Navigating Digital Lifelines: Digital Media Practices of Queer and Trans Refugees in Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp

In an era of ‘digital ubiquity,’ digital media technologies are increasingly becoming an indispensable lifeline for queer and trans refugees, including facilitating access to support networks, legal rights, and resources. The use of digital platforms also presents significant risks, including increased surveillance, targeted harassment, and the proliferation of misinformation. Focusing on the intricate and dual-edged nature of digital media practices, this paper presents preliminary research findings from interviews, conducted in 2023, as part of doctoral research focusing on the freedom-seeking practices of queer and trans refugees in Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp. It highlights the innovative approaches to navigating digital landscapes within the context of encampment and explores how social media affordances—such as messaging, video sharing, and networking capabilities—enable refugees to establish and maintain connections across transnational social spaces, build supportive communities, and formulate long-term strategies for security. At the same time, the paper addresses how these platforms’ limitations exacerbate risks for queer and trans refugees. In doing so, the paper seeks to contribute to a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of digital platforms’ empowering potentials and constraints, offering an important contribution to scholarly discussions on queer and trans forced migration in and from the Global South.