Pride month is here, and despite what large corporations may signal, the concept of pride exists in a realm that is far less tangible than a rainbow-printed t-shirt or tote bag. The marking month of the gay liberation movement in New York City, led by Black and Brown, queer and trans women like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera (who only recently have gained mainstream recognition), pride month exists off the back of a riot. It exists to create space for the LGBTQI+ community and celebrate the identities that live within it. It's here because LGBTQI+ people are here. It's here because pride is beautiful, life-affirming, flawed, momentous, poetic, necessary and extends beyond a single month, day, or moment. Celebrating Pride means more than acknowledging aligned branding, it means acknowledging the individuals that make up a community that extends so much of itself into creativity and expression, allowing us all to move more freely within such spaces.

For those looking to celebrate Pride differently this month, discover and engage with folx within their community, and get acquainted with just a handful of the creatives that make our world go round, below are our favourite LGBTQI+ creators to follow on Instagram and beyond. To be clear, each of these creators deserves to be celebrated for their talents first and not their markers of identity, but in a landscape where we are so often a tokenistic addition to someone else's spotlight, carving out space feels necessary at times. Scroll on to see the creators we love following and think you will too. From filmmakers to florists, there are so many creatives to discover who we will continue to appreciate, long after the rainbow flags come down this year.

 

Cloudy Rhodes, Filmmaker and Director

 

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Nyaluak Leth, Poet and Model

 

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Myles Loftin, Photographer 

 

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Quinn Wilson, Creative Director

 

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Jordan Gogos, Multidisciplinary Artist and Designer

 

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Byron Spencer, Multidisciplinary Artist, DJ, and Director

 

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Xander Khoury, Dancer and Creative

 

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Ryan James Caruthers, Photographer and Art Director

 

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Indya Moore, Model and Actor

 

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Rob Tennent, Photographer

 

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JD Reforma, Artist

 

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Chella Man, Artist

 

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Sean Brady, Makeup Artist

 

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Crystal Russell, Model, Dancer, and Writer

 

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Frances Cannon, Artist

 

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Paul Bui, Creative Director

 

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Shop Toni, Clothing Designer

 

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Aaron Rose Philip, Model

 

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Chelsea Fairless, Podcaster

 

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Loki Patera

 

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If you're looking for more creatives to follow this pride, we've rounded up our favourite queer beauty creators' accounts to inspire your look for pride and beyond.