencer, we explore the types of social support Nigerian gay men offer: informational, emotional, esteem-based, and resilience-focused. Our findings reveal the multifaceted nature of support expressed in these online interactions. These exchanges also reflect acts of resilience and resistance in the face of criminalization and stigma, empowering Nigerian gay men to reclaim agency over their sexual health, identity, and everyday existence in Nigeria. Through our focus on the concerns of Nigerian MSM, we address a critical gap in the literature on digital health communication and marginalized sexual minorities in the Global South. We appeal to digital health communication scholars to engage more critically with these populations, where digital platforms both mitigate exclusion and reflect the complexities of marginalization. Understanding these dynamics is essential to designing inclusive, affirming health interventions for LGBTQIA+ people.