If you're like me, the more time I spend out of the closet, the more I absolutely crave having queer energies around me. While representation in the media is important, the token gay or trans characters and the way they're portrayed never seem to totally itch that scratch for me.
On the other hand, social media sites give us the luxury of controlling the content we see, whether or not you ever see people like you in your day-to-day life or on TV. This creates a safe haven for the general and sub-communities that may be hard to find otherwise. From there, it becomes that much easier to define your own personal queer style and find your fit within the community.
A quick search on Instagram may only bring you to accounts featuring drunk girls wearing snapbacks and pressing their tongues together in a bar somewhere. So, I've compiled a list of my 13 favorite accounts to help you start exploring the queer community of Instagram.
1. Chella Man
ig: chellaman
Chella man is a gender-queer, trans, deaf model. He has appeared in campaigns for TomBoy Underwear and Gap, and has appeared on the pages of Teen Vogue. Understandably, he has incurred a huge following by being a voice for all of these minority groups and, let's face it, that face *insert heart-eye emoji here.*
2. Asianna Scott
ig: @asiannascott
Asianna Scott is a gay woman who prides herself on using her look to move back in forth from masculinity to femininity, inserting her androgyny with regular captions like, "Am I ya boyfriend or ya girlfriend?" She is no stranger to the fashion world, appearing in shows and campaigns for both male and female clothing. In the words of her current bio, she asks her fans to embrace who they are and practice self-love.
3. ALOK
Alok is a gender non-conforming writer, performance artist, educator and fashionist. Their exuberant style and flare makes them an impactful presence in the LGBT+ community, particularly for Indian and other queer people of color. They maintain an endearingly transparency in interviews where they have opened up about many issues relating to their upbringing and current issues, anywhere from suicide, to fashion and pleasing parents.
4. Steph Grant
Who said because you're queer you can't be a hopeless romantic, too? Steph Grant is a photographer for LGBT+ weddings and her page is a sweet sneak-peak at the super-gay wedding we all want one day.
5. Magnus Hastings
Magnus Hastings is a photographer currently walking on a project called #GayFace where LGBT+ folks can express their individuality and art on what is literally a blank canvas. Each model has total control over what they want their box to look like, so each image ends up being totally unique. Fair warning though, this freedom definitely makes this a PG-13 page, and yes, it is also very sexually confusing.
6. Nico Tortorella and Bethany C. Meyers
ig: @bethanycmeyers and @nicotortorella
This gorgeous two-for-one special comes to you courtesy of gender-nonconforming babes Nico and Bethany, who are a married couple. Nico is a well-known actor and Bethany is a successful fitness and lifestyle entrepreneur who owns her own company. The pair are open about their queer, polyamorous relationship, being gay people, and are huge advocates for the LGBT+ community, body positivity and mental health awareness.
7. William Stark-Gagnonig
William is a up-and-coming makeup artist who pushes the line between makeup and art with every look he posts. His eccentric style and exaggerated techniques gained him a following, but what makes him so endearing as a person is now resolutely he asserts that "makeup has no gender." Gotta love an artist who uses their platform for good, not evil!
8. Jacob Tobia
Jacob is a beautiful, gender-nonconforming human and trailblazer for trans rights and visibility. According to their website, they're an "author, producer, performer, inflluencer, and force," and how right they are! They've won dozens of awards and touched thousands of lives in these roles, breaking barriers and conquering previously untouched feats on more than one occasion.
9. Rin (Gothfruits)
Rin is a makeup artist and YouTube personality who is open about being non-binary and pansexual, preferring both he/him, they/them pronouns. Based out of Texas and absolutely owning his gender, Rin was supremely influential for my own personal "Pretty Boy" identity, a persona I created to manage living in the South without sacrificing who I am.
So he might be one of my favorites on the list. They hold a special spot in my heart by being unflinchingly themselves and an expert in their craft while totally free from the binary system.
10. Gigi Gorgrous
Gigi Gorgeous is a trans actress and model and, well, absolutely gorgeous. Gigi takes pride in being gay and plans to merry her long-time girlfriend, Nats Getty (ig: @natsgetty). She recently opened up in an emotional YouTube video about how the two are going to try to have their own baby, and I hope its as blonde and beautiful as the two of them.
11. Adam Eli
Adam is a New York-based activist for the LGBT+ community, offering a unique perspective as a gay, Jewish person. Adam focuses on being a voice for gay and queer people in other countries whose very lives are threatened because of their identity. Despite being a human-rights super hero, Adam also posts the absolute best queer memes.
12. Danielle A. Cooper
Danielle A. Cooper is a fashion blogger and true gentleman. Her unique expertise is explaining how to dress like a gentleman while physically female, which can be a major hurtle for queer women and femmes. While I'm still just a broke college kid right now, I hope I get to look like her every day when I grow up.
13. Tyler Ford
Tyler Ford is a nonbinary person and the deputy editor at them.
them. is a community platform for LGBT+ folks to celebrate accomplishments, distribute news and serve as support for queer people (and they don't have a bad page themselves!). Tyler got their start as a performer and writer, and is now an invaluable addition to the them. community, using their skills to uplift others.
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