In case you haven’t yet figured out how Queer I really am….. I’m Outdoor Dance Party at a fab Austin Queer Bar, Queer!!! I’m Cheer Up Charlies Queer!!! I’m Out and about and Very Fucking Visible in Texas Queer!!!!!! I’m the great big Queer the bigots are all so afraid of Queer!!! I’m QueerAF Y’all!!!!!! And I Love You!!! (Yes, YOU!) #queer #queerfemme #queeraf #trans #transwoman #bisexual #lesbian #femme #punk #activist #advocate #adventurer #visibility #austin #texas #transvisibility #queervisibility #visibiltymatters #rightwingnightmare #doyouknowhowqueerireallyam #queerjoy #dancing (at Cheer Up Charlies) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpCEHpbs0cu/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

ICYMI: our annual most stylish 100 is out! Link in bio. This is our 10 year anniversary of this feature, and we continue our commitment to archive queer style. Tag nominees for 2023 in the comments! #dapperq #queerfashion #queerstyle #ungendered #ungenderingfashion #degenderfashion #queervisibility #pride2022 (at QUEER AF) https://www.instagram.com/p/CegqjHMFp-d/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

https://wirestock.io/laraj1

Sara Ramirez In Grey's Anatomy: The Impact Of Their LGBTQ+ Representation

Sara Ramirez Overview

Sara Elena Ramírez, known Sara Ramirez, was born in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico, in 1975. By the age of eight, they moved to the US, specifically San Diego, California. Their personal journey includes embracing a queer identity in their twenties and subsequently identifying as non-binary. They were also a celebrated American actor and singer, who recently came into the limelight due to their role as Che Diaz in And Just Like That… Beyond their screen presence, they were also known for their fierce advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community.

When it comes to LGBTQ+ representation, the B or bisexual, was often overlooked in movies and television and as Sara Ramirez’s Dr. Callie Torres said it best in Grey’s Anatomy, The actor impacted television when the network television character opened up an often overlooked narrative before Sara Ramirez later came out as bisexual and nonbinary in the public eye. Following the character’s exit from Grey’s Anatomy, they were reflecting on their journey. As the years went on, Sara Ramirez said to the creator, Shonda Rhimes, that they had never seen a bisexual character played on TV, not in a way that embraces bisexuality, but they thought that their chance to speak up. Read Full Article

Queer Vision World Wide Sep 1996 Archived Web Page

BROOKLYN PRIDE:“Together We Will…” (June 1 thru August 31, 2023) Outdoor Art Exhibition

Exciting News! scopOphilic’s photocollage QueerVision has been included in “Together We Will…” at Brooklyn Pride! 2023.

Arts Gowanus and Old Stone House, and Brooklyn Pride hosting this public outdoor art exhibition that honors and uplifts Brooklyn’s LGBTQIA+ Community.

“QueerVision” is just one of the amazing artworks on display. These artworks beautifully depict and celebrate various facets of the LGBTQIA+ experience and community.

You can find these vibrant works adorning vinyl banners along the fence surrounding The Old Stone House & Washington Park and J.J. Byrne Playground in Park Slope (336 3rd Street, Brooklyn, NY). The exhibition runs from June 1 to August 31, 2023. 

The exhibit was also featured on News 12 Brooklyn.

Let’s celebrate love, diversity, and creativity together!

by elisaecheverriap: Marianne y Héloïse de "Retrato de una mujer en llamas" ♡ hice este dibujo para el fanzine de la visibilidad LGBTQIA+ del @clubdedibujolgbt, del que compartí un videito ayer 🎞

mientras crecía nunca vi películas / leí pocos libros con protagonistas queer, hace un tiempo empecé a buscar intencionalmente porque no es que ahora llegue mucho de forma natural tampoco, aunque creo que a esta peli le fue bien cuando salió (aún así varias personas en el club me dijeron que no la conocían)

agradezco mucho la existencia de estos relatos que nos ayudan a encontrarnos en espacios seguros y hacernos más visibles 🙂🧡

respecto a la técnica, he seguido dibujando en infinite painter en mi tablet y he encontrado bacán poder afinar la construcción de los dibujos más fácilmente (arrastrando cosas y espejando para ver que no esté deforme 😬 como me pasa mucho en papel), he pillado magias del arte digital que antes no sabía apreciar uvu!

