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20 LGBTQ Plus Size Bloggers & Influencers to Know!

Body Image

20 LGBTQ Plus Size Bloggers & Influencers to Know!

LGBTQ plus size bloggers and influencers are also changing the narrative through their visibility and we’re highlighting 20 bloggers and influencers to know

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LGBTQ representation in the media often fails to show the true diversity of the queer community. We see trans women of color left out of the conversation and it’s rare to see a wide range of body types and sizes in queer inclusive media. Much like the way that plus size bloggers have transformed the way that mainstream society views larger bodied people, LGBTQ plus size bloggers and influencers are also changing the narrative through their visibility.

During Pride, I wanted to celebrate bloggers and influencers whose visibility helps to empower not only people of all sizes but all sexual orientations and gender identities to live authentically. There are two online media outlets that already do an amazing job of providing an inclusive picture of the LGBTQ community, Qwear and dapperQ.

I helped write a list of 30 LGBTQIA+ folks to follow with Qwear and that’s a great resource as well as dapperQ’s 100 Most Stylish List. There is some overlap between all of these lists but differences as well and when it comes to inclusive LGBTQ style inspiration, I don’t think there’s a such thing as too much!

20 LGBTQ Plus Size Bloggers & Influencers to Know!

1. Nicolette Mason

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Growing up, sports was always a huge source of confidence for me – and where I made so many of my lifelong friends. In high school, I was a swimmer and played on the water polo team, and though I was battling so much internally, like figuring out my sexuality and how that was part of my identity, it also lead me to a life changing friendship with someone who still, 16 years later, is one of my best friends. We were the first people to come out to each other, and without connecting through sports, I know navigating our teenage years would have felt much more lonely and isolating. Now, it is so important for me to connect with other LGBTQ youth and advocate for their wellbeing. For any person who feels different or experiences marginalization, visibility, peer-to-peer connection, and mentorship is so essential to building self-esteem. During the month of October, @PlanetFitness is promoting its pro-kindness, anti-bullying initiative, the Judgment Free Generation, in collaboration with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (@bgca). During the first half of the month, for every new member that joins, they will donate the enrollment fees as to BGCA! Last year they donated close to $1million. #ad

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Nicolette Mason is one of the most well-known plus size fashion bloggers around. From a partnership with Target and a brand ambassadorship with Kate Spade to co-owning her own plus size label Premme and a best friendship with Christian Siriano, she’s always working to make fashion inclusive.

Plus, she taught us all that fat femmes can wear Gucci.

2. Jamal T. Lewis

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sometimes facing yourself is haunting, but oft a rewarding challenge. here i’m captured by one of my favorite black photographers, @kingtexas, and also collaborator (because texas issiah’s practice is just that: one that not only considers the gaze of the photographer, but also that of the subject). i’ve sat with these images for months now because i wanted them framed by my words. words that would , perhaps, confront my willingness to be be vulnerable and not wear makeup to this shoot nor retouch in post production. here i am bare, even though i love a good paint and filter, facing the truth of my skin as it is today. this skin tells a story. day by day, i look in the mirror, taking charge of the opportunity to bare witness. this is me. #blackisbeautiful #skin #nofatsnofems

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Jamal T. Lewis aka Fat Femme is an interdisciplinary artist, writer and speaker. Lewis is working on a documentary challenging gay culture’s, “No Fats, No Femmes” mentality. Lewis was named one of Teen Vogue’s “Coolest Queer’s on the Internet” and I couldn’t agree more.

3. Gia Natalia Narvaez

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I'm so open with my story because growing up I wish I had someone I could look up to. Someone that could remind me during rough times, that I would make it out okay. I don't mind showing the most vulnerable parts of my journey if it means that it'll help someone one day. Time and experience has thickened my skin, so when life gets rough or I get a lot of hate, I remind myself that I'm doing something good, that I'm helping people stand in their truth. There's nothing more gratifying than getting messages from so many people who are finding the courage to be their truest self. To those that have Dm'ed me, thank you for sharing your journey with me. And thank you Instafam for always giving me a safe space to bloom in all of my essence. 📷: @underneath_we_are_women Book shoot with Amy (check out the project!) Hair: @misstanialos Makeup: @mua.ja

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Gia Natalia Narvaez is a transgender Latina influencer with one of the most unapologetic accounts on Instagram. She shares her plus size fashion journey in images and discusses her transition in the captions with a level of vulnerability that is so necessary.

