Pride

A Fabulous LGBTQ+ couple smiling while looking at each other
Santi Nunez/Stocksy
These 25 Fabulous LGBTQ+ Instagram Accounts To Follow Stat

Love is love.

by Kelly Hoover Greenway and Lindsay E. Mack
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

June is Pride Month, a perfect time to amplify the voices of people in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities. And these LGBTQ+ Instagram accounts to follow are a great starting place, because you get access to a whole variety of voices and experiences by simply clicking the “Follow” button. Plus, you’ll get their informative, creative, and inspiring content the other 11 months of the year, too.

As the origins of Pride Month prove, people in the LGBTQ+ communities historically faced incredible discrimination for simply existing, even within their own spaces. (For more information about this particular time period, the book Indecent Advances by James Polchin examines the consistent violence against LGBTQ persons that took place in the years before Stonewall. It also shows why the Stonewall Uprising was such a momentous event.) Although the current abundance of rainbow flags in both online and real-life spaces show that people in these communities and their allies are more visible now, their stories are far from over. By following these honest and heartfelt LGBTQ+ accounts on Insta, you can learn about the creator’s stories, viewpoints, and (often-jaw-dropping) creative talents.

Whether you are new to the cause or a member of the community yourself, these accounts all offer a fresh perspective on what it’s like to live as or live in support of LGBTQ+ people in today’s world. Visibility matters. The more we see and share these accounts, the better equipped we are to stand up and fight for the rights of every LGBTQ+ person we know, whether online or IRL.

1

Tanya Compas (@tanyacompas)

A youth worker and LGBT rights advocate, Tanya Compas also founded Exist Loudly to support queer Black youth in London. Her posts are often joyful and beautifully honest. “The past couple years I’ve played around with my gender expression a lot but honestly, I only needed to look back to a young tom boy Tanya to know exactly what feels like me,” wrote Compas.

2

J Aprileo (@comfyfattravels)

A supporter of body liberation and trans advocacy, J Aprileo posts musings about daily life and travel. “Being a person my size, and a queer one at that, means that sometimes the destination is not only new to me, but I am something new to the destination,” posted Aprileo. “People in the LGBTQIA+ community often feel like we have to do risk assessments when traveling, not knowing if it’ll be safe. Going to California was different, though. I was free to enjoy, because no one cared who I happened to be sharing my experience with.”

3

Erika Hart (@ihartericka)

Writer, speaker, activist, breast cancer survivor, and Black queer femme, Erika Hart has over 484,000 followers on Insta, and for a great reason. “As we step into pride month, let this be your reminder that Black queer and trans folks doing regular degular mundane things is a radical act,” posted Hart.

4

Kai Wes (@kai_wes)

A queer, trans, and nonbinary influencer, Kai Wes posts thoughtful, compassionate content to over 78.1k followers. (You may also remember Kai from Season 8 of MTV’s Are You The One?) “This is your reminder going into Pride season that something as simple as existing comfortably as a trans person in public is still a revolutionary act,” wrote Kai Wes.

5

  • Geo Soctomah Neptune (@niskapisuwin)
  • Artist, activist, and Passamaquoddy Two-Spirit, Neptune’s posts are gorgeous, insightful, and (frequently) laugh-out-loud funny. Neptune, also the first openly transgender person elected to a public office in the state of Maine, is also a United States Artists 2021 Fellow who creates amazingly beautiful baskets.

    6

    Alok V Menon (@alokvmenon)

    If you need some serious fashion inspo in your feed, then look no further than @alokvmenon’s Insta. The speaker, author, and performer showcases looks that are simply breathtaking. On a gorgeous photo in a sari, Menon posted “meeting other gender non-conforming south asians for the first time felt like coming home. we teach each other how to love ourselves again.”

    7

    Eli Erlick (@elierlick)

    A writer and speaker self-described as “Extremely queer and incredibly trans,” Erlick’s Insta is filled with thoughtful posts about gender, cool fashion pics, and some truly adorable photos with a cat. As the co-founder of Trans Student Educational Resources (TSER), Erlick has worked for transgender justice since her teen years.

    8

    Amber Leventry (they/them) (@amberleventry)

    Amber's account @amberleventry covers a wide range of topics: gender identity, sobriety, and parenting their three children (one of whom is trans). On Instagram, Amber shares "the most vulnerable and authentic pieces" of their life in order to create a space " ... that allows me and everyone else feel safe being human."

    9

    Queer Kid Stuff (@queerkidstuff)

    Created by Lindsay ‘Lindz’ Amer, @queerkidstuff is the Instagram for Lindsay's LGBTQ+ and social justice videos for kids and families. As Lindsay states, "It's all about creating diverse intersectional queer-focused representation in children's media in the hopes of nurturing empathy and pride to make a kinder and more equal future." The account is focused on #SpreadQueerJoy this month and you should definitely be following along.

    10

    Damian Alexander (@damianimated)

    Damian Alexander’s illustrations are next-level cool, and they provide important insight. As Damian states, "I'd like to inspire people to be authentic and open about who they are, especially younger LGBTQ people just starting to figure themselves out. My goal has always been to be the voice I wish I could have heard growing up."

