My Internet: Chrissy Correa
The Transtrender writer says the ‘Heated Rivalry’ standom is a mass psychosis event.
Embedded is your essential guide to what’s good on the internet, written by Kate Lindsay and edited by Nick Catucci.
Every other week we quiz a “very online” person for their essential guide to what’s good on the internet.
Today we welcome Chrissy Correa, a culture writer, strategist, and author of the newsletter Transtrender. Chrissy watches vodcasts from a simpler time (2021-2024), maintains parasocial acquaintanceship with people they think are cool through tasteful story likes, and deletes and redownloads Instagram three times a week because their character is of weak constitution. —Nick
EMBEDDED: What’s a recent meme or post that made you laugh?
CHRISSY CORREA:
EMBEDDED: Do you tweet? Why?
CHRISSY CORREA:Not really. My account is so dead there’s no point in tweeting. Like, if I was a tree and no one was around to hear me, I simply wouldn’t fall.
EMBEDDED: What do you use Instagram for?
CHRISSY CORREA: Watching the Close Friends stories of my funniest gay guy and tranny friends like a daytime talk show. I also use it to maintain parasocial acquaintanceship with people I think are cool through a tasteful story like.
EMBEDDED: What types of videos do you watch on YouTube?
CHRISSY CORREA: Vodcasts from 2021-2024. I spent several months watching all of Frenemies, and am now doing the same with Cancelled with Tana Mongeau & Brooke Schofield. It’s so healing to take yourself back to a simpler time.
EMBEDDED: What do you like about TikTok? What do you dislike?
CHRISSY CORREA: The algorithm and comments are less darksided than Reels. But it’s also less addictive than it was during the pandemic—which is good or bad depending on how you look at it. I’ve been on medical leave for the past three weeks, basically a perfect circumstance to fall into TikTok addiction, and I just can’t really get into it like I used to.
EMBEDDED: Are you concerned by the claims of censorship that some users have made since TikTok was taken over by investors led by Larry Ellison, an ally of President Trump?
CHRISSY CORREA: Yes. Grassroots activism was one of the few net benefits of these godforsaken platforms, so watching conversations around the genocide in Gaza and the murders by ICE get suppressed feels really dystopian. But one thing about Gen Z is we like to run our mouths, so I have faith this momentum will find another way to surface. Inshallah!
EMBEDDED: How do you keep up with the online discourse? How important is it to you to do this?
CHRISSY CORREA: I don’t even try—it’s just through osmosis from being around gay people all the time. If I don’t know a meme, my friend will pull it up and stick it in my face because there’s nothing worse than making a reference that no one gets.
EMBEDDED: What’s the last strong opinion you had about a story, topic, or controversy online?
CHRISSY CORREA: The Heated Rivalry standom is a mass psychosis event that says more about our latent thirst for queer storytelling than the quality of the series. I miss when queer media had breathing room to play across the spectrum from prestige to comfort watch, when Call Me By Your Name and Moonlight won Oscars two years in a row. But beggars can’t be choosers, and when you’re on the stand (LGBTQ+ acceptance is on the decline for the first time in decades), you tell the story the jury can follow. The fanfare is a win—it’s just sad that winning looks a lot like capitulation.
EMBEDDED: How would you describe the culture of Substack, in terms of the types of writing and thinking that it has encouraged?
CHRISSY CORREA: Girl … There’s a lot of good writing, but also a lot of writing with the energy of a vaguely religious millennial coffee shop that’s always playing Mumford and Sons. I actually wrote an entire piece on this (in which I referenced Nick’s incredible insight in Human Pursuits on the importance of mischief in writing!).
EMBEDDED: What, if anything, is there to learn from the popularity of the looksmaxxing trend and influencers like Clavicular?
CHRISSY CORREA: I kind of appreciate how transparent looksmaxxers are in their narcissistic sociopathy. I prefer their directness to the traditional beauty industry, which is wrapped up in propagandized narratives around self-empowerment, agency, and feminism. People called Kylie Jenner a “girl’s girl” for revealing the exact details of her boob job.
Also, literally everyone is neurotic about beauty culture—even the detractors. Anytime I see a video of someone getting work done, the comments are filled with people saying things like “an angel lost her wings” and “she looked better before.” Which 1) feels like a massive cope, because usually they look objectively better after surgery, and 2) could you imagine saying that to someone’s face?
EMBEDDED: Do you have any advice for people who use sports betting apps or prediction markets?
CHRISSY CORREA: Stop.
EMBEDDED: Do you try to limit your phone use? If so, what methods have been helpful for this?
CHRISSY CORREA: Yes! I delete and redownload Instagram like three times a week because my character is of weak constitution. But it is still better than giving into the compulsion entirely. I got a Brick on my roommate’s recommendation, which has provided bountiful jokes about “being bricked up.”
EMBEDDED: Have you had posts go viral? What is that experience like?
CHRISSY CORREA: At different periods in my life, I have had a following on Tumblr, Vine, TikTok, and Substack. Unfortunately, I’ve always gone far enough for posts to go viral, but not far enough to get paid by Tarte Cosmetics to go to Turks and Caicos. I always quit before I go platinum, but I’m trying to buck that trend this time around.
EMBEDDED: Who’s the coolest person who follows you?
CHRISSY CORREA: Lena Dunham. I fangirled so hard.
EMBEDDED: Which big celebrity has your favorite internet presence, and why?
CHRISSY CORREA: Alex Consani. I love that she is such a freak and doesn’t give a fuck.
EMBEDDED: Are you in any groups on Reddit, Discord, Slack, or Facebook? What’s the most useful or entertaining one?
CHRISSY CORREA: You couldn’t waterboard my username or any of my frequent subreddits out of me. That’s between me, God, and my OCD research compulsion.
EMBEDDED: Do you text people voice notes? If not, how do you feel about getting them?
CHRISSY CORREA: If you are going to send one, it better be tea. Like genuine tea and gossip about someone we mutually hate or why you’re considering breaking up with your boyfriend. Don’t get me excited for a 3 minute voice note just for it to be about your dream last night.
EMBEDDED: What’s your favorite non-social media app?
CHRISSY CORREA: The notes app. It’s where all my random article ideas go when I’m half-asleep in bed.
EMBEDDED: Do you regularly use eBay, Depop, or other shopping platforms? What’s a recent thing you’ve bought or sold?
CHRISSY CORREA:
I bought this jacket on recommendation from my friend Bri at LOWBALLZ. I haven’t worn it yet so TBD on whether it's giving cunty Y2K realness or 19th century British rifleman on my girltwink frame.
EMBEDDED: Do you consume any content about fitness, diet, or other types of “wellness”? What creators or sites do you find most useful?
CHRISSY CORREA: Yoga with Adrienne is MOTHERRR.
EMBEDDED: What’s the last thing that brought you joy online?
CHRISSY CORREA: Punch, the baby monkey in a Japanese Zoo who went viral for being an outcast, finally found a friend. ♥️
Thanks Chrissy! Subscribe to their newsletter.
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