Stella Boonshoft

New York-based writer, actor, and body-positive activist, Stella Boonshoft, describes herself as “unapologetically hot and queer on Instagram (@stellaboonshoft),” says, “I want femmes to know that they are seen. I want to tell young queer people everywhere that being thin, androgynous, and acting like Shane [from The L Word] isn’t the only way to be hot as hell. We need loudmouthed, fat femmes; we need femme trans women; we need old femmes who dye their hair pink; we need Black and Indigenous femmes at the forefront; we need to honor our history and turn our attention to the people in our community we consistently leave in the dust.” Boonshoft has a Bachelor of Music from NYU, has worked in theater and with brands like Bustle and Abercrombie & Fitch, and is writing a book of essays about accepting your body and being femme. “I find that shying away from the fact that I’m queer has only hindered me in my life. Being comfortable in my skin is more alluring than trying to be something I’m not, and it’s kind of an asshole detector. If someone’s not cool with me being queer, I don’t want to work with them, anyway.” —GH