I’m on the record stating my voice is my only power. I realise now that I have many more weapons in my arsenal for when things get tough. The power to hope and the power to laugh are some of my strongest powers. And just like my voice, these powers are greatly influenced by the media I engage with.
This Pride, I want to celebrate and share with you all some LGBTQ+ creators/artists who fill my life with laughter and inspire me to hope again after every low. There are many more creators I could’ve included here, but these are just a few of the ones I’ve been engaging with most this year.
If you feel inspired as I am, show these wonderful souls some love and go support their work.
Vibe Check Podcast- Sam Sanders, Zach Stafford, Saeed Jones
When I drafted my 2024 vision board, I noted that I wanted to find my gay best friend group. You know, like in the movies? There’s just something uplifting about belonging to a group of people who really get you and share similar experiences to you. This podcast has become the answer to my wish.
The Vibe Check podcast is what you get when you throw three Black gay men into intellectual pop culture discourse with one another. The vibes are just right (pun intended). These three men talk about anything happening in the mainstream Hollywood pop cultural news cycle. They also discuss global issues, always finding a way to make the negative headlines digestible.
If you’re looking for poetry recommendations, Saeed Jones has got you covered with a new poem every week at the end of each episode. If you’re looking for great music commentary and recommendations, Sam Sanders is something of a music nerd/historian. He’s got you covered. And if you want TV show recommendations for your next binge session, all three have recommended some truly great series this year, but Zach Stafford’s show recommendations are my personal favourite of the three.
It’s not a complete Wednesday unless I’ve checked in with my queens! Every week I look forward to their playful banter and their insights on topics that interest me.
If you’re looking for a new podcast to add to your weekly rotation, then you’ve just hit the jackpot with this one. You’re welcome.
The Terrell Show- Terrell Grice
Terrell Grice is the creator behind the hit YouTube variety show, The Terrell Show. He is a producer and singer-songwriter and as if that wasn’t enough, he’s an excellent interviewer and an NAACP-nominated social media personality.
I first discovered Terrell when his interview with Chloe Bailey popped up in my YouTube feed. I immediately fell in love with his personality and honest interviewing approach. You can tell he puts a lot of effort into making his guests feel welcome and safe to the point that it feels like you’re watching a casual hangout between family.
Then I stumbled across one of his other productions, T and Coco. This adventure reality show is one of the funniest things I’ve had the pleasure of watching. Terrell and co-star, Coco Jones, are the ideal best-friend duo we all love to root for. Their antics remind me a lot of my relationship with my older sister which explains why the show became an instant comfort classic for me.
His most recent show, IKYFL (I Know You Fucking Lying), is just the latest in the Terrell universe of comfort shows. Before the show’s premiere, he shared the following message affirming the show’s unapologetically Black and queer atmosphere:
When I read this, I teared up because it makes me so unbelievably happy to see Black queer, people thriving in whatever occupation or industry they work in. Terrell is living proof that we can make it if we continue working hard and believing in our dreams. We see you, Terrell! Thank you for your outstanding work over the years. And to my SENTI-ENT readers, check out Terrell’s channel. Your life will never be miserable again.
Papa De- Ugandan Photographer, LGBTQ+ Activist
We’ve previously discussed the importance of authentic representation and why it matters several times on this blog. When I was growing up, I had no representation of proud LGBTQ+ Africans. It wasn’t until I became an adult and began venturing out on my own to find the representation I was looking for that I stumbled upon African LGBTQ+ creators. Papa De was one of them.
For the uninitiated, Papa De (real name, Delovie Kwagala) is a non-binary photographer, filmmaker and activist. You can find them speaking out against the draconian Anti-Homosexuality Act and sharing their life experiences on TikTok and Instagram.
Papa De has done for LGBTQ+ Ugandans what no politician has managed to do and that is give us a voice. They have appeared on multiple news platforms spreading awareness of the violence perpetuated by the Anti-Homosexuality Act. Unfortunately, their unapologetic activism has meant that they are unable to live freely in Uganda and last year they fled the country in search of refuge.
Still, Papa De continues speaking out against homophobia and violence against the African LGBTQ+ community. If you don’t go and show this individual some love on their socials, then you’re dead to me.
Zzavid
Okay, now things are about to get very vulgar.
