Welcome to Queer IRL, a monthly Autostraddle community photo series that gathers little clips of lesbian, bisexual, queer and otherwise-identified women, trans and non-binary folks, just living our lives in 2017.

Our second gallery is Queer in the Bedroom! About 170 people submitted this time around and I’m obsessed with all of you. Remember the feeling of seeing your new friend’s bedroom for the first time — like there’s a whole entire world in there and they’re letting you into it? That’s how this gallery feels. I just want to look out all of your windows and stare up at your ceilings and spend 50 years with your bookshelves.

Thanks for letting us into your personal spaces! It was truly a privilege.

---

Rae (and Fox Mulder and Ruth Bader Ginsburg) / 25 / Austin, TX / Cat Adoption Counselor

“My cats, my plants and I all deeply enjoy the sunspot that falls right across my bed.”

---

Col / 18 / A Dorm in Chicago / Student

“Before leaving for college last August, I’d lived my entire life between the same four yellow walls, with the same blue and yellow floral bedspread, and the same conservative parents overseeing my decor. This little corner of a dorm room is the first space I’ve had to decorate as mine alone, and so I decided to fill it with colors and objects that make me happiest–letters, art, plants, and of course, yellow.”

---

Tess / 20 / Guildford, UK / Student

“My tiny room is the smallest in the house but one wall has shelves and one wall is a pinboard so that makes up for it. I have far more sticky notes than any one person needs, and my favourite things in my room are my Pop Vinyl figures of Dana Scully and Willow Rosenberg.”

---

Kayla / 22 / San Diego / Barista, Emerging Documentary Filmmaker

“I just moved back home after going away for university and living abroad for 8 months, and I have plans to keep traveling, so I like the map above my bed to remind me of where I’ve been and where I’m going. This room was a junk room last week, but when I moved back I totally cleaned it up and made it my own (again).”

---

Hannah / 24 / Oslo, Norway / Bicycle Fixer, Master Student

“My bedroom is my sanctuary; a place that just mine in a otherwise communal living-space. My favorite item in the room is either my Klimt-Cow that lives in my bookcase (given to me by my mom when I moved out), or my papasan chair I recently found after wanting one for years.”

---

Ari / 20 / Boston, MA / Student, Freelance Writer, Coder

“I wanted to show off my huge collection of posters/postcards/wall decor – my favorite thing about this room/ Also it’s blizzarding here right now so that’s fun.”

---

Sam Polivick / 23 / Sikeston, MO / Yoga Instructor

“My room is my little creative retreat in the midst of the loud, chaotic reality of my house. My favorite things in my room right now are probably the two voodoo prints on the nightstand- they reflect my morbid obsession with love and death and are always a good inspiration.”

---

Simone / 18 / Chicago, IL / Student

---

Ocean Capewell / 34 / Oakland, CA / Social Worker

“I am not allowed to paint in my apartment, and in the Bay Area I am nervous about disobeying my landlord cuz there’s really nowhere else to go. But I couldn’t stand living in an off-white apartment any longer so one day I taped up hundreds of pieces of pink printer paper. it immediately improved my life. I found this map in a freebox. It’s a road map from 1990 and I hung it over my bed because it makes me want to go everywhere.”

---

Lark Malakai Grey / 29 / Ypsilanti, MI / Nutritionist

“The last thing I think of before falling asleep is Harry Potter, because I literally fall asleep reading it every single night to ward off my anxiety. The first things I think of when I wake up are these two angel-pit bull hybrids, mostly because they both sleep on top of me.”

---

Beatrice / 21 / Oakland, CA / Student and Legislative Analyst

“This is my fourth bedroom in as many months, but if I’ve got my Shabbat candles and my mic it’s home.”

---

Mickey / 25 / Suburbs / Assistant Preschool Teacher

“I hate clutter. I bought this bed when I first tried to escape, and could fit all of my belongings into eight bankers boxes. I sleep on it now that I’m back – two times over – because the memory of being thirteen under this roof doesn’t leave room for anything bigger.”

---

Finn and Sushi / 26, 5 months / Brodnica, Poland / English Teacher

“I live in a pretty conservative town and I’m not at all out here, so my one-room flat is my queer sanctuary. I surround myself with pictures and trinkets that remind me of my favourite humans and my community. The best part of my room is definitely my little spoon Sushi, even when he’s dive-bombing my toes at four in the morning and breaking lamps.”

---

Pigeon / 23 / Kent, England / Archives Assistant

“My room reflects the place I am in my life, the creative and personal freedom I had at uni vs the scary adult working world now that I’m back home. It’s small but home is where you put Jillian Holtzmann pop funko figure.”

---

Beth Maiden / 35 / Isle of Skye / Tarot Reader

“Our tiny house bedroom isn’t made yet, but I already love it. It is approximately one inch bigger than a mattress and has a ceiling height carefully calculated to allow for various types of bedroom activity (some carefully). My cats are not currently in this bedroom, but they will be soon and they have no idea how cosy and wonderful it’s going to be. The last thing I think of at night is my rotator cuff, which is damaged from too much DIY.”

---

Megan / 23 / Hilo, HI / Horticultural Therapy Guide

“Hawaii has these tiny invasive frogs called coquis, named after the super loud mating calls they make at night. When I first moved here, the sound would keep me awake, but now it’s one of my favorite things about falling asleep. There’s also a river that goes through my backyard. I love being able to hear that at night too”

---

Kass / 35 / Ohio / Comic, Proprietor of Funny Girl’s Vegan Bacon

“Dream vs reality. In the seconds it took me to reset the cam timer every pet decided this was THE time to get on the bed. Best aspect of room: window (obv not pictured) faces a bird feeder that also attracts deer, raccoons, and opossum. Deer bonk their heads on it to shake seeds loose. Nature!”

---

Cassie / 24 / Manhattan, NY / Seminary Student

“Even though I’m in a dorm, this is the first double bed I’ve ever had and I excitedly shopped for coordinated bedding months before I moved in. I spend a lot of time in bed (depression + your girlfriend being 1300 miles away + not having an actual apartment will do that) and I wanted to surround myself with comforting things– you can see my stuffed animals, and the little altar I made with my goddess tarot and a statue of the Virgin Mary.”

---

Colleen / 27 / Thunder Bay-ish, Ontario, Canada / Elementary Teacher

“My favourite thing about my room is the view I have of the lake. This is the view in a much different season than we’re in now, as you may have deduced based on the presence of my snowshoes.”

---

Alex and Gabby the Wondercat / 33, 8 / Chicago, IL / Librarian; Professional Nap Taker

“As a kid, my room was a mass of conflict between trying to be who I was “supposed” to be, and wanting to be myself. As an adult, I have created a sanctuary that is filled only with things that bring me joy and reflect self love. My favorite things are my teddy bear – the only thing from my childhood that I’ve kept, and the art I painted that hangs on the walls. The quotes above my desk inspire me to write like I’m running out of time. The Four Seasons paintings above my bed remind me that the sun comes up and the world still spins. And my cat reminds me to take a break.”

