Social media has overtaken our lives, and while science shows there are some downsides to using apps like Instagram and TikTok, possibly one of the most positive aspects are the people who act as prognosticators, spreading activism and acceptance throughout LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities.
These activists and visionaries often work at the intersections of their queer identities, with some champion environmentalism while others work in psychology, body positivity, or racial issues. The number of up and coming people engaging in this type of activism is innumerable, but here are some of social media’s most inspiring individuals who are creating the future of queer communities.
Known as ALOK in performance, Vaid-Menon is a gender non-conforming, transfeminine writer, comedian, and performance artist who founded the #DeGenderFashion movement. Author of three books, Vaid-Menon tours internationally with their stand up routine while also appearing in television and film. They have been awarded a GLAAD Media Award and a Stonewall Foundation Visionary Award for their work. At 1.3 million followers on Instagram, they continue to share their love of fashion with the world on tour. Instagram
Social activist, historian, and public speaker, Blair Imani has been praised for her work in the academic world with her books Modern HERstory: Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History and Making Our Way Home: The Great Migration and the Black American Dream. But Imani’s primary way of educating on a daily basis is through informative videos on Instagram covering everything from racism to LGBTQIA+ identities and U.S. gun laws. In 2014, she founded a non-profit called Equality for HER, which provides resources to women and nonbinary people to feel empowered. Instagram
Rachel Cargle is a queer black writer, activist, author, and founder of The Loveland Foundation, amongst other things. She started her Instagram account six years ago as an outlet for writings on race, grief, joy and the everyday simplicities of life. Cargle’s foundation works to support women of color as they seek access to mental healthcare, and her book, titled A Renaissance of Our Own: A Memoir & Manifesto on Reimagining, tells of Cargle’s most important life lessons and ushers the reader into a state of reimagining life. Instagram
Working at the intersection of LGBTQ+ identity and self-image, Megan Jayne Crabbe is one of the voices at the center of a growing community of body positive influencers who encourage you to come as you are and embrace your body no matter what shape or size it may take. Sharing the most intimate parts of her life online, Crabbe has racked up a following of 1.2 million followers and continues to share glimpses into a busy and colorful life with her partner, all highlighted with sequins, pink hair, and lots of dancing. Instagram.
An Antiguan-American model, Aaron Rose Philip was the first black, transgender, and physically disabled model to be signed to a major modeling agency. Appearing in campaigns for Collina Strada, Sephora and Moschino, Philip’s career has skyrocketed in recent years and she is only 22 years old. With a mission to make modeling more accessible, Philip sets the stage for generations of LGBTQIA+ and Disabled women to come. Instagram.
