The crises of 2020: The effects of intersectionality and virality on marginalized youth in the U.S

ABSTRACT

The article briefs about the effects of intersectionality and virality on marginalized youth in the U.S. The COVID-19 pandemic and violence inflicted on communities of color by police in the United States has caused unrest across the country. Scholars have focused on the significant influence of social media use during the twinned crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing political protests in terms of education, mental well-being, and health interventions. While that research is important, there has been little discussion about the role of virality in these converging crises and the ways youth with marginalized identities respond to them. In this context, the term "marginalized" refers to youth from racial or ethnic communities that have historically endured institutional discrimination, and deprivation in terms of economic and social resources. By focusing on teenagers who live through intersectional strains of inequality, authors draw attention to the complexity of the simultaneous viral health and social crises in more detail, and it is possible to better understand their needs. Marginalized youths' lives matter. The impact of the pandemic on youth has been systematic and disproportionate. As authors have seen, social media has and should be harnessed to support crisis response and provide youth the opportunity to voice their experiences and engage with others. However, scholars must examine and understand the interconnectedness and overlapping systems of discrimination that expose and exacerbate inequities and the way intersectional identities influence how marginalized youth respond to the viral messages that accompanied the crises of 2020. While the curve may flatten and the protest ween, the impact of this year on youth marginalized by intersections of racism, sexism, and classism should not be understated. Authors need considerably more research utilizing an intersectional lens within children and adolescents research if authors are to truly understand how they interact with viral pandemic messages and make a difference for those in need. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)