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An intersectionality perspective, however, suggests that these outcomes may vary depending on individuals\u2019 social positionality. We propose the concept of \u201csubverted agency\u201d to emphasize that use of digital technologies may be personally empowering but might reinforce normative regimes contributing to sociostructural marginalization. We investigated digital practices of 17 online-soliciting transfeminine sex workers through semi-structured interviews in Singapore, where attitudes toward gender diversity and sex work remain conservative. We highlight three dilemmas of digital media environments, namely, presentation of gender identity and embodiment, intimate relationships characterized by persistent liminality, and competitive pressures related to authenticity of identity. The subverted agency perspective suggests that digital practices do not straightforwardly transform unequal sociostructural conditions; instead, it offers a frame to rethink inclusion by attending to contextual intersections of marginalization. <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/14614448211063181","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,11]],"date-time":"2022-02-11T08:49:51Z","timestamp":1644569391000},"page":"458-477","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Subverted agency: The dilemmas of disempowerment in digital practices"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"24","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3833-8889","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Arul","family":"Chib","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5929-5163","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ming Wei","family":"Ang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nanyang Technological University, Singapore"}]},{"given":"Yingqin","family":"Zheng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Royal Holloway, University of London, UK"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1728-5626","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sarah Hoan","family":"Nguyen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Southern California, USA"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/jcmc\/zmab003"},{"key":"bibr2-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1557988316655785"},{"key":"bibr3-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1350\/jcla.2009.73.3.573"},{"key":"bibr4-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/soin.12348"},{"key":"bibr5-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s12119-017-9469-z"},{"key":"bibr6-14614448211063181","volume-title":"Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity","author":"Butler J","year":"1990"},{"key":"bibr7-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/15538605.2017.1310006"},{"key":"bibr8-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/soin.12350"},{"key":"bibr9-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/15295036.2015.1129065"},{"issue":"3","key":"bibr10-14614448211063181","first-page":"243","volume":"6","author":"Chaiyajit N","year":"2014","journal-title":"Digital Culture & Education"},{"key":"bibr11-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/asjcl.2015.1"},{"key":"bibr12-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444810393902"},{"key":"bibr13-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/jcmc\/zmaa017"},{"key":"bibr14-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/hsc.12448"},{"key":"bibr15-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0891243209356429"},{"issue":"1","key":"bibr16-14614448211063181","first-page":"8","volume":"1989","author":"Crenshaw K","year":"1989","journal-title":"University of Chicago Legal Forum"},{"key":"bibr17-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jue.2010.12.001"},{"key":"bibr18-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.techsoc.2017.11.004"},{"key":"bibr19-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/15295036.2015.1130846"},{"issue":"3","key":"bibr20-14614448211063181","first-page":"230","volume":"6","author":"Dennermalm N","year":"2014","journal-title":"Digital Culture & Education"},{"key":"bibr21-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0891243204272153"},{"key":"bibr22-14614448211063181","first-page":"251","volume":"71","author":"Ehrenreich N","year":"2002","journal-title":"UMKC Law Review"},{"key":"bibr23-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10691-012-9212-y"},{"key":"bibr24-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/13691058.2016.1271141"},{"key":"bibr25-14614448211063181","volume-title":"The Constitution of Society: Outline of the Theory of Structuration","author":"Giddens A","year":"1986"},{"key":"bibr26-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4135\/9781412973588"},{"key":"bibr27-14614448211063181","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Haimson OL (2018) The social complexities of transgender identity disclosure on social media. 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