Knowledge is not just trasmitted through books, newspapers, and other more traditional mediums. People have creates dozens of ways to share information, experiences, and ideas! Here are a few alternative mediums you can explore, each with a couple examples to get you started.
- Maps: Whether one uses these maps to glimpse queer life on the other side of the globe or explore queer experiences in their own neighborhood, maps provide a chance for people to see how widespread the LGBTQIA+ community is. The interactive, web-based Everywhere is Queer Map and the LGBTQIA Hub Business Directory allow users to find queer-owned business all over the world. Similarly, Queering the Map lets users submit their own place-based stories of being queer/Trans.
- Art and Art Exhibits: Visual and performance art often serves as a medium for sharing personal experience or encouraging reflection. The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art in New York City allows entry on a pay-what-you-can model and describes itself as a "home for queer art, artists, scholars, activists and allies, and a catalyst for discourse on art and queerness." You don't have to travel to see queer art. Lots of larger art museums have virtual lists or exhibits focusing on LGBTQIA+ art—check out the National Gallery of Art's catalog of queer art and artists!
- Actual Plays: An actual play is when people play a table-top roleplaying game like Dungeons & Dragons as a performance art for other people to watch. Because this is an affordably produced and imagination-based storytelling medium, many queer and Trans storytellers use it as a way to create stories they can share with audiences. Dimension 20 is a very popular actual play that often has LGBTQIA+, Poc, and femme performers and characters. Transplanar, which is POC-led and has an all Trans cast, focuses on non-colonial and anti-orientalist fantasy storytelling.
- Video Essays: With the internet, there are many channels that offer LGBTQIA+ focused video essays or blogs, often by LGBQTIA+ creators. Because there are so many out there, it might take some experimenting to find channels that work for you. Need help getting started? Alexander Avila is a queer and Trans creator who does social analysis from a queer lens. Rowan Ellis is an asexual video essayist who discusses queer pop culture, representation, and history. Similarly, Princess Weekes does pop culture analysis with a focus on race, feminism, and other social issues. These are only a couple examples of the amazing diversity of existing queer/Trans and feminist channels.
- Oral Histories: What better way to learn about queer experiences than from queer people themselves? Oral histories often give folks an opportunity to share their stories who might not otherwise do so. For some local queer history, you can check out Princeton's LGBTQIA+ Oral History Project or the Queer Newark Oral History Project. Want something a bit more wide-spread? Check out the LGBTQIA+ Oral History Digital Collaboratory's Oral History Hub for a wide array of LGBTQIA+ oral histories!
Know of other media focusing on LGBTQIA+ or feminist topics that you think folks should know about? Let us know via our feedback form!