---

Michelle (she/her), Emma (she/her), Giles / 26, 25, 4 / Cambridge, MA / Public Health Communications; Graphic Designer; House Panther

“Michelle’s favorite item in the room is Barbar the Elephant (bottom right). Emma’s favorite item is either the boob pillow Michelle gave her for hannukah this year, or the hanging plant I stole from my office. Giles’ favorite item is Michelle’s pillow (not the one with boobs, the normal one that she sleeps on).”

---

Emily / 21 / Western IL / Recent Grad, Post-Bacc

“I have always loved my bedroom, but this one is especially important because it is my first room post grad in my first apartment ever. My favorite thing about my room is how much of everything in it has been given and made with love. Also the plants. Also the cemetery view.”

---

Bee / 27 / Sacramento, CA / Project Manager for Autism Research Studies

“When I first moved into this house, it felt too big and lonely. My girlfriend is currently living across the country (although you can see her “shrine” on the bookshelf on the left). In the fall though, I adopted my dog Beau. Now I have a live-in snuggle buddy and there are constantly paw prints all over my blankets and bedsheets.”

---

Katy T / 29 / Sydney, Australia / Office Worker, Psych Student

“I live with my partner but we sleep apart due to having vastly different schedules, so my bed has become a kind of a dump. I’m writing my honours thesis so this is where I try to destress whenever I get a chance. That’s why I have 6-9 books and every gadget possible within arm’s reach at all times, plus two consoles and a TV out of frame. The thing I love most about my room is the blackout curtains, which let me sink into perfect darkness whenever I need to sleep, no matter what time of day it actually is! Perfect for someone who works odd hours like me.”

---

Kelly / 25 / Vancouver, WA / Lesbian of an Accounting Department

“My top five favorite things in this space are as follows: 1. The nugget o’ cat currently cold shouldering the camera. 2. Beloved dick in a jar. 3.  The lopsided collage of Iceland vacation photos. 4. The Victorian lace curtains, circa 2015 Ikea. 5. The craigslist dresser that nearly broke my foot.”

Becky / 27 / Neukolln, Berlin / Working On It

“I’m from England, and just moved into my new place after spending 4 weeks in suburban Berlin, sharing an apartment with a German lady who was apparently totally against central heating (as if Berlin winters aren’t hard enough!).  The last thing I think of before falling asleep is usually my dog back in England, and how quickly I can get him over here so we can both avoid Brexit (thanks, UK).  The first thing I think of when I wake up is how late I’m going to be to whatever I have planned for the day – I’m never, ever on time, and forever a creature of (bad) habit.”

---

Mary Longan / 23 / Madison, WI / Aspiring Archivist

“The very same windows that make it difficult to take a decent picture of my room are also my favorite part – that and all the art on the walls, mostly from local art fairs. On my off-days, I love to make a cup of coffee and crawl back into bed, to read or listen to music or watch movies. Those are the best mornings, calm and quiet. My room is definitely my happy place.”

---

Marissa / 22 / Houston, TX

“I live in a co-op called uRth Haus with 16 people, mostly QTPOC. My house is in the neighborhood Beyoncé grew up in.”

---

Maggie McGill / 23 / Washington DC / Communications Coordinator at a Nonprofit, Fat Positive Youtuber

“This is “my side” of the first room I’ve ever shared with my partner. We had to decorate our own sides because we can’t agree on decor. My favorite things in my room are a print of Mary Lambert typography art from her spoken word piece “Body Love” and a signed Hannah Hart poster that says “Nobody is wired wrong.” I also have a thing for candles and burn them  in this room a lot.”

---

Brooke / 29 / New York, NY / Arts Administration

“Pictured here are my girlfriend Jenny, my bunny June, and her dog Phillip. I really love how cozy we’ve made our room. I’m also extremely proud of our ability to collaborate and represent both our personalities in the decor.”

---

Tara / 26 / Tacoma, WA

---

Abigail / 22 / Washington DC / Policy Wonk

“This is the first bedroom I’ve really been able to decorate from scratch and it feels unbelievably cozy.  Also it is unbelievably amazing to have a bed that is not a twin.”

---

Kirsten and H / 29, 2 / Asheville, NC / Parent, Alternative Family Living Provider; Smashing the Cisheteropatriarchy with Tiny Toddler Fists

“My son and I share this room, and I love sleeping with his tiny body curled up against mine…when he sleeps, that is. My favorite thing about my room is how light it is and how many houseplants I can grow in it. I feel like I wake up in some a Real Simple photo shoot every damn day.”

---

Jay they/them / 22 / Ashland, OR / Student

“I fill my room with color, florals, and books because I never get tired of spacing out, looking around, and daydreaming, instead of focusing on my work.”

---

Sionnain / 23 / Long Island, NY / Full-Time Writer and Part-Time Ice Cream Scooper

“I’m living in my childhood home again as I figure out what’s next, so my current queer bedroom is the one where I found my queerness. I’ve lived a decade with this room—left and returned to it—with its purple walls and weird white built-ins and small me-sized bed. My favorite part of my room is my “library,” which has swelled to way past the capacity of my bookshelves, and includes at least six copies of Written on the Body. Another favorite part is my pillow-top mattress, which is so comfy that my partner and I have dubbed it “cloudbed.” Being in a long-distance relationship, we think a lot about queer time and space—the spaces we make for ourselves and each other, the space between us at any given moment and how it shimmers and retracts, and the way time moves with(in/out) us through it all. This room and this cloudbed has been one of our queer spaces, and I love that it has held so much—from 13-year-old baby gay’s questions and confusions, to my incredible queer partnership that each day gives me more answers.”

---

Ashley / 27 / Surrey B.C. Canada / Refrigeration and Grocery Store Designer

“My Favorite thing about my bedroom is the enormous walk-in closet that you would never have guessed existed.”

---

Oli Lipski / 23 / Brighton, UK / Student of Sexual Dissidence at the University of Sussex

“My room is my haven, even though I have only lived in it for about a month, but every room I have lived in from the past two years, (which has been 4 now, as a student I move a lot), has ben decorated almost identically. The same cheesy Photo Booth photos, my Snow White “Mirror Mirror on the Wall”, and my boobs (made for breast cancer awareness workshop). When I walk into my room I see my huge Atlas poster, reminding me of all the places I have and haven’t yet been. Before I go to sleep I admire my Jimi Hendrix and Red Hot Chili Peppers posters, taking me back to my teenage essence (they have stuck with me for a decade now). I love to hoard crap I find at house parties…the feather boa being the most recent addition.”

---

Jordan / 26 / Chattanooga, TN / Trampoline Park, Writer with Echoing Ida and Black Feminist

“Natural light, support, and healing is my bedroom’s aesthetic. There are affirmations written on my window in my “Self Care Nook”. Candles with lavender, vanilla, and chamomile oil with record player on the left and my vision board for the year on the right. Books of bacon, Black badassery and my meeting of President Barack Obama on the table closes it off. Then my bed is a wonderland of post-it notes, a childhood Winnie the Pooh and a pizza pillow I made in the library as a kid.”