4. J Aprileo

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Agh, I miss Kansas. I came back to Western Mass to pack and move everything and close up my apartment. I decided to be super committed to minimizing my lifestyle. Ive been living for months without all of these things in the apartment, so clearly I dont need them, right? . WRONG. Im feeling super possessive about all of my things! I dont want to have hoarders mentality, but I think its something you learn when you grow up poor. You gotta hang onto everything because whAT IF I NEED THAT LATER? . Im trying to let go. Im reminding myself that my beautiful life is so amazing not because of items, but because of the love I feel with all of the amazing people I surround myself with. And Im privileged enough now to not NEED to hold onto everything. . Do you live minimally? Or do you love STUFF? Do you have a hard time letting go? How do you stay balanced? . #comfyfat #cuteaf360 #honormycurves #effyourbeautystandards #fatgirlflowfam #fatshion #thisiswhatnonbinarylookslike #celebratemysize #butch #psblogger

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J Aprileo is a nonbinary blogger writing about the intersection of fatphobia and gender identity for their blog, Comfy Fat. They cover travel, self care and accessibility through a queer lens. They are also dating blogger Fat Girl Flow providing all of the fat queer love inspiration I’ve always craved.

5. Ericka Hart

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I went to acupuncture today to try to get rid of the remnants of this flu. I watched the white passing receptionist roll her eyes at phone calls that I guess were too challenging to deal with in the zen- like gentrified space. I was put at ease when the practitioner was a Black woman. It’s starting to rattle my bones when white folks administer acupuncture, but that’s a different post. After we spoke about what brought me in, I laid on the table and she started to gently apply the needles. I thought to myself, I’m getting good at not wincing. “Don’t wince even if it hurts”, I told myself. In retrospect, I can see I was in full “I – can- take- all – pain- Black – femme” – autopilot mode. In the midst of her administering the needles, she stopped and said, “Im also going to do cupping on your chest.” I responded with, I don’t want the mark and she said “it’s going to clear your coughing and the mark won’t be big.” After a deep hour or so of sleep, she returned, removed the needles and mentioned that I had a little mark from the cupping. You can only imagine my shock when I looked in the mirror to see two big circles on my chest. Not small at all. You see, consent exist beyond sexual encounters. I wasn’t informed about this practice and she also did not have my enthusiastic consent, therefore consent was not present. I can not tell you how often this has happened over the course of my life (my hair, my body etc). Most prominently, during my time in and out of doctors offices. So I post this photo to remember my cute chest (😫), remind y’all that you should use consent when reposting this or anyone’s BC photo this month (tag the photographer and makeup artist too) and to be hella cliche for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. . . . Yes, I feel better, so I guess the cupping worked? And it still didn’t have consent. Perhaps we will end rape culture when we practice consent in everyday encounters. Just an idea, what y’all got? #Consent #breastcancer #checkyourbreasts #October #fuckpink 📸 by: @islandboiphotography MUA by: @moshoodat

A post shared by Ericka Hart, M.Ed. She/They (@ihartericka) on

Ericka Hart is a nonbinary femme who first stole our hearts and opened our minds when she went topless to Afropunk in 2016 exposing her double mastectomy scars.  She is an activist, writer and sex educator who shares an important perspective on life as a cancer survivor. But her work is about more than that. She told Salty.World, “I am using my body as a tool to shift systems on behalf of black liberation and sexual liberation and freedom from gender expression.”

6. Troy Solomon

Troy Soloman is better known as ABearNamedTroy. He’s an LA-based influencer who uses his platform to show that style should be inclusive, body positive and a form of personal expression. His style is loud, bold and always full of color.

7. Lydia Okello

Lydia Okello is a Canadian-based plus size queer influencer and the former Style Editor for Autostraddle. She uses the tag #TomBabe in her OOTDs and posts super cute pictures with her partner.