Zzavid (real name, David) would probably describe himself as a homosexual YouTuber– and I’m using the PG-rated vocabulary here. He makes horror movie reaction/review videos brimming with inappropriate, side-splitting jokes. If you’re into queer horror-core antics mixed with foul-mouthed humour, then Zzavid’s channel is for you.
He’s become another one of my feel-good-gems that I visit nearly every day whenever I need a good laugh. I’m not much of a horror movie fan because I simply don’t like scaring myself, but I always enjoy watching Zzavid get traumatized. His videos feel like you’re watching with a good friend, so you’re not alone.
He also reacts to non-horror films and TV, but the horror genre is really where all the fun is. So head on over to YouTube and help a homosexual in need! You can start by watching the video below. It’s a personal all-time favourite of Zzavid's videos.
worldofxtra
Stan Fukase, the creator of the YouTube vlog, worldofxtra, is a Filipino-Japanese social media influencer and drag artist. He documents his eventful life with an authentic vivacity that will have you itching in anticipation every week for when he drops a new video. His editing style, which can only be described as flamboyantly fabulous, is the hallmark of an unapologetically gay creator who has no fear of being himself.
I first discovered his channel when his “Coming Out to My Homophobic Dad” video showed up in my feed. Looking back, it’s one of his most emotional and vulnerable videos to date. At the time I was still in the closet myself so it hit home a little too hard for me. Seeing another gay guy around my age from a completely different background showed me that I wasn’t alone and that I wasn’t the only one experiencing what I was going through.
Coming out is already hard and terrifying. Coming out to a parent or parents who have said homophobic things to or around you in the past is even worse. I remember harbouring a lot of fear over whether my parents would accept me or not. Stan’s video gave me hope that I could one day come out and live in my truth regardless of what my parents think.
I’m proud to say that I’m now out of the closet and I truly don’t give a fuck about what anybody has to say. I owe a huge thanks to Stan’s videos for being a part of my coming-out journey.
Stan is just the boost of confidence, self-love and uninhibited gay energy we all need to keep pushing forward.
Todrick Hall
People think the artist of my life is Beyoncé. They would not be incorrect in thinking that given how much I play her music and talk about her influence on my life. But the problem with that title– ‘artist of my life’-- is that people make it out to mean that there can only be one. I actually have multiple when it comes to music, and Todrick Hall is one of them.
Picture this:
It’s 2020, in the middle of a worldwide Covid lockdown and you're an 18-year-old closeted Black gay boy in one of the most homophobic countries on earth just scrolling through YouTube. A music video titled “I Like Boys” pops up on your phone screen with a dark-skinned Black man on the thumbnail. You quickly reach for your earphones so you can listen without anyone overhearing and press play. Three and a half minutes later, you’re frozen, staring at your phone with teary eyes and your jaw is on the floor after having listened to the most gay-affirming anthem made by an independent, Black, openly gay artist.
That was me.
I had never felt so seen as I did watching that music video. Since that moment, Todrick Hall has become a significant part of my life. I make it a point every year to watch his Femuline World Tour film which he did in promotion of his album, Femuline– one of my all-time favourites by ANY artist.
When it comes to Todrick Hall, I could go on forever, but I think his music, charisma and performances can speak for themselves…
Closing Thoughts: Why Supporting LGBTQ+ Creatives Matters
I get asked this question a lot: “how can I support you?”. The answer is complex and it depends on who’s asking and why.
You’ll often hear people telling you to educate yourself on LGBTQ+ issues if you wish to support the community, but that simply isn’t the full story. Yes, you should educate yourself and you can start by following and supporting LGBTQ+ creatives whose content you enjoy.
We live in a world where governments try everything in their power to silence certain groups of people. It can be hard for creators from marginalised groups to do the work they want to do or even make a living when circumstances prevent them from creating freely. Supporting them directly whether financially or by engaging with their work is a great way to flex that empathy muscle of yours and give back in a meaningful way.
Again, there are so many LGBTQ+ artists/creators I could’ve listed here. Perhaps this will turn into a series so I can share with you even more people who I think deserve a shoutout, but in the meantime, take the initiative and seek them out yourself.
When you do so, share their work. Engage with them. Learn from them. Listen to their experiences. Don’t just consume and move on with your day. There are people who like to ignore us or pretend like we don’t exist. I’m of the philosophy that ‘we’re queer and we’re here’. We are taking up space because for too long many of us have been forced into the shadows. No more.
Supporting LGBTQ+ creatives might not end homophobia in one final swoop, but it will enable all of us to feel like we have a voice.
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