Courage, Care, and Resistance: 7 LGBTQ+ Figures Who Redefine Strength

Strength is not a concept; it’s a real ability and many have used it to overcome challenges both physically and mentality. There are the trailblazers like Harriet Tubman or the person who threw the first brick at Stonewall. However, strength nowadays doesn’t have to be a product of anger or fear.  Today, thanks in part to the use of social media, to be strong is to be yourself; utilize your talents or interests to bring focus to the public eye. In modern times, just being yourself is a form of strength. Nothing is more powerful than honesty and below are seven people who prove that. 

Tom Daley

Tom Daley stands at just under six feet, but he doesn’t need height to raise awareness. As an Olympian, the gold medalist has lived in the public eye as a diver, but away from the pool his influence reaches even more. As a father, and a husband his strength comes from showing you can be vulnerable and still be a champion. 

Elliot Page  

Most who follow Elliot Page remember the day when he made the announcement he was transitioning on social media. Starring in a hit Netflix series the news was surprising as his career was bourgeoning. However, his bravery and confidence won out and it was a powerful message to Hollywood that gender should not be a factor for success. 

Lil Nas X

An African American, gay hip hop star? There were rumors of some such artists being on the down low in the industry, but Lil Nas X said to hell with it and came out demanding attention. The result: a country western hip hop crossover song no one could ignore. Follow that up a massively successful album and the music industry would never be the same. 

Angelica Ross

The name Ross is iconic. It evokes women in control and although not related to the famous singer, Angelica Ross definitely fits the title. Groundbreaking for the time Ross starred in “Pose” a period piece set among the world of 80s urban ballroom culture. It was also the time of the AIDS epidemic. Ross’s role as Candy in the series might have been based on her own real-life disposition as a fighter, activist and educator. 

Billy Porter 

Billy Porter is strongest when he’s wearing clothes. Whether he’s in a tuxedo gown or draped in uterus inspired couture. It’s a kind of rebellion only fabrics can express. Also, the secondhand pride their designers can experience adds layers to the cause. The “Pose” star has the strength to speak without talking on the red carpet, so nothing falls on deaf ears. 

Karamo Brown

Therapist Karamo Brown may be starring in the final season of “Queer Eye,” but think of how many people he has helped in its decade of existence. The insightful life guru allows people to pull from his strength and therefore muster their own after sitting down to talk to him. In a world full of social media therapy-speak it’s nice to know Karamo goes empathetically deeper than what’s expressed in a viral meme. 

Alok Vaid-Menon

Alok Vaud-Menon is a walking, taking pillar of strength. They use words as a form of expression in their poetry. But they also are activists for trans feminism, a topic most might not understand. Alok used art as an escape for being bullied at a young age. Now they use it to express their unapologetic self and thwart the bigots before they can utter a single word.