---

Lee / 28 / Providence, RI / Barista, Artist

“My bedroom is my favorite room in the apartment! I usually read in bed every night before falling asleep. This is also the room where I do most of my drawing and sewing. Thanks to my beauty of a girlfriend for taking this photo. My smile is for her.”

---

Julia / 24 / Basel, Switzerland / Medical Student

“I absolutely adore my bedroom, it is my fortress, office, living room and is flooded with sunlight from the balcony almost all day. It’s hard to say what my favourite item in the room is – I love it all – but if I had to choose: the armchair, it’s smelly and kind of broken but it was my grandma’s and is just altogether perfect for my nerdy bookworm self.”

---

Rachel / 24 / Wiltshire, UK / Bumbling Postgrad

“Basically, my rule of thumb is that if you can’t choose between two or three or four colours then just go for all of them. At once.”

---

Sam / 27 / Nomadic-Europe / Acro Instructor

“This picture represents my current living situation quite well; always packing and unpacking in between trips, off to new lands. Currently I am in my childhood bedroom which I moved out of nine years ago. It feels weird being here and especially sending this for a queer photo series since the last time I lived in this space, I didn’t even know I was queer…so the space’s decoration still reflects my childhood and not my current/queer self, but this is my temporary living situation right now while I do a few months of traveling, and my cat Huckleberry (in background) waits for me here until we can have a place of our own again.”

---

Ariana Andreas / 19 / Vancouver Island, BC / Pastry Pusher, Student

“My favourite space in my room is the corner where my bed/nest currently is. It’s the furthest point of the house from the Wifi box and the slow signal is the only thing that stops me from watching endless Rick & Morty repeats instead of sleeping.”

---

Kat (they/them) / 23 / San Diego, CA / Coffee Professional

“My favorite pieces in my room are my plants, and I often go to bed or wake up reminding myself when I should water them next.”

---

Elisabeth (she/her) / 23 / Bay Area, CA / Student, Sexual Health Educator

“I live in a cooperative house with 35 other people, so designing my room as a calming space was very important to me — it’s my femme cave. My favorite part of the space is the mood board wall where I put photos, lithograph prints, notes from friends, and other bits I love.”

---

Hope / 23 / Boston, MA

“This is where I’ve been binge watching Shameless and planning cute outfits lately. I’ve only been here for a couple months but I love my little space and it’s great lighting.”

---

Rae (they/them) / 31 / Brisbane, Australia / Poet, Writer, Creative Person

“My room is my bunny burrow. It’s crowded with all the things I love, and it makes me feel very safe and creative.”

---

Geneva / 25 / Minneapolis, MN / Web Developer

“My room is my harbor. I spend a lot of time in it just hanging out and reading.”

---

Mathilde / 24 / Cannes, France / Head Waitress in Summer, Wanderer in Winter

“I still live with my parents most of the year and try to travel as much as I can. I spent 8 months home last year, only one the year before. When I’m home I spend most of my time in my room. Whatever happens I know this is a safe place I can come back to, anytime I need. I always think of my next destination before falling asleep and wonder when I’ll stop coming back. It’s easy for me to leave but I’m not sure it will be that easy for my cat who spends all his days and nights on my bed. He’s such a dependent half-human being that I’ll probably have to leave him here with my retired parents. That would be heartbreaking and definitely the end of an era.”

---

Hanna / 21 / Vancouver, BC / Gender studies Student

“I really like my room – putting up lights and photos of people I love has made it a lovely calming space to hang out and drink coffee, as pictured here.”

Sarah Beewell / 33 / Montréal, Canada / Writer

“I spend 20 hours a day in this cozy cove of a bed. I eat, write, craft, and share sexy good times here. The 4-poster bed once belonged to a friend, when he was a child in Indonesia. The artwork is the 4th in a series I began in March 2016, using the blood in my menstrual cup. The image of me on the wall was taken in Sydney when I was 21, and had just discovered how much I like kissing ladies.”

---

Misa, Lucy / 26, 7 / Hoosick Falls, NY / High School Librarian; Resident Diva

“I usually have pretty positive thoughts before falling asleep (“wow, books are so great”/”why is this dog so cute?”/”what is Gillian Anderson doing right now?”), but the second I wake up everything is terrible – until I have a cup of coffee.”

---

Marianne / 26 / Bay Area, CA

“I love filling my bedroom with my favorite things – my plant collection (it takes me an hour to water them all), my art prints (I also have more than I can hang), and my comics/zines (thankfully a more reasonable amount).”

---

Erin / 28 / Ontario, Canada / Student, Mother of three tiny, wild humans

“This is indeed a basement suite. The kids have real beds in their own room; don’t worry. Here the smallest one is playing Connect Four. I’m a bit concerned about being judged by submitting this, but the realness of the last gallery was inspiring, so here it is. I’ve applied for graduate programs and we’re planning to move in the summer to some place that’s really ours. For now, this is my bedroom. That weird poster on the wall is from when I ran the Cincinnati flying pig marathon. The other pictures are of my dad and my kids.”

---

Pam Barrett / 25 / Cleveland Heights, OH / Writer with a Day Job

“Björk has been an inspiration to me creatively since December 2013 when I listened to her and thought about music in a way I never had before: I called it a musical epiphany. Behind me hang character descriptions for a fiction series that I’ve been working on for almost a year. Having both at the head of my bed remind me how important art and creativity are to me, and to continue working toward sharing mine with others.”

---

Abby, Clara, Django / 22, 22, 3? / Lansing, MI / Organic Farm Crew Member; Pollination Biologist

“The room looks over an abandoned elementary school playground, but neighborhood children are always playing there so we can hear their laughs and games through the windows. We have a twin mattress we found in the attic on top of a futon. The last thing I (Abby) think about is how good Clara’s arms feel around me and how I wish the dog would stop barking!”

---

Amanda / 30 / Houston, TX / Web Designer

“Our bedroom is awesome. I mostly enjoy that I share it with my wife (seen here fetal-position-phone-Facebooking while our dog looks out into nothingness/the noises in the backyard) and it’s cozy for both of us. It’s way too ridiculously huge for us, but we’ve filled it out nicely with a king sized bed (which we collectively only fill half of), a sweet projector set up, and some artsy shit on the walls. I like it.”

---

Effie / 28 / Seattle, WA / Volunteer Coordinator

“I knew my girlfriend was a keeper after the first time she stayed the night and said nothing about the taxidermy, animal skulls, or antique medical supplies scattered throughout the house. My favorite thing in my room has to be my grandfathers old external frame hiking pack from when he was search and rescue for the Army in Alaska during WWII. Also featured here: Bones the institutionalized serial killer (indoor cat).”

