LGBTQ+ Voices To Explore!
Pride began as a protest.
It began as advocacy, a way of drawing people together and amplifying their voices to demand equal rights and an end to discrimination. While we've made tremendous strides in social acceptance and inclusivity, our momentum has faltered.
In several countries around the world, we've seen a steep regression. For the most part, the backlash is being aimed at transgender people, and it has largely been manufactured as a way of drumming up support for the culture-war moral panic bullshit that keeps certain people in power.
Some people question whether Pride is truly necessary in the modern day. But take a look around the world—a really good look at the legislation, misinformation, slurs, and discrimination.
Once you've had a chance to take it all in, look me in the eye and tell me Pride isn't necessary anymore.
Hate is spreading all over the globe. I suspect the internet has a lot to do with that; bigotry on social media is not constrained by the borders on a map.
Misinformation published in the United States will spread worldwide, and the Internet allows it to be translated into almost every language.
Hate from the UK will be repeated in Canada, New Zealand, and everywhere else. Russian propaganda feeds into Ugandan death penalty legislation.
So, how do we combat it?
By elevating our own community's voices.
LGBTQ+ creators and writers are everywhere; I AM one!
But I am a very, very small voice compared to other creators who speak on the issues that matter to all of us. So, in honor of Pride and the coalition that won us so much, I thought I'd share some of their names with you.
First and foremost, I'd like to share one of my favorite creators with you: Abigail Thorn. The playfully self-described Transgender Princess of TERF Island.
Abigail runs the massively popular YouTube channel Philosophy Tube. She teaches the basics of philosophy in a highly theatrical, entertaining way. She has a beautiful sense of humor and personifies wit, sarcasm, and snark with a charming posh British flare.
She is also an award-winning playwright and actress. Recently, I sat up straight and turned up the volume on a video game because I recognized her voice. It was a really exciting moment for me. The game was Baldur's Gate 3, which is a huge deal!
I've been a huge fan of Abigail's since long before she came out as trans, and it's amazing to see how far she's come since her early days on YouTube. She is absolutely worth following!
But Abigail Thorn is not the only LGBTQ+ creator you should check out. The next creator I'd recommend is less academic and much more entertainment—doubly amusing, you might say.
That's a dumb way of saying it's not one creator; it's two. The most wholesome YouTube couple I know of; Jamie and Shaaba Lotun-Raines.
With these two, you've got two channels to follow. Jammidodger and Shaaba, respectively.
Being a transgender, bisexual man and a bisexual, cisgender woman of color, these two bring some very interesting perspectives to their videos about LGBTQ+ issues. They also happen to both be PhDs with a background in psychological research.
They are advocates and activists, meme-reactors and wholesome podcasters, and they're frankly just delightfully funny and enjoyable to watch.
Nothing will ever top the moment when Jamie suddenly understood the song 'Milkshake' was about boobs. The long, silent pause of stunned realization lives rent-free in my head.
Finally, the last creator I want to highlight today is Shaniya, a superb video essayist. Their content on YouTube is listed under their channel name: Shanspeare.
Shaniya's work is largely based on pop-culture critique and modern feminism, with plenty of forays into discussions of political issues and human rights. They have a fantastic style that makes their essays easy to digest and follow.
Their work on the Tradwife trend and how it relates to white supremacist ideals is outstanding.
Shaniya uses they/them pronouns, and their content is primarily aimed at an audience that is eager to learn. They bring to the table a nice blend of both Abigail and Jamie's styles, mixing educational content with entertainment and humor.
They have a knack for dissecting complex social topics and making them easy for a broad audience to understand. I thoroughly enjoy putting their video essays on as background listening while I work, and I'm often inspired to dig into my own research by the time they finish their thoughts.
These creators all deserve the followings they've built, both on YouTube and elsewhere. They all have a vast body of work beyond just their video channels. If you enjoy the links I've shared above, I'd encourage you to consider supporting them.
We all need support to get by in this world. It doesn't matter who you are or what your life looks like; you're a human being, just like everyone else.
When you belong to a marginalized community, the need for support only grows more intense.
Pride is often treated like a holiday. A time of celebration and joy. It can be.
But we should also remember why Pride came into being; we should not forget that it is a protest, a declaration of intent. A community rising, shoulder to shoulder, to fight side by side to build a better world for themselves and generations after them.
By elevating each other's voices and drowning out some of that expanding hate with a tidal wave of love, we're keeping the true tradition of Pride alive.
Solidarity wins.
If you want to add to your library, consider checking out the World-Weary Reading List. If you purchase a book through one of the links on this list, I will be paid a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Sam W