. . .

#portraitofaladyonfire #retratodeunamujerenllamas #portraitdelajeunefilleenfeu #celinesciamma #drawing #dibujo #illustration #ilustracion #lgbt #lgbtqia #queer #queerart #queervisibility #digitaldrawing #infinitepainter

“I’m glad I’m different. I’m proud to be gay. I’m proud to have friends and lovers of every color.” #KeithHaring Born May 4, 1958 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ (PART 1 more parts on @therelevantqueer ) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #Artist and #gayactivist Keith Haring, originator of an instantly recognisable visual language blending #popart, cartoon and #graffiti, was born and raised in Pennsylvania. Inspired by Dr. Seuss and #WaltDisney to draw as a child, Haring learned basic cartooning skills from his father. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Haring attended two semesters of a graphic arts programme at the Ivy School of Professional Art in Pittsburgh, before dropping out and moving to NYC. There he attended the #SchoolofVisualArts (SVA), and found a community of artists thriving downtown in the streets, subways, clubs and dancehalls, away from the lucrative gallery and museum establishment. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “Individuality is the enemy of this mass society. Individuality speaks for the individual and makes him a significant factor. Art is individuality.” — Keith Haring ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Legendary today, Haring’s social circle included @Madonna, #AndyWarhol, #JeanMichelBasquiat, Kenny Scharf as well as other performance artists, and graffiti writers. Over the courses of ten years, Haring earned international recognition through his many group and solo exhibitions, beginning with his solo exhibit at the Westbeth Painters Space in 1981. In 1982, Haring’s solo exhibit at the #TonyShafraziGallery earned the artist new levels of popularity and critical acclaim. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📸 Cred on #therelevantqueer ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #queeringthecanon #queerexcellence #AIDSactivism #KeithHaringFoundation #Madonna #gaycommunity #gaymalesexuality #whatisrememberedlives #queervisibility #amplifyqueervoices #queerhistory #gayculture #uncoveringqueerstories #queerheritage #queerman #importantqueerstories #queerrepresentation @ia_troy_wise @5by5forever #troywise #rickguzman https://instagr.am/p/CdJMDp1NFZw/

yay for @humanrightscampaign ! happy #nonbinaryday from this enby to all the other trans cuties out there 💙

#hrc #humanrightscampaign #internationalnonbinaryday #internationalnonbinarypeoplesday #queer #queervisibility #trans #transvisibility #enby #enbypride #transpride #transjoy #transjoyisresistance

Beyond the Labels: Tangerine

Released in 2015, Tangerine, a film centered around transgender sex workers, follows the story of two bestfriends Sin-Dee and Alexandra, who are on a mission to find Sin-Dee’s boyfriend/pimp, Chester, who is accused of cheating on her while she was in jail. The two best friends set out to find Chester, as well as his mistress, Dinah, who is a cisgender white woman, immediately after Sin-Dee’s release from jail. Through their journey, the two encounter obstacles related to drugs, sex-work, romance and violence. In order to better understand the impact of this film, concepts such as queer production, transgender visibility and intersectionality will be discussed in relation to dominant idelogies portrayed throughout the film, such as gender, race, constructions of sexuality, class and ability.

The production of the film generated just as much buzz as the film itself. Shot on an Iphone 5 with a low- budget estimated around $100,000, director Sean Baker had a tight budget to work with. Issues surrounding queer production in Hollywood become apparent with films like Tangerine. Not only do questions arise about the lack of funding and resources for queer media, but concerns related to who is producing queer narratives also come into question. Sean Baker, a heterosexual cisgender white male, produced a film about transgender woman of color without being able to identify with their struggles or identity. In the article, “Pose(r): Ryan Murphy, Trans and Queer of Color Labor, and the politics of Representation,” author Alfred L. Martin Jr. further examines why representational politics is problematic in Hollywood in relation to the labor issues and white savior image within Hollywood. As a heterosexual cisgender white male, director Sean Baker profits from the production and storytelling of transgender people of color. As stated by Martin, “the fact remains that it is his white capital within a fundamentally racist industry that allows Pose to be made” (Martin Jr., n.p.). This narrative is problematic due to the overwhelming fact that transgender people of color still face adversity, whether from violence, homelessness, health failiures etc. while a white heterosexual or homosexual male is allowed the opportunity produce and ultimately benefit from their stories. Not only are labor issues in Hollywood problematic due to who is able to produce narratives of transgender people of color, but the image that a white male serves as a ‘white savior’ also becomes problematic. Queer audiences and the overall population is ultimately  convinced that in order for transgender people of color to have a voice, white producers must be the only ones who have the resources and ability to produce such films.

