Affordances turning intersectional: How hierarchical femininities differently experience TikTok’s features

In recent years, gender scholars have begun to examine the various costs and benefits of hierarchically arranged femininities. These cultural ideals are particularly appealing in the context of growing digitally mediated interactions, as the symbolic and relational boundaries between these femininities are becoming more fluid. Drawing on 32 in-depth interviews with Romanian content creators on TikTok, I highlight the intersectional, symbolic, and discursive character through which different types of femininity define online success and popularity. Women who approximate the hegemonic locations of femininity were found to practice privileged experiencing of TikTok’s affordances. These users already endorse affluence, heteronormativity, and knowledge premiums, which gives them an advantage in becoming popular on TikTok. However, women in disadvantaged intersectional locations tend to practice a resistant assimilation of TikTok’s affordances, as they tend to borrow but also criticize certain strategies from privileged users. Implications for digital communication and intersectionality are discussed.