It’s a New Year. You know what that means: A shit-storm of diet culture, resolutions, and generally, stuff-that-makes-you-feel-terrible is headed towards us. It can be really hard to feel okay about yourself when you’re constantly bombarded with how to change yourself. While bettering yourself is awesome, feeling societal pressure to hate yourself is not so awesome.
I am obsessed with Instagram, mainly because it gives me a platform to post slutty pictures when I don’t have a bae to send them to, but also because it connects me with incredible, beautiful, and hot AF queer women that own themselves unapologetically. Scrolling through my Instagram feed is always an empowering experience because I get to see queer women of all different backgrounds, sexualities, sizes, races, styles, and more, all slaying the ‘gram.
So if you’re feeling bad about yourself, you can look to these bad-ass women for some inspo. No room for jealousy or comparing yourself here (stop that in 2018!) — just room to admire self-loving queer women, and be inspired to own yourself just like they do.
1. Laura Du Vè, @FemmePlastic
Laura Du Vé is a photographer, artist, plus size model, and writer based in Naarm Melbourne, Australia. She is known for documenting queer culture with a focus on femme subjects. In addition to being a talented artist, she is sexy AF with her big blue eyes and flaming red hair.
2. Ericka Hart, @ihartericka
Ericka Hart is a sex educator, writer, cancer-warrior, and activist. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she realized that “neither her identity as a queer black woman, nor her sex life as a survivor, was featured prominently in her treatment. Ericka is shifting ingrained cultural modes and attitudes on chronic illness and posits visibility as a sociopolitical stance, one vital to any radically inclusive progressive movement toward equity.” Ericka has sexy, edgy style and slays the gram with her topless pics and glamour shots.
3. Lee Bullitt, @gonebullitt
Lee Bullitt is a fine art photographer and writer. “While seeking to explore Gender and Sexuality Expression through photography, in particular, Lee creates fine art photographic works with a narrative quality. A style which can often leave viewers with the feeling that they have seated themselves in the middle of something private.” Most of her Instagram is of her incredible photography work, but followers get an occasional glimpse of how sexy she is.
4. Julieta Salgado, @julieta_salgado
Julieta Salgado is a queer femme Latina artist from Brooklyn, NY via Manabi, Ecuador. “She is a photographer, an occasional poet, a secret singer, and habitual insurgent.” She also has modelled for the fabulous queer-owned @LeatherCoven and well… god damn.
5. Mahx Capacity, @mahxcapacityirl
Mahx Capacity is a “queer fat femme power bottom” and the creature and director of AORTA films, making “experimental queer/feminist films and media that celebrate queer identity, pleasure, and joy” with performer/producers Parts Authority and Ginny Woolf. “AORTA films seeks to create ethical, lusty, heartfelt content that disrupts boundaries and glitches desire.” They fully embrace their sexuality, and it’s hot AF.
6. Nicolette Mason, @nicolettemason
Nicolette Mason is a designer, creative consultant, queer femme, and the co-founder of Premme, a plus-size fashion label. “Premme was born out of a love of fashion and the recognition that the industry is still lacking when it comes to the wants and needs of plus size women. We believe babes of all sizes deserve bold, fashion-forward statement pieces without compromise.” Nicolette is a blonde bombshell babe, always killing the game with her sexy curves and stylish outfits.
7. Stella Boonshoft, @stellaboonshoft
Stella Boonshoft is a writer, singer, and mega-babe. She was catapulted into a viral internet sensation when a Tumblr picture of her was featured on Humans Of New York. Since then, she has been looked to as a body positive activist. She is ridiculously gorgeous with her signature plush red lips and long brown locks. Also, her Herstory Personal Ad is one of my faves.
8. Francisca Silva, @framacho
Francisca Silva is a queer woman tattoo artist, specializing in “ignorant style tattoos.” I personally love her unique style of tattooing– quirky, poetic, minimalistic. I also love that she frequently posts this message on her instagram: “This is a woman’s account. On top if it I’m even married to a woman! Unfollow if that’s not your place. We don’t want you and need you.” Being that the tattoo industry can be so male-dominated and sexist, Francisca is an unapologetic bad ass. She is quite mysterious in that she doesn’t post photos of herself, but my bet is that she’s hot.
9. Corey Rae, @imcoreyrae
Corey Rae is a model, writer, and trans activist. Her goal is to help further trans acceptance and change perceptions of transgender stereotypes. Corey shows that she is unapologetically herself through her honest and bold writing, and her scantily clad Instagram posts (yassss). Corey is painfully beautiful, with her striking bone structure and legs for days.
10. Jax Jacki Brown, @jaxjackibrown
Jax Jacki Brown is a Disability & LGBTI/Queer rights activist, writer, spoken-word performer, public speaker and disability sex educator. She slays with her bright red short hair and dapper style.
There you have it, loves: 10 inspiring and beautiful queer insta-babes. So next time you’re scrolling through your news feed and you see an ad for a new fad diet or something and start to feel the self-hatred creeping up, check out these fierce and fabulous women for some self-loving inspo. Let 2018 be the year of queer women empowering queer women!
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