“…but I also think that part of what our light box project did was to not assume that participation in mainstream culture means that you also have to take the structures of visibility that come with it as a given.”

The Illuminations Grant is a testament to what can happen when cultural producers invest their energy not just in the documentation of trans people, but also in creative solutions for their lives and careers.

Aguilar was a pioneer in sharing the faces and experiences of various Latina lesbians in the 90s, when there was very little representation. Aguilar’s art gives the marginalized and subcultures within subcultures — poor, fat, woman, lesbian, Latina — a place to be held and seen.

“There are a lot of butches out there still. More than ever. And in a larger variety than ever. And that is what my project depicts, in style, body, race and gender non-conformity.”

Your community gallery for May! Nearly 100 queers doing the work!

Through an exhibition of both contemporary artwork by a slew of trans artists and a truly impressive selection of archival documents from the Kinsey Archives and the University of Victoria Transgender Archives, Stamatina Gregory and co-curator Jeanne Vaccaro work to fill in the gaps between what many see as signs of mainstream progress and the true, vast history of trans people’s lived experiences.

Same-sex couples, butch and femme identities, queer youth speaking out, gay life in Japan, LGBT athletes and so many more projects from incredible photographers looking to give visibility to a historically hidden population.

Lizz’s Team Pick: #1 must have is an uplifting, adorable and generally all around awesome new photo zine for queers!

What would the 1930s look like if it reflected a queer reality? Now you can find out.

Small grassroots LGBTQ+ museums, archives, and galleries are redefining what it means to preserve and display trans histories.

Throughout the decade of making this photography book, I have learned new senses of belonging.

Molly Landreth and Amelia Tovey have set out into the gay wide open to document the faces, stories and sounds of this crazy queer country in their amazing photo/bio project, Embodiment: A Portrait of Queer Life in America. They sat down with Autostraddle to talk about the incredible things they’ve been doing, where they’re heading next, and why this work is so important.

Sometimes you have to step outside to remember who you are and who you want to be. And sometimes, you have to retreat to the epicentre of yourself, surrounded by whatever environment you can create.

“Generally in life all I want to do is: good work for good causes with good people. I want to be a good designer, I mean truly, deeply good at my craft; everything else is semantics.”

Jessica Buie’s art combines cultural theory and scientific concepts and an amazing eye for design. Also, she designed special stickers for us!

Vanessa’s Team Pick: An open call for LGBT artists, photographers, and sculptors in the New York City metropolitan area.

Were we ever so young? “Testimony” is here to tell us we were (and it was actually kind of okay.)

“Even if you don’t understand, you refuse to understand, you have something to process”

FYI, a day in Gay America involves pumping gas, eating dinner, and other super-gay things.

Be the change you wish to see in the world! And help this artist do the same.