Exploring the intimate experiences of young people aged 11-14 through creative filmmaking.

Young people in Australia explore intimacy through digital environments. However, there is limited understanding of how young people under 15 and young men in particular, experience intimacy. Queer theory framed research where 10 participants aged 11-14 recorded their lived experiences of intimacy using creative filmmaking. Data from 13 short films identified the significance of locations, behavioural practices and emotions in the formation of intimate experiences. Findings highlight the complexity of participants’ intimate experiences and use of digital platforms to explore emotions not experienced “in person”. The study challenges normative notions of the emotionally underdeveloped male and the innocent child.