---

Jaye / 39 / Seattle, WA / Information Specialist

“My room is so small that I shot from the doorway, but it’s also the coziest place in my apartment. I’m rarely home — I took these as I was dashing out in the morning to a film noir festival — but it’s definitely where I spend the most time when I am here. My favorite bit has to be all the handmade things, from blankets to art, mostly made by myself or talented friends.”

---

Heather Mangione / 31 / Worcester MA / Community Relationship Manager

“I love my bedroom, especially my bed — it’s my favorite part of the room. We spend a significant portion of our lives in bed, let’s enjoy it. I’ve created a cozy nest and I love reading in bed. This is also a favorite spot for my kitties to sleep as well.”

---

Isobel Eagle-Wilsher / 21 / Bristol, UK / Student

“My favourite part of the room is the piano desk, I made it a couple of years ago. It was a bit of a struggle to get it in the house and I’m not looking forward to moving it out in a couple of months!”

---

Hannah, Ashlyn / 19 / Richmond, Virginia / Art Students

“This room is a retreat for both of us; it’s big and messy and comfortable and gives us a space to be silly and sweet and spend time together. We grew up with very different levels of safety in out homes, so being able to give her this calm space to come to means a lot for both of us.”

---

Grace K / 20 / State College, PA / Student, Music Major and Aspiring Opera Singer

“This is my little ‘Corner of Chaos’, featuring a small horde of knickknacks, sheet music everywhere, a paper model of the human larynx, a signed photo of my favorite mezzo-soprano, and this week’s Super Gay Opera Photo desktop wallpaper.”

---

Alicia / 26 / Cambridge, MA / PhD Student

“I hung a painting of Ishmael and Queequeg (made for me by a friend) over my headboard so they may bestow queer blessings on my bed. Not ladies, but still pretty gay. Currently reading: The Well of Loneliness (on nightstand). Not pictured: my girlfriend (the photographer).”

---

Katharina / 21 / Small Town Near Dortmund, Germany / Freelance Tutor

“I’m sharing a home with four flatmates (including my sister pictured in the background), so my bedroom contains basically everything that I own (minus kitchen stuff) and is a bit clutterd, but I love it anyway. My favourite things in my room are my skull-lamp, which I made out of an empty bottle of terrible margarita-mix and my Tarot cards – I started tarot-reading thanks to Autostraddle’s “Fool’s Journey” column!”

---

Brittney / 26 / Brooklyn, NY / Lifestyle Editor

“My room is probably 85 percent bed and I own way too many (but also somehow never enough) pillows.”

---

Alice Lesperance and Taylor Kraus / 26, 25 / Brooklyn, NY / Grad Student, Library Research Assistant; Retail Manager

“The bedroom was a big selling point for this apartment, we love how much light comes in. Our cat is named Stevie Nicks and she likes to sleep between our legs.”

---

Haley Foydel / 25 / Allston MA / Restaurant Manager

“I just settled into this room after living in four different houses over the last six months while moving around for my company, and it’s a huge relief to be here. So far my favorite things about it are how much light it gets during the day, and the rainbow twinkly lights my girlfriend hung for me. I usually fall asleep thinking about tomorrow’s breakfast.”

---

Sarah / 28 / San Francisco, CA / Copywriter

“My room is my haven. I recently moved into the place I live after getting out of a 7 year relationship and I’m proud that my room is a reflection of me. It’s filled with DIY projects, meaningful art, and small details that reflect my personality. My favorite item is the space themed fabric bunting I made that hangs above my bed. I embroidered a few constellations on it and stamped the phases of the moon.”

---

Ellen / 32 / Charleston, SC / Nanny

“My bedroom! My favorite parts are my cats and my book collection. I ALWAYS hit snooze at least twice.”

---

Rebecca Jeanne Vipond-Brink / 30 / Chicago, IL / Writer

“I have really bad insomnia, so I used to hate being in my bedroom. But I’m transmasculine and as of today 17 weeks pregnant, and the bedroom I share with my husband is one of the few places in the world that guarantees a great deal of comfort and understanding in what has been, basically, a second transition.”

---

Julia / 22 / Fort Collins, CO / Student, GIS Enthusiast

“Last night I dreamt I went to the grocery store, and I was excited because Cheerios were on sale. I love my room because it’s a quiet space where I don’t have to be anything for anybody; I can just be me.”

---

Crystal Claire / 34 / Los Angeles, CA / Smut Peddler at GayVintageSleaze.com

---

Vicky / 27 / Madrid, Spain / Marketing

“I love that I bought plain white furniture and decorated it to make it my own. However my favorite item is the voile curtains – I had a lost-in-translation moment and the fabric ended up being €10 per metre more than I thought! The fabric was so expensive that these curtains will be handed down to my children and my children’s children!”

---

Kelly Thomas / 28 / Los Angeles, CA / Writer

“This is my new bedroom. I share it with my boyfriend Ben. For a queer girl in a relationship with a man, falling asleep every night next to someone who sees and embraces your identity is so important. This bedroom hasn’t yet been graced with non-monogamous play, but we’ll see what 2017 holds.”

Torre McGee / 35 / Construction Laborer, High-End Residential

“This room really belongs more to my cat, Shoga, than me. He does let me primp, sleep and have sex in there though. I couldn’t pick one favorite thing in my room, it’s full of antiques, vintage clothes, crystals and handmade treasures from various loved ones.”

---

Molly Cate / 27 / Alabama / Receptionist

“The fairy lights above my bed are the first DIY project I ever completed, and they’re my favorite decoration in the entire apartment. The curtain rod is probably an inch off level, but I’m still proud of myself for making something beautiful.”

---

Rowan / 26 / Charlottesville, VA / Tech Worker, Van Lover, Vest Collector

“I closed off a living room in a big old house some friends were living in, added some “closets,” and moved in.  My goal is to make my van into a livable space and travel, but for now it’s nice to have so much room for my tools and growing vest collection.”

---

Bridget / 28 / Orange County, CA

“I love my room. It’s temporary, and many of my rooms have felt very similar, but this one is especially cozy and inviting and lovely and nothing matches but I love it all. Organizing my bookshelf by rainbow color was extremely stressful, but I love it, so it’s probably my favorite thing. I also have a lot of happy art of fairies and shit.”

---

Mara / 23 / Salt Lake City, UT / Arthouse Cinema Popcorn Scooper

“My room is a collection of found, gifted, inherited, and made things. My roommate says it feels like a museum, which I think is damn flattering.”

---

Tess, Tara (photographer), Raphael, Carmen; with Korra and Bolin the Cats / 29, 28, 3, 1 / Melbourne, Australia / Swim Teacher; Barista

“When we moved in we had big plans to redo our bedroom, and we made one rule, our bedroom was our grown up space for just us. A year later, the kids have taken over and the only remodelling we’ve done is installing floating shelves so our cats have ladder access to the top of the wardrobe.”

