PHOTO GALLERY: Queer at Work

Liz / 24 / Indianapolis, IN

“I’m the lead teacher of a self-contained classroom for students with Autism at a public Montessori school. Which basically means I get to build robots out of legos and play tag on a weekly basis. So, life is good.”

Hannah and Kim / 29, 30 / Women’s Hospital Labor and Delivery Unit

“My wife and I work together on labor and delivery. I’m an ob/gyn and she’s a labor and delivery nurse. I like to say we’re living up to stereotypes and breaking barriers all at the same time. Please note my rainbow bedazzled pager. This picture was taken during a 12 hour shift for Kim and a 24 hour shift for me. Being a doctor is such a huge part of who I am, I love that Kim fully understands it and appreciates what I do. It’s also pretty fun to deliver a baby with your wife assisting you.”

MacKenzie / 22 / Saint Mary’s College, South Bend, IN

“Working on a mixture of Shakespeare essays, ficiton assignments, a play, and some Vetra/F!Ryder fanfiction. I’ve always loved writing, but it was only in the last year that I made the scary decision to switch from psychology to English writing as my major. It’s been crazy and I’ve never pulled so many all nighters or drank so much coffee, but I’ve also never been happier. I never thought that I would write a play about a queer Asian-American woman who summons a demon to get into medical school. I don’t know what the world has in store for me once I graduate, but I know that I will always be a writer.”

Katie Scarlett / 23 / Chicago, IL

“On this set, I’m photographing with my partner in crime a collection of queer boudoir portraits! (I’m the gay lady laying on top of someone’s butt to take a picture) I work full time as a photography agent, so it’s nice when I get to create my own personal work. I’m also in graduate school (then off to med school!) for my Masters in Counseling. I also graduated with a degree in American Sign Language three years ago. I sort of love too many things to ever stick with just one at a time-but regardless of whatever I’m doing, art always keeps me grounded. I’m so thankful for that.”

Rev. Julie Avis Rogers / 31 / Church of the Covenant, Boston, MA

“This is a photo from my ordination to ministry in the United Church of Christ (UCC) denomination. I currently serve as the Associate Pastor of a creative, activist-y and big hearted congregation in downtown Boston with a long and proud history of LGBTQ+ clergy.”

Haley / 26 / Cambridge Friends School, Cambridge, MA

“I work in the admission office at a PK-8th grade Quaker school in Cambridge, MA. Our school is the only Quaker school in Massachusetts and is committed to teaching our students the importance of resistance and social justice. In my position, I get to talk to parents about their dreams for their children, their hopes for the future, and how our school can support each child in their unique growth and development.

This photo was taken while students were on spring break, when we were visited by a v smol baby. Not pictured: the 2 hour nap this kitten took in my filing cabinet soon after this photo.”

Noelle Osborn, LPC / 42  /Non-Profit Agency in Eugene, OR

“In this photo, I am in my work area which is a converted closet (the irony is not lost on me). I am a mental health counselor specializing in LGBTQ needs. I identify as Queer/Gender nonconforming/Trans masculine and use He/They pronouns. I work primarily with folks exploring gender and gender transitions alongside a diverse group of general clientele. My agency focuses on serving homeless folks and those with low incomes. My work is something I am extremely passionate about. I get to help people along their personal journeys and assist them to navigate challenges in their paths. I am proud to serve the queer community to improve mental health and family lives locally. I experience a profound sense of fulfillment through aiding individuals to find agency and empowerment and to strive be their most authentic selves in the world.”

Kylie Havelock, Charlotte Jackson, Kamala Hamilton-Brown (aka the Queer Ladies of Justice!) / 28, 42, 28 / Bletchley Park, England

“We organised a trip celebrate the 1 year anniversary of our queer community at the Ministry of Justice (nickname “Rainbow Raves”) we took a trip to Bletchley Park, home of the WWII codebreakers and where Alan Turing famously broke German ciphers. If you haven’t seen the Imitation Game…Turing was a gay man who was convicted of (then illegal) homosexual acts and sentenced to chemical castration, later committing suicide. The UK Government eventually issued a posthumous apology to Turing in 2004, and the Ministry of Justice recently pardoned thousands of gay men in what was known as the ‘Turing Bill’.

We’re now known as the Queer Ladies of Justice! We visited Bletchley Park because wanted to celebrate the success and importance of our queer community, and remember how far we’ve come in fighting for LGBTQ* rights.”

Grace Piper / 22 / Queer Resource Center at Portland State University, OR

“I am the Marketing Coordinator in my really gay office for the Queer Resource Center, which means I get to do a lot of festive social media stuff, create queer and trans positive marketing campaigns, manage newsletters, and do some event planning. Right now I am working on designing a handout about removing harmful gendered language in conversations around menstruation that we will hand out at the upcoming period party. I think the media I work with creates a really interesting way for us to engage with queer and trans students and faculty and make them feel seen and valued on campus.”

Steph / 22 / Park Ranger and Super Intern / Great Basin National Park, NV

“Astronomy and National Parks have always been passions of mine; I sent one email putting myself out there to the guy who ran this program and I managed to make it into a job. Also: the inspiring story of an English/creative writing major who got a job! (The physics minor and astrophysics concentration probably helped though.)”