Factors surrounding trangender visibility become evident with the films dominant ideologies surrounding class, gender, race, ability and constructions of sexuality. In the film Sin-Dee and her best friend are introduced as transgender black woman who are at the lower level of the class spectrum. In the article “Breaking Into Transgender Life: Transgender Audiences’ Experiences With “First of Its Kind” Visibility in Popular Media,” the author, Andre Cavalcante, discusses the importance of “breakout texts” as a form of audience-text interaction. In Tangerine, for example, the narrative that surrounds transgender people of color is negative and stereotypical. Negative portrayals of Sin-Dee as poor, violent, loud, assertive and codependent all shape and influence audience perceptions. As stated by Cavalcante, “the fates of transgender individuals and communities are understood as intimately linked to the films’ representation of transgender” (Cavalcante, p.3). Consequently, the image of transgender people of color becomes threatened by media portrayals when characters are solely introduced as possessing one narrative; usually negative. However, the film does introduce an unfortunately real narrative about survival and isolation for transgender people of color. Similarly, the film offers audience members the opportunity to create their own cultural interpretation, whether realistic or not, of transgender people of color. Although negative interpretations may arise, Tangerine reveals the various hardships transgender people of color experience in their day to day lives. For example, both Sin-Dee and Alexandra see sex-work as a necessity for survival. Although their gender and sexual identities are at times questioned, both women risk their lives to make money due to a failure in protection, discrimination and harrassment experienced in the work place and their everyday lives. Thus, questions surrounding transgender visibility arise. In the article, “Queer and Feminist Approaches to Transgender Media Studies,” by Mia Fischer, the author suggests that although an increase in transgender visibility has occured in media and national discourse, the representation of transgender people in media does not provide improved living conditions for the overwhelming majority of transgender people (Fischer, 102). This is particularly important when discussing and approaching intersectionality in “scholarship and social justice activism that moves beyond visibility politics and ruthlessly deconstructs oppressive systems and our own complicity within them” (Fischer, 103). In a system where racism, classism and (cis)sexism is at the core of opressive actions against marginalized communities, neither feminist, academic or queer activist can continue to exclude the voices of transgender voices. Without the inclusion of transgender voices, activist and scholarly groups cannot actively formulate strategies for resistance that cater to all marginalized groups. This is important due to the countless erasure of transgender voices in history. In order to continue fighting towards social justice, women like Sin-Dee and Alexandra must be heard and given the proper tools to simply continue living.

Sin-Dee’s and Alexandra’s intersectional identities further introduce the multidimensions that contribute to their struggles. In the article, “Queer and Feminist Approaches to Transgender Media Studies,” by Mia Fischer, the author states “I take intersectionality as a key framework for understanding how mediated representations of transgender people are linked to their daily interactions and experiences with systems of state power and violence” (Fischer, p. 99). In Tangerine, the last scene where men are seen yelling homophobic slurs at Sin-Dee and throwing urine at her accurately depicts the leveles of violence and powerlessness experienced by transgender people. This interaction between Sin-Dee and the men in the car is based on how the men identified Sin-Dee through her appearance and voice. Unfortunately, this scene serves as an example of how transgender people experience daily interactions associated with powerlessness and violence. In another clip, Alexandra is seen arguing in front of a cop car with a white middle aged man. In this scene, Alexandra is persistent about the money this man owes her while he urges the cop that she attacked him unprovoked. The cop proceeds to refer to Alexandra as “him” and Alexander to her partner on the job before getting out of the car and only checking Alexandra’s pulse for any signs of drugs while the man is given a warning to leave voluntarily before he has to alert his family of why he needs bail. This interaction perfectly represents how people in power view and handle transgender people of color. The man is given a pass, while Alexandra is humiliated and unpaid for her work. As a transgender woman of color, Alexandra is at a disadvantage socio-economically, in comparison to a white cisgnder heterosexual women. Alexandra’s intersectional identities, black, poor, sex worker and transgender woman all attribute to her day to day hardships and experiences. 

