The complexity of giving voice: Intersectionality as method in the study of instagram and marginalised identities

Instagram is a key platform for expressions of identity. Yet it continues to uphold normative, Eurocentric ideals that further alienate marginalised groups. Drawing on a larger research project on Instagram, beauty, and religious identity, this paper considers articulations of intersectionality on Instagram and the value of feminist approaches in highlighting ethnic minority women’s unique experiences. Religious women are persistently minimised in academic and media discourse surrounding representation. Existing scholarship largely centres on White women’s experiences; conflates race with ethnicity; and defaults to generalised categories of religion. Through a detailed account of the research process, this study explores the use of intersectionality-as-method to address the limitations of previous research and resist colonial framings of identity. This paper discusses the opportunities and challenges of centring subjective experience in research while mitigating bias and maintaining criticality. The aim of giving voice is explored through the value of subjectivity; insider/outsider positioning; and the co-creation of knowledge. Ultimately, upholding an intersectional methodological approach adds nuance to existing categories of identity in research by highlighting specificities in racial identity, religious denomination, and the Instagram user experience. The paper concludes with recommendations for future applications of intersectionality-as-method in research on digital media.