---

Emily / 22 / Fort Collins, CO / Student

“On one of the walls that did not make it in the picture I have a The Hobbit poster that features Gandalf with a handmade paper Santa hat that my roommate made my first semester of college. The poster, including the hat, have come with me on multiple moves and when I graduate I want to get the whole thing framed. (Freshman roommate and I are still BFFs and roommates four years later.)”

---

Cee Webster / 38 / Portland, OR / Tech Director, Autostraddle

“Shown are my three partners who often share this room with me, from left to right: Torre, Serina and Quinn. I’m standing in the back. My bedroom is tiny but we make it work.”

---

Quinn / 26 / Portland, OR / Electrical Worker

“I bought my first ever bed frame when I moved in to this house and it is my favorite. It makes me feel like a passable adult, provides a place to hang my quilting project, and is the perfect cat-snuggling spot.”

---

Erica, Jen, Bagheera / 30, 29, 7 / East Orange, NJ / Nanny, Artist; Warehouse Associate, Filmmaker / Permanent Pain In The Ass

“Erica’s favorite space in the room is her makeup table because it her own little area in the apt. My (Jen) favorite area is my desk because it’s where I keep my collections of batman stuff, X-Files stuff, 8mm cameras, and Erica’s fearful thoughts about my collections leading to hoarding.”

---

Kirstie / 25 / Oakland, CA / Consultant for Institutional Repository Admins

“One of my favorite things in my room is the Captain America shield pillow that my girlfriend made for me! Also gotta love the giant bi flag a friend gifted to me.”

---

Monique / 27 / Tucson, AZ / Kindergarten Teacher

“I’ve never really been able to decorate my rooms in any particular way because poverty, but now that I have a steady job I want to try. I have no idea how though. As far as what I think of before falling asleep/after waking up: literally all of my worries at the same time. I guess my bed is my favorite place to have panic attacks.”

---

Jacqueline / 23 / Shanghai, China / Student, Teacher, Student Teacher

“I moved to Shanghai last week to teach EFL (English as a Foreign Language) for four months. I unpacked to take this photo.”

---

Kiona and Calcifer the cat) / 24 / London, UK / PhD Student

“Student life means I don’t sleep here (or anywhere) as much as I should, but my bed is also my favorite place to write papers and code. The first thing people tend to comment on when seeing my room for the first time is that I leave my lube on the nightstand, and that that makes me seem ‘really confident’. It’s mostly laziness, but I appreciate the sentiment.”

---

Chelsea / 27 / West End, Brisbane / Mechanical Engineer

“We’ve just moved to a new place this week, so I haven’t quite decided what my favourite thing is yet. I do like that it has more light and is cooler than our last place and also that I can play Occarina of Time from my bed.”

---

Amelia / 27 / West End, Brisbane / PhD Candidate

“We’ve just moved house and my room is in its optimal config. My favourite items are milk crate shoe tower (not pictured), the piece of art on my wall, and the concrete double-ended dildo on the shelf. The last two are from emerging artists in Brisbane. Also whisky.”

---

Stephanie / 23 / Richmond, VA / Grad Student, Brunch Host

“My two favorite things about my room are the big windows and the no-longer-functioning fireplace that I like to put candles and flowers on. Bed (and cat) not pictured.”

---

Bri / 27 / Upstate NY / Grad Student

“Each morning, I lie in bed with a mug of hot tea and watch the sun rise over the Adirondacks while my fiancee dozes on my shoulder. It is perfect and it is perfect everyday.”

---

Bella (with roommates Valerie and Gowri) / 21 / Pittsburgh, PA / Engineering Major

“Life, school, and interpersonal interaction can be extremely draining. Coming home every day to my room, my happy plant family, and especially my roommates has been a near-constant source of happiness and restorative energy for me over the past two years. I am so grateful for these two goofy ladies.”

---

Rachel Sanzo / 28 / New York, NY / Freelance Writer, Nanny

“As I fall asleep, I like to imagine exactly how many kittens I could fit inside all these cupboards.”

---

Julie and son / 35, 12 / Boston, MA / Teacher

“I gave my ex-wife the house in the divorce, and I’m mostly indifferent about my place. But I built this platform bed with my own hands (and a handsaw and power drill) and made my own author word search wall “art”. So my bedroom is definitely my favorite room. Little guy likes to cuddle and look for writers in the word search (usually on a Sunday morning when I want to sleep).

---

Heather Hogan / 38 / Astoria, NY / Autostraddle’s Senior Editor

“My bedroom is my favorite place on earth. It’s warm in the winter and cool in the summer and tidy and comfortable and best of all it’s where I get to go to sleep and wake up beside Stacy every day. There’s a lot of good books in here too, and video games, and usually cats.”

---

Sally and Gillian / 34, 30 / Winchester, UK / Software Development Manager; Textile Designer

“Sally reads bad lesbian science fiction and drinks tea. Gillian reads about hedgerows and drinks tea. They both wonder why the duvet is so fucking small.”

---

Maria Vashakidze / 29 / Portland, OR / Owner of Seagrape Bath & Body Apothecary

“My bedroom is my serene place to dream, create, and recharge. I usually think about the last thing I read or watched before I fall asleep. That tends to get incorporated into my dreams in one way or another. I have vivid dreams almost every night so I wake up and journal or draw to process what I remember in the morning. I set my own schedule therefore sleep is never rushed and my mornings tend to be pretty leisurely.

---

Stephanie / 26 / Baldwin, NY / IT Purchasing Assistant at NYU

“I’m living at home while I save up to buy my own place (hoping to move out next year, fingers crossed!), so I’m still in my childhood bedroom. I LOVE my room, it’s definitely my favorite space in our house. It’s gone through many decorative phases and paint colors over the years, but this one is by far my favorite. My room is westward-facing, so when the sun sets, it glows like it’s on fire and I think it’s super magical. My favorite item in my room would have to be my bookshelf; it houses all of my favorite books, and it doubles as a shrine to all of my anime paraphernalia, with a particular focus on my Sailor Moon obsession.”

Nicky Radcliffe and Tamsen Heath / East Village, NY / Writer; Designer

“Pictured underneath our ‘Wall of Gay’, which includes framed photos of Virginia Woolf, Vita Sackville West, Djuna Barnes, Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas. Because we are feminists and intellectuals we are, of course, reading the exceedingly highbrow and very informative book Lesbians for Men.

---

Elise / 34 / Paris, France / Elise of All Trades, Master of None

“Much like in the opening scene of “An American in Paris”, my small studio apartment functions as my living room, my dining room, my office and my bedroom all in one. I use the space under my loft bed as a closet, which allows me to showcase my amazing Pussy costume inspired by the movie “Who’s Afraid of Vagina Wolf”. My Pussy costume makes me feel like all is right in the world.”

---

Maia-Jeanne / 27 / Wellington , New Zealand / Catalogue Librarian

“My room is ok, I’m not very good at nesting. It’s small, I like that or had no carpet. I just got some new (to me) curtains and they really tie the room together (I’m sitting on left overs). My favourite thing is my toy monkey/BFF seen on the bed. He’s a good friend. The badges behind me are my dads campaign for nuclear disarmament time! One says ‘war is menstruation envy’. The other day I left a curtain open over night and the first thing I saw in the morning was the moon!”