    11

    Amanda Jetté Knox (@maven_of_mayhem)

    Amanda does not suffer fools, and her Instagram account @mayven_of_mayhem is no exception. Taking intolerance to task, her sharp wit is apparent in her original memes. She also shares her family's story of having a trans child and a trans partner openly in the hopes that her account will "inspire others to become strong allies to the LGBTQ community." As a wife and mom of four, she also wants to showcase "our very typical life as a family that happens to have two trans people in it. Love is love is love."

    12

    Queer Book Life (@queerbooklife)

    One of the best ways to be an ally is to read and support books (and other works of art) that tell the stories of LGBTQ+ characters. @queerbooklife highlights these books in each post, and since you were looking for more summer reads anyway, now's the perfect time to give them a follow and grab a new book while you're at it.

    13

    AC Dumlao (they) (@menswearselfcare)

    AC’s smile, and style, will brighten up your feed for sure. They say @menswearselfcare is about "navigating what non-binary style means to me, and showing clothes are for all people of all genders." AC wants to "shine a light on how gender affirming fashion directly links to mental health, well-being, and self-care."

    14

    Brad (@apinchofpride)

    Brad says he's hoping his account will "bring people of different backgrounds together through the incorporation of cooking and eating healthier foods. We should celebrate our differences by sharing our similarities." As long as we're celebrating with @apinchofpride's food, I'm there.

    15

    Sam & Sadé (@awayinlove)

    Be prepared to lose hours of your day scrolling through Sadé and Sam's breathtaking photos of their travels, and their love for each other, on their account @awayinlove. Saying they connected "on the ideal of living life according to your own rules and standards," they hope to inspire others to " ... live life how you want, where you want, with the people you love. Don't let anyone or anything define what your best life looks like."

    16

    Mike Reynolds (@everydaygirldad)

    What I love about @everydaygirldad is that Mike is also on his own journey to explore "what masculinity can mean." He says he wants to create a space where people can "freely talk about mental health, body image, gender, and sexual orientation in a way that helps them understand how to be more inclusive in their day to day life."

    17

    Pickle (pickledragqueen)

    Four words for you that explain why you should follow @pickledragqueen: Drag Queen Story Hour. Describing herself as the "Glamorous head of the PTA," Pickle is not only a singer and performer, but also known for her popular gatherings at libraries and bookstores in Los Angeles where she reads books to kids and parents.

    18

    Vanessa Lee Nic (@vanessaleenic)

    As Vanessa states, she is a "proud mama bear of a son living his truth." And boy is she. Her posts on @vanessaleenic are heartfelt and passion-filled, advocating for her (absolutely adorable) trans son. It's impossible not to fall in love with this duo once they show up in your feed.

    19

    America & Shay Martinez (@2_moms_and_a_trailer)

    America & Shay Martinez ‘s account @2_moms_and_a_trailer features a lesbian couple traveling around the country, with their two kids — in a trailer! Talk about brave. Their photos are awe-inspiring and you'll love following along with their adventures.

    20

    Alli Simon (@omgirlalli)

    There's a sense of peace that comes over you when you see Alli's account @omgirlalli in your feed. Focused on meditation, yoga, and liberation, Alli says she uses Instagram as her "personal archives" instead of journaling. What's important to her is "sharing my experience with wellness and how we as normal every day people can use tools like yoga, meditation, and any other forms of healing to take care of ourselves." Om, indeed.

    21

    fiona (@neonfiona)

    Fiona's account @neonfiona is full of envy-worthy travel photos, but she uses her platform to "promote voices often ignored." She says growing up there wasn't as much queer representation online, so she loves showing people "another type of queer person" through her travels. Her girlfriend, Riley, makes frequent appearances as well, and they are for sure #couplegoals.

    22

    Nick North (@wethenorths)

    Nick is a trans dad of five kiddos and his family is cute AF. His posts on @epicdanger @wetheNorths are the perfect mix of humor and relatability, while also tackling issues of self-acceptance, relationships, and gender identity. Nick says of his account, "I hope that people see the things that make all of us in the world different are often the things that make us so beautiful." Couldn't agree more.

    23

    America & Briana (@twomomsquad)

    These two Los Angeles-based moms built their account @twomomsquad around their adventures raising their human son as well as their "furry son," and as you can tell by the post, they do not disappoint. America and Briana say that growing up they didn't see a lot of LGBTQ family visibility, and they're hoping to help change that with their account.

    24

    Lindsay Cale (@lindscale)

    Lindsay is a travel blogger/adventure seeker/candy lover who shares her travels and personal musings about the places she's visiting so beautifully on @lindscale, you'll wish she was your personal tour guide. Her goal is to "provide valuable information and inspiration to other lesbians and gender nonconforming people looking to explore the world."

    25

    A.L. Major (@a.l.major)

    I came across A.L.'s account @a.l.major and then had to cancel my afternoon so I could take a deep dive. Their account has a focus on style, but it's about so much more than clothing. As A.L. states, "I post poems, style inspiration, advice and support for trans and nonbinary folx to encourage others to live in their truth and thrive in spite a world that doesn't want us to exist." We can all learn so much from this account.

    This article was originally published on