Flipping the Lens: Using Instagram for Photovoice and Videovoice With LGBTQ+ Migrants in São Paulo

This article examines Instagram as a tool for data collection with LGBTQ+ refugees and migrants in São Paulo, Brazil. While photovoice and videovoice are widely used, integrating Instagram enables forms of data collection not usually possible with these methods. Twenty-one LGBTQ+ migrants created original visual content. Instagram allowed participants creative control compared with conventional photovoice, choosing how to represent themselves through filters, captions, music, and privacy settings, while negotiating constraints such as digital literacy and platform visibility. Drawing on workshops, content, and interviews, the article analyzes how Instagram facilitated storytelling, community building, and agency, while highlighting the limits of digital participation.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Qualitative Inquiry
Published
2026-02-05
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/10778004261417671
Primary Topic
Participatory Visual Research Methods
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Flipping the Lens: Using Instagram for Photovoice and Videovoice With LGBTQ+ Migrants in São Paulo

Yvonne Su, Tyler Valiquette
Qualitative Inquiry
Participatory Visual Research Methods
article

Flipping the Lens: Using Instagram for Photovoice and Videovoice With LGBTQ+ Migrants in São Paulo

Yvonne Su, Tyler Valiquette
article en

Abstract

This article examines Instagram as a tool for data collection with LGBTQ+ refugees and migrants in São Paulo, Brazil. While photovoice and videovoice are widely used, integrating Instagram enables forms of data collection not usually possible with these methods. Twenty-one LGBTQ+ migrants created original visual content. Instagram allowed participants creative control compared with conventional photovoice, choosing how to represent themselves through filters, captions, music, and privacy settings, while negotiating constraints such as digital literacy and platform visibility. Drawing on workshops, content, and interviews, the article analyzes how Instagram facilitated storytelling, community building, and agency, while highlighting the limits of digital participation.

Qualitative Inquiry
York University (CA), University College London (GB)
Quality Education
Openalex Percentile: Top 70%
Participatory Visual Research Methods
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.