Fashion
Amber Rose
https://instagram.com/p/6iPO7okqwh/?taken-by=amberrose
Stella Maxwel
Andreja Pejic
Arabelle Sicardi
AzMarie Livingston
https://instagram.com/p/7T5_f7gBTl/?taken-by=azmarieofficial
Food
Cat Cora
https://instagram.com/p/5NZ4jQNB6A/?taken-by=catcora
Melissa King
Jamie Lauren
Kristen Kish
Anne Burrell
Susan Feniger
Kylie Kwong
Elizabeth Falkner
Ashley Merriman
Josie Smith-Malave
Comics
Cameron Esposito
Elicia Sanchez
Deanne Smith
Tig Notaro
https://instagram.com/p/bY_Y8XElUi/?taken-by=tignotaro
Fortune Feimster
Pages: 1 2 3 4See entire article on one page
Heather, this list is great! You’re on fire this week. :)
Danielle Brooks is queer?!? That’s exciting.
Also, a quick correction: I think you meant to write “Andreja” Pejic, not “Andrej.” Thanks!
Danielle Brooks is not an “out” queer. She’s yet another OITNB cast member outed by Autostaddle. Hypocrites.
Though they have now broken up and have since scrubbed their accounts of photos of each other, Danielle Brooks and her girlfriend Nneka had one of the most public instagram relationships I remember seeing in a long time (which seems particularly relevant here, since its an article about who to follow on instagram). Lots of pictures, lots of hearts, ewey gooey declarations, lots of “I love yous”. They went on vacation together to Europe and insta-documented the whole thing, complete with heart and kisses emojis, etc. So, while Danielle never did the public interview “I’m gay!” thing- I don’t think she was hiding it either.
I guess what I’m trying to say, is I’m not sure what constitutes “outing” someone in situation like this, you know? Danielle never gave an magazine cover style interview, but in many ways she was more open about who she was loving in her life than I think we understand to be typical for celebrities who were maintaining their “closet” say, Kristen Stewart or Ellen Page before either of them “came out”.
I just think it’s complicated in this social media heavy world. If Danielle didn’t want to be out, I don’t think that she or her ex would have been so public on social media. But, what do I know?
I’m not standing up necessarily for AS here, who I remember calling out for including Robin Roberts on a list of LGBT news anchors YEARS before she actually came out. In fact, I would be interested to know more about their policy here, especially as we get more of these fun “vapid fluff” pieces. I don’t think it’s ok to out a celebrity against their will. Obviously. I’m just saying that I think Danielle in particular is a complicated question that can’t be easily summarized as “AS are being hypocrites”.
Related, here are some “Definite-100%-No Grey Area-For Sure” queer black women that could be added to this list in Danielle’s place (since there aren’t a whole lot of black women on the list to begin with)
Nneka Okurah (who I just mentioned above, she also has a documentary doing the festival circuit about masculine of center queer black women called “The Same Difference” that is getting great reviews and has been becoming more of a known “celebrity” in queer women of color circles. Also also, she’s besties with Raven Symone):
https://instagram.com/nikes_nae/?hl=en
Az Marie Livingston (black androgynous model, famous for ANTM, also can now be seen on “Empire”):
https://instagram.com/iamaziam/?hl=en
Danielle Moodie-Mills (black queer activist, writer, tv media commentator. She’s a lot like Janet Mock, in terms of her mix of media work and activism, she works in beltway politics. She does a lot of MSNBC work. She and her wife were famous for being the first black lesbian couple to be featured in Essence magazine’s wedding section. Her instagram is full of positive/inspirational quotes, if that is your thing):
https://instagram.com/deetwocents/
Thanks so much, C.P.! I’ll add these to the post right now!
As for Danielle Brooks, she was in an openly queer relationship on social media. We’ve reached a place in our culture where when celebrities are out of their own volition on their own social media, and at public events and stuff, we’re going to assume they’re cool with being talked about as queer.
People don’t have to do “Yep, I’m gay!” stories in People magazine anymore because it’s not such a huge deal to be queer in Hollywood anymore. Like in KStew’s interview where she talked about her girlfriend, she was actually mostly annoyed that people wanted her to make some huge announcement. She was like, “Um, I’m not hiding anything? You know who I’m with.”
The idea of “outing” someone is becoming a little antiquated in the celebrity world because when we talk about it with that language, we’re saying there’s something wrong with it or that it’s something that should be hidden away. More and more women (even famous ones!) are just getting girlfriends and posting photos of them on Twitter and that’s that. No big deal.
@Heather I just realized that my quick google search gave the wrong link for Az Marie’s account. Here is the correct one:
https://instagram.com/azmarieofficial/
Apologies!
