The Performance of Hybrid Masculine Persona in Role-Play ASMR by Male Virtual YouTubers

Abstract

The performance of gender has been extensively discussed in scholarly literature, owing to the variety of ways that gender can be performed using both linguistic and non-linguistic forms. This paper examines the performance of gender by a unique online community known as Virtual YouTubers, in which their use of a digital character as a means of representation and interaction online has sparked discussions on the performance of identity, particularly in relation to gender. Current literature on VTubers is centred on female VTubers, as they form the majority of the community. As such, this paper seeks to expand the literature on male VTubers by examining the performance of gender by male VTubers in a context of role-play ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response). Additionally, this paper will also compare features of role-play ASMR to conventional ASMR to investigate whether VTubers conform to conventional ASMR in their performances despite their digital characteristics. The findings reveal that while role-play ASMR performances share common features with conventional ASMR, they do not align with the conventional ASMR genre in terms of both acoustic and visual aspects. Additionally, male VTubers perform a hybridised masculine persona in role-play ASMR through the use of low-pitch and creaky voice and the construction of various stances that index both masculine and feminine traits.