---

Stef / 33 / Brooklyn, NY / Venue Manager, Autostraddle Writer

“My furniture almost entirely consists of hand-me-downs from my grandmas, save for the desk. My cat likes to sit on the hutch and stare out the window at the busy street.”

---

Laura Wooley / 28 / New York, NY / Law/Social Work Student

“My windows are the very best part of my bedroom. Cabin fever in NYC gets fierce around mid-February, but between my all-day sunshine and my little collection of plants (which are being totally washed out in this picture by the sunlight (supra)), it’s almost like I live in a land of endless summer. Almost.”

---

Amandine / 31 / Paris, France / Glam Butch

“Having a real bed in Paris is a luxury. I probably spend too much time in it thinking of how beautiful the string lights are.”

---

Zoey, Mandy, Neko and Duo Dye / 32, 33, 3, 4 / Portland, OR / Artist, Bakery Clerk; Sociologist, Cook; Artistic Inspiration

“Our favorite part of the bedroom is having a big enough bed for all of us, even though Mandy and Neko tend to hog, Zoey has insomnia and Duo meows inconsolably at 3am. We especially enjoy the cold weather when the cats want to be under the covers.”

---

Susanna / 26 / Boulder, CO / Grad Student, Laser Wrangler, Activist, Insomniac

“My camera washed it out, but I pay $10 extra every month for a bedroom with a window with a clear view of the mountains.  100% WORTH IT.”

---

Rachel, with Six the Cat / 28 / Milwaukee, WI / Autostraddle’s Managing Editor

“Probably the last thing I think about before falling asleep is something I forgot to do at work that day that suddenly came back to me in a panic, or how to arrange my legs so the cat doesn’t wake up and get mad at me.”

---

Benn Wild Alys Benjamin / 27 / Glasgow, Scotland / Chef, LGBT Families Development Worker

“I love the colour of this room: it’s ‘Blue Diamond 1’. My partner chose it and I was worried it would be too dark but as usual they were totally right. Our bed is the only item of furniture in the flat that we spent any money on. We took ages looking for one that looked like the bed we remembered from this Bruce Springsteen video – I can’t remember which song it was. I really love sleeping (I can fall asleep just about anywhere within 10 minutes if I put my mind to it – I’m very proud of that) so I usually fall asleep thinking about how great it’s going to be. I have to wake up really early as I work the breakfast shift most days so I usually wake up thinking that my alarm clock must have made a mistake.”

---

Liz / 20 / Wellesley, MA / Student

“After two years sharing rooms in dorms finally having a space of my own has been so valuable this year. I try (and fail) to keep it clean but since I mostly fail my best pictures are all from August. I love how much of my room decor was made or given by friends, especially one wall not pictured where I have notes of encouragement from my rugby team over the past two and half years.”

---

Amanda Ling / 26 / Costco AM Merch

“I thought about making my bed, but that would be a lie.”

---

Sarah and Sheldon / 29, 2 / PhD Student

“This is the first bedroom I’ve had as an adult where I actually hung curtains, for some reason curtains feel like a big step/commitment.”

---

Ariel / 25 / New York, NY / Preschool Teacher

“I moved here in December, and today I left my windows open for the first time, and that was pretty exciting. I bought the plants on my windowsill a few weeks ago, and I haven’t killed them yet. It’s starting to feel like home.”

---

Molly / 31 / Washington, D.C. / Writer

“I love that my room is a refurbished attic, and hate how hot it gets in the summer. The last thing I think about at night is the book I fall asleep reading, and the first thing is usually how much I hate alarms. My favorite thing is my giant Captain America shield, because for some reason that fandom has put me in touch with more queers than I’d ever met before!”

---

Whitney / 27 / Somerville, MA / Art Museum Collections Cataloguer

“This was my happiest bedroom ever. But my girlfriend and I are ready to close our Somerville-Jamaica Plain divide and Uhaul it to Roslindale.”

---

Alana Lucia / 31 / Brooklyn, NY / Barber

“It is important to me that my bedroom is a completely relaxing space, more than anything else.  As a barber, I work nine or more hours day on my feet, and I am continually “on”.  When I get home after a long day, I immediately change into comfy clothes and sit down to catch up with friends, the news, or just zone out (with or without music). My fave space in the room is on my couch!  I am in a studio, so my living room and bedroom are the same space.  When I am on my couch, I know I can let go and chill the xxxx out.”

---

Kaylah / 25 / Lexington, KY / Youtuber and Nanny

“The first thing on my To Do list after becoming self employed was to set up a work station in my room. I bought a cute little desk that I spent two hours building, and a LED lamp for those late nights of editing. I felt so legit having a desk, and yet I always work from bed. My desk is either covered in things I don’t feel like putting away, or completely clear. Oh well… I tried!”

---

Erica / 17 / Boston, MA / Art High School Student

“My room has really become a sacred space to me. It’s where I go to recharge and take care of myself, be that yoga knitting, or listening to podcasts. I wouldn’t say there is a best part of my room, because I love it all. I made sure to pay special attention to every corner, and it’s filled with what I love.”

---

Esmé Lloyd-Baldwin / 23 / Dublin, Ireland / Barista, Waitress

“I’m currently sharing my bed with 16 books, which is almost a record for me. I got my duvet set today as a reward for getting a job and I’m very happy with it!”

---

Jenna, Pippa, Cherilyn / 27, 3, 25 / Indianapolis, IN / Videographer; Chief Clothes Stealer and Designer

---

Nate / 24 / Portland, OR / Energy Efficiency Analyst

“I lived in my room for a year with nothing but my Texas map on the walls, but this winter I’ve been nesting and finally getting artwork hung. My favorite piece is the magic wand cross-stitch my partner made me, and its life size counterpart stashed under the bed.”

---

Noelle / 19 / Connecticut / Dropout

“I don’t really feel comfortable letting people in but it’s definitely a safe place for me.”

---

Audrey / 19 / Des Moines, IA / Student, Daycare Teacher

“I have lived in this room for approximately one month and think it is coming along nicely. I wake up in the morning with Addy (my dog) licking me so I take her outside. At night time Addy and I cuddle and watch documentaries until we fall asleep. Some of my favorite things in my room: My Aphrodite altar, umm the bed of course, and my dog Addy.”

---

Kells, with MC Sprout / 38 / Tallahassee, FL / Librarian-ISH

“Since the early 90s, my bedroom has been covered with pin-ups/posters. I’ve now limited it to mostly toTegan & Sara – they’re perfect to listen to, and also relax, read, and sleep with.”