8. Lottie L’Amour

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• Hello! • Over one thousand of you joined me over the past 24 hours – hello! Welcome! You’ve probably found me to look at some plus size fashion inspo, but I just wanted to take some time to also introduce you to my natural state – in a pair of pants and a @prettylittlething crop top, wiggling around to music and generally living my best fat life! Hopefully if you stick around here long enough, you’ll join me in the journey to loving your body that little bit harder. I’ve got your back! We’re a friendly bunch here so please do say hello. I’m 31, I live in London with my Fiancée Emma and I’m making an effort to live blissfully in the skin I’m in – I hope I help you to do the same! 💖🌈✨ . . . #lovemychubclub #bodypositive #bodypositivity #bodyconfidence #bodyimage #bopo #plussize #plus_isamust #plussizestyle #plussizefashion #plussizeblogger #fatshion #fatfashion #fatpositive #whatfatgirlsactuallywear #boldandcurvy #psootd #psblogger #psbloggers #psbloggersuk #effyourbeautystandards #shinyhappybloggers #reallifeandstyle

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Lottie L’Amour is a plus size blogger from across the pond. On her blog, she stands up to diet culture, challenges brands to improve and shares personal stories that allow her to connect with her readers. She recently became a LGBTQIA+  love and sex contributor for Cosmopolitan UK.

9. Jazzmyne Jay

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Tutus and Sneakers👅

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Jazzmyne Jay is an LA-based video producer for Buzzfeed’s AS/IS.  She created the contest Feed Famous to find the next social media star and designed her own beret line and self love crop tops in collaboration with Kidd Bell. Her video “I Wore A Bikini for the First Time” has more than 7 million views on YouTube.

10. Marquis Neal

Marquis Neal is a body positive queer femme whose style landed him a colloboration with ASOS when they first launched their new Big & Tall line. Neal is also part of photographer Tarik Carroll’s The EveryMAN Project, which challenges gender norms and hyper-masculinity by highlighting larger bodied queer and transgender men.

11. Laura Du Vè

Australian-based photographer, model and influencer Laura Du Vè describes herself as “gay is the day is long.” She has modeled for JBC Lingerie and walked in Melbourne’s largest fashion event, VAMFF. As a photographer, her work focuses on creating representation for fat queer femmes.

12. Jari Jones

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This year I dedicate my birthday to my trans sisters !!! Especially my beautiful black trans sisters. To some outside our community , 27 seems like you haven't even scratched the surface of True life experience , but being a WOMAN, WHO IS BLACK, WHO IS TRANS , all I can do today is REJOICE REJOICE REJOICE AND SALUTE TO THE WORDS OF MY TRANS PIONEER SHERO @missmajor1 I'M STILL FUCKING HERE. Thank you queens, my beautiful beautiful queens, for living unapologetically , for providing example lives lived to the fullest despite the world's cruel ignorance , for teaching life lessons , for inspiring , for being inspired, for unconditional love , for tough love, for compassion , for gentleness , for challenges , for tears , for fight , for protection……for healing. Thank you , you have made and continue to make this Black Trans Life worth living. We are enough , we are worthy and we are loved. . . . Photography : @nelsonncastillo . . . . .#transgender #trans #translivesmatter #blacktranslivesmatter #blacklivesmatter #queer #celebratemysize #actress #honormycurves #curvy #bodydiversity #effyourbeautystandards #curvygirl #curvemodel #influencer #visiblyplussize #plussize #plusmodel #thick #plussizemodel #bodypositive #thesecurves #transmodel #newyork #legs #editorial #birthday #bighairdontcare #fashion

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Jari Jones is a plus size model, actress, singer, photographer, videographer and a trans-femme public figure. Basically, she does it all and she does it well. She recently appeared on the cover of New York Times magazine with her wife celebrating love between two trans women.

13. Jazmina Daniel

If you think Jazmina Daniel looks familiar, it’s probably seen her lips before. She’s a makeup artist who really puts the A in MUA. She recreates everything from famous paintings to iconic album covers all with her lips as the canvas. But when she started posted OOTD images on her Instagram over the past year or so, she showed she wasn’t just a makeup maven but a fashion influencer too.

14. Shane Stinson

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charmed drama, but make it fashion 🔮

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Shane Stinson is a newer influencer but he is doing important work in the fashion community. He created the hashtag, #PlusSizeTransGuy and a corresponding personal style account because he didn’t see any representation for larger bodied trans folks. His style is chic with a hint of retro and he can style a button down like nobody’s business.

15. Dexter Mayfield

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COLORS🏳️‍🌈

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Dexter Mayfield is a plus size model, choreographer and actor. You probably saw his iconic runway walk from LA Fashion Week in 2015 or perhaps you spotted him in Katy Perry’s “Swish Swish” video. He graced the cover of Gay Times Magazine in May 2018 and his star power seems to only be continuing to rise!

16. Beth Delude

Beth Delude is an American plus size blogger based in the Netherlands. She’s 6’3” and definitely a great person to follow for plus size tall fashion inspo. Plus she posts really adorable pictures with her partner Ro that might make your heart explode. 

