Coopting the Rainbow: Analyzing Malicious Survey Responses

In late 2022, a collaborative research study was designed by a group of polytechnic researchers that aimed to explore how safe and inclusive the various campuses of New Zealand's polytechnic sector were for rainbow students. Two online surveys were distributed to students and staff in 14 of the nation's 16 polytechnics. One of the surveys was designed to be completed by rainbow students and the other, by cisgender (cis) heterosexual students and all staff. In the rainbow survey response data, numerous malicious responses were recorded, which contained cis heteronormative, racist and ableist slurs, threats, and hate speech. Rather than simply deleting these comments as irrelevant and offensive, a theoretical analysis, consisting of central tenets of queer theory, transfeminism and intersectionality, was undertaken. Results show that these comments referenced outdated societal stereotypes, which in turn, continue to reproduce societal marginalisations. The respondents were also reliant on the negation of "others" to create their own identity, thus highlighting the fragility of their own self-concept. It is important to trouble malicious anonymous online survey responses because they perpetuate harm and undermine equity.