Doing LGBTQ internet histories justice: a queer web archive manifesto

Abstract

Despite the web’s revolutionary impact on LGBTQ communities, the preservation and study of LGBTQ web histories have been largely overlooked by archives and scholars. This neglect has contributed to a “queer digital dark age,” perpetuating the symbolic annihilation of LGBTQ people in the historical record. Drawing on an extensive review of queer archive and library studies literature, as well as a survey of curators of queer web archives, this article argues for urgent intervention. Specific actions are needed: heritage institutions should prioritise creating queer web collections, and scholars must begin consulting existing collections. Failure to address this undermines the representation of LGBTQ experiences and hinders our understanding of online LGBTQ life. By examining extant initiatives, specifically the LGBT + web archive of the National Library of the Netherlands, this article demonstrates the potential of studying queer internet histories through web archives. Such endeavours enable diachronic research and the application of computational methods like hyperlink analyses, revealing the interconnected nature of queer online cultures. Ultimately, this article advocates a collaborative dialogue between queer archival and librarian studies, web archive studies, and LGBTQ internet studies—which must lead to pressing steps to preserve and comprehensively examine LGBTQ online heritage.