This is for people who have posted pictures of themselves as icons:

1. Have you ever created an icon using a photograph of yourself that was, um, provocative?

2. Have you ever re-thought the wisdom of having an image like that online and taken it down?

I ask this because I went through this phase. I think lots of women go through this when they first get into an online space. Don't get me wrong: I wasn't unclothed in my icons or anything. But my images were just too... flirty? I would respond to something in someone's journal and someone entirely different would send me private email commenting on my looks and I thought hmm I don't want to be sending that message out.

It's always interested me that you can engage in pretty out-there flirtations as long as they stay textual. But talking about poststructuralism and using an icon featuring a sports bra? That'll get you the mail.

People who use icons with political images/phrases on them, can you answer some questions for me?

1. What images/words are featured on your political icon? (If you could post them, that would be great)

2. Do people seem to "get" your political icons, or do they require explanations? (I'm thinking of people who have say, a photo of Trotsky or Emma Goldman as an icon)

3. DId you ever use an icon that you might not have intended as political, but became so (I'm thinking here of the "No shame" sexual abuse logos that went around)

4. Do you use your political icons all the time, or just in special places ( like political communities) or at special times (like when someone mentions politics)?

5. Have you ever received negative reactions regarding your icons?

6. Have you ever had someone tell you they learned something about your politics just from your icon choices?

People who use icons with celebrities on them, can you answer some questions for me?

1. Which celebrities do you have as icons?

2. Any reason besides "I just like them" for why you use a particular celeb as a user icon?

3. Do your icons feature just images, or do you like to use images with words on them? If they feature words, do you write the words or bother other people's words?

4. Do you use these icons all the time, or just in special places ( like fan communities) or at special times (like when someone mentions the celebrity)?

5. Have you ever witnessed any sort of drama regarding the use of celebrity icons? I don't read fan communities so I'm relying on experiences of other people, here...


(If you could post them, that would be great)