5 Young LGBT Leaders Got Surprised By Their Own Queer Role Models

Menon: Representation is literally life-saving for me and the communities I am a part of. Existing in this world as a visibly gender-nonconforming person can be isolating — you often feel like you're the only one who looks like you. Whenever I see people like me in media I feel a little bit less alone, like I'm part of something greater than myself. This gives me the stamina to keep on living in my truth, no matter what.

These days there are so many stories being told about our communities: that we are a burden, a threat, delusional. Now more than ever it is so important that we counter this with visibility on our own terms, telling our own stories and letting people know the reality of our situation.

Velour: I think that visibility also brings people together, making our worlds larger and louder. Just in my experience as a drag queen, I've been able to connect with queer people around the world, and to see them connecting with each other over a shared love of drag! Through that kind of visibility, and with the structure of social media, queer folks are able to provide resources and support, share information, even offer makeshift group therapy at times! It's a pretty powerful thing.

Imani: Queer visibility is still important because injustice is still rampant in 2018. For example, the life expectancy of a trans woman of color is 35 years old and conversion therapy is legal in the majority of the United States. Right now, there are people in power who believe that queer people should not exist. Queer visibility means that we can demonstrate to those bigots: We do exist, we deserve to exist, and our realities matter.

The month of pride is something that I think of as a time of radical celebration that will give me the inspiration and encouragement to continue to fight injustice throughout the year. Visibility means showcasing our realities, our wins, our struggles, and it means we can join together as a global community in new ways.

Meyers: The ability to have the freedom to be exactly who you are without the fear of abuse, discrimination or violence — even if you don’t fit into a strictly “gay” box or a strictly “straight” box — is why visibility is so relevant today.

Imani: I’m grateful that social media allows me to show queer people of faith that life as a queer practicing Muslim is possible. I’m also grateful that people whose lives I’ve affected in a positive way or able to reach out to me and tell me what I mean to them. It gives me the strength and community to go on when life feels the most impossible.

Toruño: Our stories should be told by us. There are enough people having conversations about queer folks without talking to us and we end up with subpar imagery and representation of who we are.

Visibility to me means honesty. For my personal experiences — we all have different stories, different experiences, so in creating visibility we must ensure that its intersects across communities. It also means knowing when to pass the mic and allow those whose story it belongs to tell it. It means everything to me when I see something that reminds me of myself in an honest and real portrayal. Something sincere, not exploitative of our love and relationships as queer folks.

Pagonis: I believe that queer people, by existing in our beautiful nonhetero and nonbinary truths, bring so much light to this world, and our visibility provides hope amongst so much of the darkness.

Seeing myself, and other queer nonbinary intersex people like myself, on Instagram is super satisfying because it’s a big middle finger to the medical industrial complex that tries to erase us every day with unnecessary and harmful “normalizing" medical procedures.

Maison: I really don't have any words to describe how it felt to meet someone I admire so much other than so absolutely thankful. I remember when I first started transitioning and would scour the internet for inspiration, answers, and other people like me. To have actually met one of my role models in real life was truly a dream come true.

Stalvey: We need to show people like us that they’re not alone and that they have the ability to live a normal life like everyone else.

Eli: It is my hope that the LGBTQIA+ community embraces the idea of a queer global consciousness, that queer people anywhere are responsible for queer people everywhere. It is my hope that when a queer person in America hears about LGBTQIA+ suffering in Ghana or Chechnya they feel a personal and immediate call to action. If we don’t stand up for our own community, nobody else will.

Hanne Odiele: Even though the movement has made great strides in the past decades, being queer is not accepted yet everywhere, so visibility is a big deal. Speaking for the intersex community, whose intersex bodies have literally been erased by the medical community for decades, visibility is super important. No one wants to feel alone in what they go through; visibility and representation is super important to combat those isolating feelings.