We/Us/Ours: Exploring LGBTQ communities and spaces that inspire queer unity

Rachel Mendelson/InsiderCommunity plays an essential role in the lives of LGBTQ folks. Amid a wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation, violence, and intimidation tactics, spaces that provide a haven for queer people are much-needed emblems of solidarity and validation.  The range of safe spaces for queer folks has changed over the years.

In-person (or IRL, in real life) places of camaraderie and assistance — bars, social clubs, care facilities, etc. — are few and far between. But notable spaces have emerged around the world: a Poland safe house for queer Ukrainian refugees, a queer-friendly Black barbershop in Brooklyn, and neighborhoods in the Midwest that honor LGBTQ people, to name a few.

Meanwhile, online spaces have allowed those within the LGBTQ community to transcend geography, reach one another globally, and build fellowship on digital platforms such as TikTok and YouTube.  The harrowing efforts to disparage the LGBTQ community clearly indicate that there’s still progress to be made, and it’d be remiss to not acknowledge that. But stories of queer people uplifting one another in shared spaces offer glimmers of hope.

Insider is highlighting some of these stories in our series “We/Us/Ours,” a collection of articles about queer unity. Ahead, read our standout coverage of LGBTQ folks who are providing support and empowerment for their community.  This is an ongoing series.

Keep checking back in for more articles. WE/US/OURS: FEATURED STORIESIn Asia’s Boy Love TV shows, characters live in a world that is unapologetically queerChris Kindred for InsiderBoy Love, abbreviated as BL, is a TV genre popular in many Asian countries, especially Thailand. BL shows focus on romantic relationships between boys who seem to exist in a world free of obstacles.

Insider spoke to fans of BL shows to see how the genre has been a source of joy and community. How New York’s largest LGBTQ sports organization builds queer community through volleyballGotham Volleyball; Rachel Mendelson/InsiderGotham Volleyball is the largest LGBTQ sports organization in New York City. Furthermore, “it’s a home,” Gotham player Brandon Gillis told Insider.

Read how Gotham Volley teammates have found queer community through the athletic program.   WE/US/OURS: ONLINE COMMUNITIESTikTok’s algorithm is making women who’ve only dated men realize they’re queerNatalie Kelley; Rachel Mendelson/InsiderFour women who previously only dated men told Insider that TikTok made them realize they were actually queer. The platform’s algorithm drew them into an enlightening realm of videos in which other women were kissing, dancing sexily, or discussing compulsory heterosexuality.

How queer YouTubers inspired a generation of LGBTQ youth to express themselvesDenise Truscello/Presley Ann/Sean Zanni/Dimitrios Kambouris/Frazer Harrison/Getty Images; Rachel Mendelson/InsiderFive young LGBTQ YouTube fans told Insider how discovering queer video creators gave them the courage to come out and be themselves. By championing self-expression, ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ has encouraged a generation of young LGBTQ fans to come outVH1; Emma McIntyre/Randy Holmes/Santiago Felipe/Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images; Rachel Mendelson/InsiderInsider explored how the Emmy-winning show “RuPaul’s Drag Race” built a passionate fandom and inspired young LGBTQ fans to come out. WE/US/OURS: IRL COMMUNITIESA Florida high school paused distribution of its yearbooks over photos of students protesting the state’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill.

Then, students fought back. Octavio Jones/Getty Images; Skye Tiedemann; Madi Koesler; Rachel Mendelson/InsiderA Florida school paused its yearbook distribution until photos of a “Don’t Say Gay” protest could be covered up with stickers. Students rallied against the school’s decision and garnered widespread community support.

A safe house in Poland offers LGBTQ Ukrainians sanctuary from Russian bombsEmine Ziyatdinova for Insider; Rochel Mendelson/InsiderMost of the 3. 9 million people who have fled Ukraine amid the war with Russia have poured into Poland. Although the country is considered unwelcoming to LGBTQ people, a safe house has offered a place of solace for queer refugees.

Photos: Drag queens have dominated the scene for years. This alternative competition showcases what drag can look like when everyone is included. Elyssa Goodman for Insider; Rachel Mendelson/InsiderTakes the Cake is a competition that expands the limits of what drag artists can be.

The event, hosted by The Cake Boys collective, welcomes drag artists who identify anywhere on the gender spectrum. See what it’s like to attend one of the shows.  The founder of a new queer-friendly Black barbershop in Brooklyn wants to take the anxiety out of getting a haircut — and he’s booking up fastKadeem Woodson; Rachel Mendelson/InsiderBarbershops have long been regarded as a sanctuary for Black men, but the LGBTQ community hasn’t always been welcomed.

To help remedy this, Kadeem Woodson opened a queer-friendly Black barbershop in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. The debate over ‘kink at Pride’ divides the internet, but the kink community has been part of queer protest and celebration since StonewallPicture Alliance/Getty Images; Rachel Mendelson/InsiderConversations over whether or not kink — leather, BDSM gear, harnesses, puppy hoods, and more — should be allowed at Pride celebrations erupts online annually. The kink community’s historical presence in the fight for queer rights adds significant nuance to the discourse.

24 inspiring vintage photos of LGBTQ people celebrating their communitiesMichael Ochs Archives/Spencer Grant/Barbara Alper/Steve Eason/Bettmann/Scott McPartland/Ted Streshinsky/Peter Keegan/Getty Images; Rachel Mendelson/InsiderCelebrate queer joy and the history of the LGBTQ-rights movement with these photos of drag queens in the 1960s and Pride marches in the ’70s. I toured LGBTQ-friendly neighborhoods in 3 cities during Pride Month and found they all honor LGBTQ people in unique waysShutterstock; Rachel Mendelson/InsiderInsider reporter Frank Olito toured the West Village in New York, Boystown in Chicago, and Ferndale near Detroit to see how each city celebrates Pride Month. The neighborhoods had one thing in common: their commitment to honoring the past to ensure safe places for LGBTQ people in the future.

CREDITSSeries Editor: Brea CubitStory Editors: Trisha Gopal, Sarah Kwak, Allie Pape, Keyaira Kelly, Rachel E. Greenspan, Lauren Steussy, Edith Honan, Chris Kaye, Bartie Scott, Lydia Warren, Julian Kossoff Story Reporters: Anjana Pawa, Talia Lakritz, Julia Naftulin, Moises Mendez II, Joshua Zitser, Erin Snodgrass, Emine Ziyatdinova, Elyssa Goodman, Brandon Harden, Canela López, Palmer Haasch, Frank OlitoDesigners: Rachel Mendelson, Kazi Awal, Rebecca ZisserSocial Producers: Kristie-Valerie Hoang, Claire Banderas . gi-pm22 .

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