17.  Ashlee Marie Preston

Ashlee Marie Preston is a transgender activist, writer and speaker. Her work has appeared on Teen Vogue, Mic, The Root and most recently as part of Playboy’s Pride Series. She’s a great follow on Twitter and she’s always sharing stunning selfies and red carpet images on her Instagram.

18. Ady Del Valle

Ady Del Valle is a plus size model and style influencer. He has been featured in a number of runway shows including NYFW and he was part of the recreation of a Calvin Klein ad with plus size men. He was recently featured in Obvious Magazine’s Model Watch.

19. Ashleigh Shackelford

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Pepto Bismol Fat Barbie. #Afropunk

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Ashleigh Shackelford is a nonbinary fat femme who is an artist and writer. Ashleigh is the creative director for Free Figure, a Southern Body Liberation Organization. With Ashleigh at the helm, Free Figure collected data for a Fat Census in 2017 and is currently collecting data on queer domestic violence and sexual assault.

20. Shay Neary

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Transition isn’t just about the body. . 📸: @lydiahudgens . Oprah spoke about “speaking your truth” – A common phrase used in the trans community. But “speaking your truth” also means understanding that your personal truth can often be wrong. Especially if that perception is damaging to others in the process. . When I first starting “speaking my truth” full time. I assumed whatever I felt inside was entirely true. I had a lot of personal feelings about being trans, and other trans Indi I’m not proud of. I was critical and judgmental because of my perception of my truth. . I used to feel that non-binary people needed to make a decision on their gender – male or female. That cross-dressers were just men in wigs. That gender fluid people were just a confused mentality. . I used to think that passibility deserved a lifetime achievement award. That being the ultimate stereotype of a woman would make me happy. That you weren’t trans unless you had surgery’s to enhance yourself. . I grew up… and realized how wrong my truths were. . A decade ago, where my only perceptions of the transgender community were based on the trans women I surrounded myself with at that time. They were influenced by other biased individuals, who I believed wholeheartedly. . The internet and social media has given me an opportunity to know more about my own community. To become more unbiased about differences, and to respect that no two journeys are exactly alike. . Understanding, Respect, and Vulnerability. Three words, I lead my life with now. I don’t need to know everything, but as I continue my journey I need to be willing to learn. My perspective may not always be correct, but the ideal of being open to being wrong is imperative. . Transition the mind. Lead with a journal, not with a sword. . #premmeirl #bigboldbeautifulyou #trans #transgender #girlslikeus #transisbeautiful #transexual #transition #lgbtq #oneofthem #community #perception #plussizefashion #plussizemodel #model #transmodel #plusmodel #intomore

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Shay Neary is a plus size model who made history in 2016 as the first plus size transgender model to be featured in a major fashion campaign with Coverstory. She has modeled for Yours Clothing, Ellos, and Woman Within as well as being featured in Cosmopolitan Let’s (Actually) Talk About (Actual) Sex series.

As with any list, this is truly just scratching the surface of LGBTQ+ bloggers and influencers. Please leave your favorites we missed in the comments below and make sure you are also following both myself and Brianne as your TCF resident queer contributors!

Who are your favorites that we’ve missed?

Drop their IG, Twitter, FB, and website links, so that we can follow!

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Written By

Alysse Dalessandro is a plus size fashion blogger, writer, social influencer, designer, and professional speaker. After graduating with a double-major in Journalism and Gender Studies from Loyola University Chicago, this entrepreneur is best known as the owner/designer for body positive fashion brand and personal style blog Ready to Stare. Her brand has become a haven for those whom fashion has otherwise ignored. It's a space where individual style is celebrated and breaking the rules is encouraged. Alysse has been featured on Good Morning America, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post and more. She recently walked in dapperQ's fourth annual queer fashion show during New York Fashion Week.

4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. Michelle Guthrie

    June 20, 2018 at 10:40 pm

    This article is fan-freaking-tastic! By that I mean I’m fanning out over all these beautiful people and now I’m following them all. Thank you for bringing attention to them.

    Reply

    • Michelle Guthrie

      June 20, 2018 at 10:42 pm

      Dang, can you edit that to “bringing” attention? Dammit!

      Reply

    • Aaronica

      June 21, 2018 at 10:57 pm

      Thanks so much Michelle!

      Edits made 😉

      Reply

  2. Tey Livington

    November 8, 2018 at 1:57 am

    I love @loudshopper for plus size too! He is forward and has great style!

    Reply

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