Articles Just Like Us Life Mental Health Awareness Week News Originals

‘This Mental Health Awareness Week, remember there are ways to create your own digital safe space’

Just Like Us ambassador Heather Smy reflects on her evolving relationship with social media, sharing how curating a separate, art-focused Instagram account helped her create a positive digital space that supports her mental health and LGBTQIA+ identity. WORDS BY HEATHER SMY I created my first Instagram account in March 2015 when I was 13 years old. Back then, social media was just a space for me to share photos of my cats and keep an eye on whatever One Direction was up to. Fast forward 10 years, and social media is…

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Articles Just Like Us Lesbian Visibility Week Life News Originals

‘How I became the proud and blossoming lesbian I am today’

Just Like Us ambassador Jenna Athi reflects on her journey from shame to self-love, celebrating the pride and joy of being a lesbian today. WORDS BY JENNA ATHI I love being a lesbian. I love exploring my queerness, pushing myself out of my gender comfort zone, and loudly loving my girlfriend with my entire being. However, as with most things that we learn to love about ourselves, there was once a time we didn’t. Growing up the signs were blindingly obvious, but somehow no one was able to see it,…

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Articles Just Like Us Life News Originals

‘A leopard can change its spots: How my mum learned to accept me as a young trans person’

This Mother’s Day, Just Like Us ambassador Teddy Ramplin reflects on the impact of coming out as trans on his relationship with his mum, and why “a leopard really can change its spots”.   WORDS BY TEDDY RAMPLIN Coming out is a rite of passage for many LGBTQIA+ people. Some don’t feel the need to make a big song and dance of it – it can be as simple as saying two words in passing – or even come out at all, but most of us will do it at least once. When…

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Articles Just Like Us Life Long Reads News Originals

‘The haircut that paved my path to self-discovery and helped me reclaim my identity’

Just Like Us ambassador Rush Mittal explores the power of a haircut in an LGBTQIA+ person’s journey of self-discovery. WORDS BY RUSH MITTAL “When did you get the haircut?” It’s a question many trans-masculine and non-binary people have asked or been asked, an invitation to share a pivotal moment in our self-discovery journey. Though haircuts might not commonly be major events in the lives of cisgender people, for many of us, this moment carries huge emotional weight. Growing up in India and Hong Kong, where beauty standards enforce rigid gender…

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Articles Culture Films Just Like Us Long Reads News Originals Wicked

‘Wicked helped me understand my queerness in unexpected ways’

Just Like Us ambassador Isobel Harforth reveals how the “rainbow themes” in Wicked helped her come to terms with her queerness. Words by Isobel Harforth For as long as I can remember, my life has included Wicked. Not just because I’ve seen the West End musical four times, but because it has anchored me through life’s tribulations, the Emerald City always glowing somewhere in my peripheral vision. I knew Wicked’s film adaptation would be a direct extension of this, but what I didn’t know was that watching it would help me…

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Articles Just Like Us Life Long Reads News Originals

‘LGBTQ+ young people deserve to feel safe in school’

“Every young person needs to hear the message that being LGBTQIA+ is not only OK, it’s something to be celebrated,” writes Just Like US CEO Laura Mackay. WORDS BY LAURA MACKEY, CEO OF JUST LIKE US Most of us whose families celebrated Christmas will remember wanting a new bike, the latest toy, or the coolest trainers. But many of us in the LGBTQIA+ community will also remember wishing for those around us to understand and support who we were during the festive season and all year round. Growing up, during…

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Articles Culture Just Like Us Kaos Long Reads Netflix News Television

‘The queerness in Kaos was groundbreaking – its cancellation is a huge loss for LGBTQIA+ representation’

“Netflix’s decision to end Kaos after a single season does more than cancel a promising show; it halts the progression toward an inclusive media landscape that reflects the true diversity of human identities,” writes Scout Dragon. WORDS BY SCOUT DRAGON Queer representation in the media is more important than ever. Yet, while visibility has improved, the way LGBTQIA+ characters are portrayed often falls into a troubling pattern: it feels forced. Too often, queerness is treated as a plot point rather than a natural part of a character’s identity, making representation…

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Articles Culture Films Just Like Us News Originals Photos The Rocky Horror Picture Show

‘In defence of The Rocky Horror Picture Show: The chaotic, radical and freaky pinnacle of queer cinema’

Amy Chiswell discusses The Rocky Horror Picture Show‘s impact on the LGBTQIA+ community, and why the iconic musical doesn’t deserve to be torn apart every Halloween. WORDS BY AMY CHISWELL Twice I have shown The Rocky Horror Picture Show to men and they’ve been reduced to tears. The soft wiping of eyes usually starts when Tim Curry sings ‘Don’t Dream It, Be It’. I cried the first time I saw it, too. I first watched Rocky Horror on the day after Halloween, feeling a bit fragile from the night before.…

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Arlo Parks Articles Culture Frank Ocean Just Like Us Kwaye LGBTQ Music LGBTQ+ New Music Long Reads Music News Originals

‘Black queer pop stars deserve your attention, too’

Just Like Us ambassador Elliot Kwabena Akosa celebrates the artistries of three incredible Black LGBTQIA+ pop stars: Kwaye, Arlo Parks and Frank Ocean. Words by Elliot Kwabena Akosa  The current conversation surrounding queer pop is exhausting. Yet again, Black queer pop stars, who are creating incredible works, are being shelved. It is immensely frustrating to observe the current narrative – that certain white queer pop musicians are the only ones paving the way or making significant ripples in the industry. Pop, like many other popular music genres, has been and continues…

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Articles coming out Just Like Us Life Long Reads National Coming Out Day News Originals

‘The new generation has given me hope for a future where coming out is simple’

For National Coming Out Day, Just Like Us ambassador Kallan Lewis reveals how a class of 11-year-olds gave them “hope” for the future of LGBTQIA+ acceptance. WORDS BY KALLAN LEWIS As a politically active and openly queer young person, I’m not often optimistic about the future, or even the present. My daily scroll through the news gets more depressing every time, as I see harmful policies enacted and hateful words spewed by people I’ve never met, but who nonetheless wish to hurt me and my community. Social media is equally…

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