As an LGBTQ person myself, I put a lot of stock into checking out my fellow diverse voices in the media and arts. Places like YouTube and other video sharing sites are great places for finding new LGBTQ voices, but I also like to see what the queer community is up to on different parts of social media — and following some of the best LGBTQ Facebook pages are a great way to put some diversity into your newsfeed. It's worth pointing out that a lot of my favorites also put their content on other mediums, like Twitter, Instagram, or the aforementioned YouTube, but sometimes, there's just no beating Facebook; it allows for a depth of discussion that microblogging sites or short images don't always faciliate. Luckily for us, there are enough options for media consumption that we have a choice in the matter.
In my own coming out process, I found queer voices on the internet to be really helpful in providing guidance and comfort. Through reading about, listening to, and watching them share their own stories, I felt much more connected and less isolated than I did in much of my daily life. Of course, queer voices can (and do) talk about a variety of issues, not just those central to the LGBTQ community; personally, I've found a lot of my favorites cover a variety of social justice issues, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, body positivity, and income equality. With a little bit of searching, you should be able to find exactly what you're looking for, though, which is the beauty of the internet.
Although it's far from exhaustive, the list of awesome LGBTQ people to follow on Facebook are a few of my favorites — and as a tip, you can often find new voices to follow by checking out what pages your favorite social media people have liked or who they're collaborating with on projects. No matter what you're searching for, you're sure to find likeminded voices who also challenge the way you think — and that's good for everyone.
1. Kat Blaque
Kat Blaque is one of absolute favorite bloggers. She covers a variety of issues from politics, to race, to issues both inside and outside of the LGBTQ community. I first discovered her from reading her articles on the Huffington Post and was instantly hooked. As a nice perk, she is super interactive with her followers and often responds to people's comments, shares news articles they send her, and so on and so forth.
2. Sam Dylan Finch
Sam Dylan Finch is a queer, transgender writer based based in San Francisco. He's the founder of the blog Let's Queer Things Up, and his work often appears on Everyday Feminism.
3. Arielle Scarcella
Arielle Scarcella is one of the more prolific lesbian YouTubers out there. She covers a variety of topics related to lesbian dating, sex, and relationships and is known for her spunky, friendly personality.
4. Ari Fitz
Ari Fitz is a lesbian filmmaker and model who posts a lot about androgynous fashion and style. Interestingly, she was also a cast member on The Real World, but before I knew that, I followed her to just read her fashion insights.
5. R.J. Aguiar
R.J. Aguiar runs the "Ask A Bi Guy" YouTube series that has really taken off lately. Biphobia runs pretty rampant in our society, including even in the queer community itself. Aguiar takes offensive questions like "Why don't you pick a side?" or "Why don't you come out already?" and turns them on their head in an awesome way.
6. Kierra Rose
Kierra Rose is a bisexual blogger who takes on a variety of topics ranging from makeup tutorials to taking down myths about bisexuality. She has a friendly, open disposition that makes her videos and posts feel like she's a friend you know IRL.
7. Foxyhotmess
Jade is a lesbian YouTuber who covers sex, relationship, LGBTQ issues, and race in a really compelling way. While her following is definitely still growing, I see her becoming huge in the near future.
8. Benton Sorensen
Benton Sorensen is a transgender YouTuber who openly discusses his transition and transrights issues. Through sharing his personal journey and experience, he's given courage and support to countless youth struggling with their gender identity.
Remember, this list is nowhere near all-inclusive of all of the awesome LGBTQ Facebook pages you can follow. There's a huge range of diversity and perspectives within the LGBTQ community, so be sure to click "like" new pages once in a while to freshen up your newsfeed and see how people are viewing the world around you.