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Laneia

Laneia has written 311 articles for us.

54 Comments

  4. My heart squeezes every time I look through these galleries. So many beautiful queer people doing beautiful things. Sigh.

  5. look at all of you working hard! jealous of arielle’s homemade barbacoa and jay’s where the wild things are sweater, and kind of wishing i was surrounded by succulents rn.

  8. This is like meeting the Kara Danvers and Clark Kent selves of the Superheroes you hang out with on the regular at the gaylien bar, only to realize they’re even cooler in RL.

  10. Hi queer babes! I fell in love like, 20 times!

    Also hi Rachel from Chicago! I met you last August at the Autostraddle brunch meet up and you gave me your cognac ! Thank you that was so niiiice ❤️

    • Oh hai, Chloe! It was so lovely to meet you! That was the day of the Air and Water show wasn’t it? Super loud jet planes kept going by :)

  13. I love this series so much although I am too shy to submit one myself…this one is my favorite so far! I love seeing what cool jobs everyone has and what everyone likes and doesn’t like about their jobs. If I ever feel like I need a career change I’m totally gonna come back to this gallery for some inspiration!

  16. Soo many cool people and cool jobs here, this is amazing. Also, I noticed this round of images had more people in SoCal than the last two rounds, but I could be wrong?

  20. GAAAH!! I love ALL the photos!! *heart eyes emoji* You all have cool jobs! Special shout out to Hannah and Kim – reminds me of Grey’s Anatomy?? LOL And Priscilla’s window shot with the CN Tower – super awesome!! And Erin!! That Orphan Black – Cosima’s DNA laptop cover you made as screensaver??!!! Sestra!!! :) The final trip is in just less than 2 weeks!!

      • We’ve never gotten to deliver a lesbian couple together before! That’s my dream :) If you’re in indianapolis and need labor and delivery services, let me know!0

    • Hahaha it is a little like Grey’s! We met at work and tried to keep our falling in love a secret, especially since I wasn’t out yet. But we’ve come a long way! Everyone at work is super supportive, and the only thing we get harassed about it when we’ll have a baby.

  21. Damn, I knew I was forgetting to do something. Oh well.

    Very much appreciating the cluttered-desk representation here.

  23. Don’t mind me, just crying over every pic and description ???ya’ll are so sweet and wondrous and lovely.

  24. Everyone looks so beautiful and happy! Thank you for sharing a glimpse into your queer lives. Wish I submitted but alas, it was too late

  25. OH NO!!!!!!! I was so looking forward to this post and totally missed it! Ugh! Oh well, y’all will just have to imagine me lugging around heavy lumber and using power tools all day.

    But also, wow! y’all are so amazing and inspiring with your big beautiful brains and killer work ethic.

  26. Eva in Los Angeles, that “fingering chart” had me in stitches. Great photo prep!

    Y’all look so awesome and I’m jealous of all the amazing jobs you have! I hope if we do another version of this in a year’s time that I too will be able to post about a cool job, instead of cheating and showing some activist stuff!

  28. I can’t post photos of my workspace so I’m living vicariously through the rest of these beautiful humans!

    And Liz, I see you representing <3 #indystraddlers

  29. Wow!! Just Wow!!

    All you clever, talented, beautiful, thoughtful and brilliant people. The world’s definitely better for having you all in it.

  30. After looking at all the photos (and it’s so great to see so many people in their own world!) I wonder do Autostraddle readers tend not to have white collar jobs or do those of us with one feel embarrassed about taking part in this?

    • idk about embarrassed, but desk jobs make for less interesting photographs, and I don’t know how old you are, but my jobs got more office-y as I got older, and it was much more interesting to photograph me making waffle cones or wrangling dogs or making art projects with kiddos, and AS tends to skew definitely toward folks in their 20s, maybe that’s it? (I know there are others! I’m 33! but like, I’m not wrong that there’s a strong cohort of folks in their 20s)

      and I think some folks worry their white collar jobs are boring to talk about if you’re not in the field? and I know folks who are like “I have a fancy job and have a lot of money” are very sheepish about talking about it in public.

      in conclusion, idk.

      • You make very good points fellow 33 year old!

        “Here is me on draft 17 of the strategy” is probably not a good photo.

  31. YOU’RE ALL SO BEEYOUTIFUL I HAVE A CRUSH ON EVERY QUEER.

    Legit though yall are adorable and it’s nice to see all the kinds of jobs folks have.

  32. PRISCILA!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Y’all are rad AF. And Cute AF.
    Why is everyone so cute.
    Seriously.

  35. I’m always in the worng part of the world… I work for a sand factory but it seems to me that I’ll have to change the mining type and get into coal. That way I’d get to go to Canada and meet fellow queers.

  36. I’m always in the wrong part of the world… I work for a sand factory but it seems to me that I’ll have to change the mining type and get into coal. That way I’d get to go to Canada and meet fellow queers.

  37. I can’t believe there is someone posting from South Los Angeles! I am an Americorp (volunteer) member at another school, but my program serves Normandie Ave. Elementary! Cool to know there are people everywhere in places that are familiar to me. Keep doing good work Eva!!!

  40. This actually made me cry. I’m so proud to belong to this beautiful queer community. <3

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