Shelly Simon / 24 / Brooklyn, NY / Freelance Photographer, Drummer (Tiides), Assistant Producer/Editor/Photographer for Homoground Queer Music Podcast

“This special space that I get to occupy is quite the cozy abode. On the top floor of a picaresque brownstone in the heart of Brooklyn, I freak out every morning that I get to wake up next to a window. A commodity in the city, a window in my bedroom is an essential to my happiness. Seeing the sun, snow and skies from the comfort of my bed is a huge plus to such a small room. That being said, I am rarely home. It’s a metaphor really, since I’m always out in the world – either out at a show, running around the city catching shots of fellow creatives at their events, rehearsing with the band (Tiides) or traveling, it’s a cozy cave to return to after long nights romping through New York City.

I currently use two sticker covered trunks as my “desk” – a continuous metaphor since I can easily move them to set up my electric drum kit (when it’s snowing and 20 degrees outside and you can’t make it to band practice!)  I set up my laptop on these desks, drink copious amounts of coffee and edit photos, post events and photos to the Homoground website, and plot my next travels. With my chalkboard wall I am able to jot down thoughts, doodles and mantras that keep me going – and have friends leave their thoughts as well.”

---

Scott S / 25 / Toronto, Canada / Student, Researcher

“I love how calming my room is. I know at the end of the day I can come home to decompress in a space that feels healing and that mutes how hostile the outside world can be.”

---

Sadie and Bri / 25, 22 / Raleigh, NC / Grad Student; Party Princess, Student, Storyboard Artist

“Bri loves that our room is full of lots of queer books and comic books and Sadie agrees. The best non-readable items in the room include the bed and our two onesies. Oh. And each other.”

---

Megan / 26 / Portland, OR / Product Owner at Ecova

“My favorite thing in here are the windows — not shown but giving off a lot of the great light — and opening them at night, laying under the covers, reading by myself or with a partner. First thought when I wake up if the windows and shades are closed is that it’s way to dark and early to really have to get up.”

---

Oaklin / 19 / Maine / Student

“I’m always in my room and it’s become a safe space but also a very social one. My friends and roommate make the room warm and light and very very gay. From my pride flag to my star-covered blanket to the art on my walls, everything in my room describes who I am and my passions.”

---

Amelia / 21 / Grand Rapids, MI / Illustration Student, Freelance Artist

“My favorite thing about this room is the door that goes to the balcony. Without it, it would be a really dark room.”

---

Kayla / 19 / Swarthmore, PA / Student

“Happy college student loves her dorm and her bed and her collage of beautiful people.”

---

Lara / 25 / Melbourne / Law Student, Legal Transcriptionist, Semi-Regular Autostraddle Commenter

“The black horizontal smudge on my windowsill is my radio alarm clock and I love it very much. It’s the only possession I’ve brought with me to every city I’ve ever lived in as an adult – it gives a comforting mundanity to the new and anonymous spaces I keep moving myself into.”

---

Eli, Aurora, Spring / 33, 31, 4 / Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Educator; Witch, Artist, Wildcrafter, Chef, Dog Trainer; Cheerleader, Runner

“My favorite things about our bedroom are all the pictures that Aurora drew and painted, and how sunlight through the window makes our leaves and flowers glow.”

---

Abby, Alison / 31, 35 / Missouri / Pharmacy Tech; Early Childhood Professional, Administrative Assistant

“Abby loves her cuddly foxes, and Alison loves having a lamp, chest, table, shelf, quilts, and more that were passed down from her grandparents and a special old lady friend.”

---

Gaëlle / 42 / Vancouver Canada / Fancy Bedding Store Manager

“My bed feels like it’s a library balancing in the tree tops. The bookcases are also secret doors, and I can see the moon and stars through the generous skylight. My idea of a perfect bedroom hasn’t really changed since childhood!”

---

Rachel / 35 / Massachusetts / Grad Student

“She slept in my bed with me, then the crib. I’m moving my bed out this week. She gets to keep the big bedroom.”

---

Alaina / 25 / Austin, TX / Staff Writer, Grad Student

“My room is a good room. It’s got a lamp to mimic the sun because I wake up in the dark. I included this cat because he is the first face I see each morning in this very bed. He is usually yelling.”

---

Caylene / 17 / British Columbia / Student

“My room serves as a haven, my own little pocket of queerness, complete with Netflix, flannel and cats.”

---

Serina / 31 / Portland, OR

“Last thing I think before going to bed, “UH! That was so amazing!” The first thing I think about when I wake up, “YAY! Let’s cuddle!”

---

H West / 35 / Toronto, Ontario / Guest Services Rep

“My room is tiny, which is fortunate because I am too. It’s recently got a facelift with some paint and a wall of trees (I’m no hiking dyke but I can bring the out of doors indoors.) the first thing I think about as I’m roused from slumber is which Dolly Parton track will I play as I have my cup of ambition.”

---

Queer Girl and Cyrus / 33 / Northern California / Day-Job Worker, Comment Awarder

“Cyrus was really excited about doing this shoot. It was very hard to get a pic where it didn’t look like he was frenching me.”

---

Emily and Dolly / 25, 30 / Philadelphia, PA / Placement Manager; Writer, Program Coordinator

“Being in bed (for whatever reason) is a fun and cheap form of recreation. Among other things, we spend our time in bed reading, laughing, and planning for the apocalypse.”

---

Michelle Osgood / 28 / Vancouver, BC / Writer

“I am living alone for the first time this year and I’ve really enjoyed being able to transform my tiny bachelor apartment into a writer’s den!  I love the view from my bed which (not pictured) is of my desk and three overstuffed bookshelves.”

---

Valerie Burnside / 35 / Denver, CO / Bread Baker, Artist

“One great thing about being an adult is building myself the room I always wanted as a kid; complete with a moveable canvas wall I paint on. Seriously please, no one show this to my landlord!”

---

Paige and Laura / 25, 29 / North Charleston, SC / Nursing Student; Continuing Education Coordinator for Mental Health Providers

“Laura: Our bedroom is probably the most serene room of the house. The light is amazing and it’s surrounded by azalea bushes that are about to bloom. We like to lounge in bed as often as possible and talk about what we dreamed about the night before.

Paige: After dating long distance, I’ve never been more comfortable than in this bedroom, in the same state, full of our love.”

---

Kayla, Billie the Puppy, Zora the Cat / 24 / Detroit, MI / Criminal Defense Investigator

“My electric sheet brings all the critters to the yard.”

---

Avery Rose / 25 / Detroit, MI / Painter, Studio Assistant, Fiber Artist

“In my room I feel like my heart is giving my brain a hug. I am unified and inspired. Anything is possible.”

---

Ari and Shea / 19 / Boston, MA / Student at Simmons College

“Ari: This room is one of my favorite places on the planet, this shared space with my best friend is one of the most welcoming and happy places i can imagine! My favorite space in the room is under the many blankets on my bed, or our window which is decorated in two trans flags which serve as curtains We pride ourselves with making this room very very queer!!