(And thanks for addressing the Danielle situation :) )
Thanks, C.P.! I’ll use this link!
I just remember Danielle clearly saying that she was straight in several interviews and refusing to admit she was queer. Rumor has it that her ex-gf leaked pics to MediaTakeout of them together because Danielle broke op over her not wanting to be open about her sexuality.
If true, it’s apparent that Danielle is hiding her sexuality.
This comment has been removed as it is in violation of Autostraddle’s Comment Policy. Repeat or egregious offenders will be banned.
This comment has been removed as it is in violation of Autostraddle’s Comment Policy. Repeat or egregious offenders will be banned.
Me too! I watched a Breakfast Club interview where the hosts asked her straigh lt out if she was a lesbian and her answer was “No. Wait. Y’all trying to get me in trouble!” I was watching that like “Huh??” Girrrrllll live YOUR truth! Haha!
Yeah, I’m not following a woman who refuses to be authentic.
“Do you ever wonder how much merch Autostraddle staffers wear, really?”
Too real, Heather. Too real.
Eileen Myles’ instagram is the weirdest, in a great, unfiltered way.
Too many beautiful people.
Queer women I follow that I didn’t see on the list: Sarah Paulson and Natasha Negovanlis (yes, I’m obsessed with Carmilla, I know.). Heart eyes for both of them.
I am mostly excited about the other staffer’s instagram accounts/cat photos.
OMG, Cowboy Kitten is queer? I’ve never seen her coming out interview, hmmmmm. ;) :P
But you kind of always knew it in your heart, right?
Damnit Heather, now you’ve revealed that I’m actually a cat lurking behind sandwiches
It’s time to stop hiding and tell the world your truth meow, Fikri.
THIS IS THE BOMB
Danielle Brooks isn’t straight!?!?!?!!?!?!? Oh my daaaaaaaaaaays!
I’d rather see Carrie under musicians as that’s where most of fell in love with her(I know I did). Speaking of which, you missed her bandmate and one time GF Corin Tucker. https://instagram.com/corintuckerband/
I agree. Sleater-Kinney is everything.
Really proud of myself for how many of these people I was already following.
Ok, so I may have to get an Instagram account finally. I was super anti-instagram, but this post has convinced me that i cannot live without it.
Jasika Nicole!
https://instagram.com/trycuriousblog/
GASP! Since when?!? Added and followed!
Jasika Nicole!
https://instagram.com/trycuriousblog/
(unless I’m blind and you already included her)
Ella Masar and Erin Mcleod. Even if you go for the arm porn alone, you will be sucked in.
YES TO QUEER CANADIANS!
OMG COWBOY AT THE END BEING A JERK IN THE RAIN
Cowboy popping up twice in this, actually
I love this
yes of course she’s queer
Is it bad I thought Hannah Hart was the actress who played Luna Lovegood :S
Agreed Erin McLeod should be on this list!
Also, I didn’t know that Stacy Merkin is queer in real life.
Lily Moscowitz? Of course she is! ;-)
This was a missed opportunity to list Hannah Gadsby directly after Ruby Rose given Hannah’s #rubyroseunderstudy photos :)
I was going to make the same suggestion
Is it just me, or does Jamie Clayton look SO MUCH like Lily Loveless!?
Also Heather, you should include Ashlyn Harris in addition to Pinoe and Alie Krieger. Especially since Krashlyn is such a thing :p
https://instagram.com/ashlynharris24/?hl=en
I don’t know, I feel like following any of these would be like mega spoilers for No Filter. I mean, what if I glimpsed a Cara Delevigngngne limb tornado picture before getting Stef’s official Vapid Fluff-sanctioned take on it? Unfiltered sadness.
lily rose depp!
Other countries have queer “soccer” players too- Lianne Sanderson of England Women’s Football team and Portland Thorns has strong Instagram game.
I love this!! Some more ladies:
Trace Lysette: https://instagram.com/tracelysette/
Zachary Drucker: https://instagram.com/zackarydrucker/
Taylor Schilling: https://instagram.com/tayjschilling
I love Taylor, but she doesn’t post nearly as often as I wish she would.
Cool roundup! Though I feel like the title of this piece could be more inclusive? E.g. ‘queer women and trans people’, not ‘queer and trans women’ … Because a bunch of these people are non-binary.
Neat! I especially liked the food folks (but I may just be a bit hungry right now).
I think the image used in Jenny Shimizu’s entry is actually of her spouse, Michelle Violy Harper.
I can’t even believe how many of these beautiful people I was not following! Also now I am following SO MANY. <3
iO Tillett Wright she’s a American author, photographer, TV host, and activist.