As a young heterosexual college-educated woman of color, my own subject position allowed me to further examine how my various identities factored into the way in which I engaged with this film. While watching the film, I was able to empathize with both Sin-Dee and Alexandra as a woman of color. However, as a heterosexual cisgender woman, I am not able to relate to the struggles transgender woman of color face. Despite my inability to relate to Sin-Dee’s and Alexandra’s gender identity, topics surrounding transgender media studies influenced my ideologies around transgender woman of color. As a minority in America, this film is important to me because it dives into the unjust treatment and life of transgender woman of color in America. Although I myself will never experience what it means to be a transgender woman of color, it is important for me to continue the path of educating others and myself on how to be an ally for the LGBTQ community. Despite its flaws, Tangerine is raw and unforgiving. The film is exemplary in depicting the harsh realities transgender woman of color face whilst leaving its audience with an unsettling feeling. Ultimately, I was able to understand how intersectional identities as well as queer portrayals coexist to shape how audience members and queer people view and identify with queer media.

Cavalcante, Andre (2017). “Breaking Into Transgender Life: Transgender Audiences’Experiences With “First of Its Kind Visibility” In Popular Media.” Communication, Culture & Critique, 10(3), 538-555. https://academic.oup.com/ccc/article-abstract/10/3/538/4662971?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Fischer M. (2018) Queer and Feminist Approaches to Transgender Media Studies. In: Harp D.,Loke J., Bachmann I. (eds) Feminist Approaches to Media Theory and Research. Comparative Feminist Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90838-0_7

Martin, Alfred L. Jr (2018). “Pose(r): Ryan Murphy, Trans and Queer of Color Labor, and the Politics of Representation.” LA Review of Books.

Our annual dapperQ Most Stylish 100 is now out! ➡️LINK IN BIO⬅️ For our 10 year anniversary, we did things a bit different. Here’s a sneak peek. See the full list on our website today. And as always, tag someone who you would like to nominate for 2023! #dapperQ #dapperQ100 #Pride2022 #queerfashion #queerstyle #ungenderingfashion #degenderfashion #queervisibility (at QUEER AF) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeeWp-sumLi/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I’m going to be on Connecting Point on WGBY tonight at 7pm EST talking about my Solo Pride March & some other timely topics!! http://connectingpoint.wgby.org/livestream/ #trans #lgbtq #pride #pridemonth #pride2020 #transwoman #queer #femme #pageantqueen #mtne #nohopride #transgender #connectingpoint #wgby #northamptonma #visibility #transvisibility #queervisibility (at Northampton, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAJIikcBb1e/?igshid=1t9trcu7otv71

on #transdayofvisibility back in 2017, i came out as “not sure what just definitely not cis” on tumblr, because it was my most anonymous social media. it’s been 2 years of figuring things out, having long conversations, & getting comfortable with being uncomfortable and with realizing that i don’t quite fit into the Gender Box. i’m happy to be out and visible as #nonbinary. i’m still careful about what platforms i’m open on. my anxiety gets the best of my sometimes. i’m still totally incapable of taking a decent selfie (i’m so sorry, @jennaging, I’M DOING MY BEST). but maybe this time next year, i’ll be out everywhere. maybe i’ll actually have my breathing techniques down. maybe i’ll figure out what an “angle” (??) is. but until then: this is me, and that’s enough. happy visibility day, my beautiful #trans family. i love you. 💙💓💙💓💙 #tdov #queervisibility #queer #genderqueer #bipride #disabledandqueer #mentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/BvrpURShFra/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1tfr1pxuf5jo6

At lunch with @keatonswob and the waitress says, “your shirt kind of looks like the two of you.” She didn’t seem to understand when we said, “it is us.” Lol. #FagSwag #NoOneEverGetsIt #PrideMonth #QueerVisibility (at Fried Green Tomatoes) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByahprnHOOR/?igshid=9xb5s3mqskv8