Shea: I love my room. It is so beautifully trans and so beautifully queer—just like me. It feels so natural to share this space with my best friend. I was calling this room home the day I moved in, thats pretty good for an 8×12 ft box. Before I fall asleep, I’m usually thinking one of three things: “Shit, I should have peed,” “Shit, I should’ve done so much more work,” or “Fuck Yes…” Upon waking, I’m thinking, “I am at home here. Wrapped in my partner, wrapped in blankets, loved.” My favorite spot is my dresser, where we’ve draped a gay flag and where Ari and I put all of our fidget toys, relaxation things, and cacti. We call it “Anxiety Central.” Its a beautiful thing, sadly not pictured.”

---

Hanna / 18 / Elgin, OK / Student

“When I was little this room had actual rainbow wallpaper, so these white walls are a refreshing change. My room is a lot like myself: a colorful mess.”

Tara / 24 / St. Louis, MI / Nanny, Writer

“My room makes me feel safe, and it’s a place of work, play, and sleep. My favorite item in my bedroom is my rainbow dragon, Taran. An honorable mention goes to my Napoleon Storm Trooper mousepad.”

---

Valerie Anne / 30 / Astoria, NY / Copywriter, TV Recapper

“My room is literally always a mess (I cleaned for you… sorry about the AC/wires) but it’s home. I feel comfortable in the chaos. I know you can’t really see my bed (just my mermaid blanket and Wishbear) but this is where I’m usually sitting when I’m in my room, writing or watching TV, and I love my nerdwall in all its glory.”

---

Alex / 31 / Connecticut / Education

“My room is and always has been my safe space. There’s not much else to say. I have a quote from Marilyn Monroe on the armoire across from my bed. It’s the last thingy I see before I go to sleep and the first thing I see when I wake up.  “Always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don’t, then will who Sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chi up, and most importantly, keep smiling because life’s a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about.”

---

Olivia (she/her) and Clark (they/them) / 19, 21 / Reno, NV / Student, Pet Sales Associate; Student, Research Lab Assistant

“We’re living in a converted garage/studio with our four (4) rats and hedgehog (not pictured), so technically our entire house is our bedroom. Clark has filled the house with plants and Olivia has filled it with rats, yet neither of us plan to stop seeking out more any time soon.”

---

Daisy (with Sionnain via FaceTime) / 21 / Maine / Student

“My favorite item in my room is my “Be Rad” sign that I made. I look at it every night as I climb into my purple flower bed (lovingly coined PFB), and it reminds me to be my most rad, unapologetic, authentic self: a queer person with Cerebral Palsy who wears a lot of bowties and backwards hats, has a deep passion for chocolate chip pancakes, and is realizing every day how much more I have to learn and grow.”

---

Julia Johnson / 27 / Seattle, WA / After School Teacher

“I love this bedroom because it is the first one my fiancée (not pictured) and I decorated together.  It’s spacious, quiet, and serene even in the middle of the city, with lots of light, and the books represent an wonderful mix of our interests.”

---

Grace / 23 / New York, NY / Artist, Digital Content Producer

“I get the most amount of creative work done and the least amount of practical adultish work done in my bedroom. It’s a space where I feel the most comfortable when beginning new creative/art projects, and can often be found littered in photographs, sketches, embroidery string. I surround my space with my own artwork and artwork from other artist friends who inspire me.”

---

Brook / 36 / Sydney, Australia / Student

“The view from our bed, the mingled clutter of our lives together. Marceline is holding my temporary engagement ring while Bubblegum has the ring that my girlfriend’s mother gave to me shortly before she died.”

---

Emily / 21 / Bellingham, WA / Student

“I’m slowly but surely taking away the things that overstayed their welcome, and am learning what it means to live in a room that feels more like me. Right now that looks like making a home for queer art and late night face timing with my long distance girlfriend.”

---

Stacy / 28 / Edmonton, Canada / Waitress in a Band(s)

“My bedroom is, and always has been, my safest and most personal place, and the place I want to spend most of my time in. I feel like I’ve never grown out of the teenage need to cultivate such a private and personal space, while still wanting my friends to come over just to lay on the floor.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve gotten really into plants. I have about 35 in my room, and they’re absolutely my favourite part. I have many surrounding my bed, so I think of them before I sleep, and they’re the first things that I see when I wake up. That, and a NSFW poster of Prince in the shower. Both equally important for my mental health.

---

Kat and Ellie / 28, 26 / Sydney, Australia / Retail, Nanny, Interior Design ; Executive Assistant, Script Coordinator

“Ellie: We were in a very long distance relationship for almost a year and a half before Kat moved from LA to Sydney so that we could live together. So the fact that this is our bedroom, in our apartment, that we live in together, makes everything about it my favorite.

Kat: Our bedroom is a very tiny space, no closets, and shaped like a parallelogram. The process of measuring and finding furniture and measuring again and shifting things wasn’t easy, but I loved everything about it. I’m lucky we get to nest together after all that time apart.”

---

Juliette / 19 / Canberra, Australia / Arts and Visual Arts Student

“The entirety of my ‘house’ is visible in the first picture, so as you can imagine my bed often doubles as a couch when my friends come over. My favourite part of my bed is my Parks and Recreation ice-cream pillow which has cartoon gummy penises on it.”

---

Christina C / 29 / Washington Heights, NY / Public Health Person

“I wanted space to dance and light for my plants/soul. The best thing about my room is the bench seat.”

---

Emily / 24 / Treaty 6 Territory and Métis Homeland, Saskatoon, SK / Nanny

“This room came furnished and decorated when I moved in six weeks ago, and had weird vibes. I was talking about it to a couple of friends at a bar and some queer witchy folks a few tables down overheard and offered to come do some cleansing spells. So, that gave me the motivation to rearrange the furniture and change the decorations before they come over and it already feels infinitely better.”

---

Robin / 32 / Boston, MA / Teacher

“My room is my peaceful sanctuary. It’s pretty uncluttered except for some self-care essentials.”

---

Laura M / 30 / Cambridge, MA / Engineer and Staff Writer at Autostraddle

“We have six pillows on our bed now, because we just threw two out.”

---

Heather / 25 / Elkton, MD / School Psychology Grad Student

“Every morning my maps remind me where I’ve been and where I want to return and what I need to center in my life, all the places I now have roots and the bravery I had to summon up to go there — they keep inertia from settling in and make waking up at 5:45 (!!!) to tend to my strange and magnificent kiddos more doable.”

---

Riese and Tinkerbell / 35, Age Withheld / Ypsilanti, MI / Autostraddle’s CEO and Founder; Muse

“After many years of cramming desks into tiny New York bedrooms and running Autostraddle from my mattress in Oakland while using a chair as a desk, it’s nice to have a bedroom wholly dedicated to being a bedroom.”

---

Megan and Laneia, with Penny and Emily / 33, 36 / Chandler, AZ / Trader Joe’s Professional; Autostraddle’s Executive Editor

“I love the thrift store bird painting on the wall and Megan loves the dogs on the bed and we both love the blackout shade that turns our room into an underwater cave.”

March’s theme will be announced on Friday!

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7See entire article on one page