Every day, people from all walks of life show up on TikTok to build connection and community, showcasing their happiest and funniest moments, along with the most raw and authentic parts of their lives. As a place where everyone belongs, we are honoured to empower our community with a safe and inspiring space to express themselves freely and embrace their identities fully.

As a platform that is committed to inspiring creativity and bringing joy, at TikTok we bring together our incredible LGBTQIA2S+ community, who inspire over 1 billion people around the world through creativity, passion and advocacy. In honour of Pride Month, we are celebrating and recognizing the collective visibility and impact of our LGBTQIA2S+ community by introducing our 2023 LGBTQIA2S+ Visionary Voices list and Pride campaign, You Belong Here.

Join us as we celebrate LGBTQIA2S+ creators and we encourage our global LGBTQIA2S+ community to boldly take the spotlight, celebrate their most authentic selves and embrace their unique and personal journey to Pride.

Meet Our 2023 TikTok LGBTQIA2S+ Visionary Voices

Photo Credit: TikTok

To welcome Pride Month, we're celebrating the history-making impact of our queer community with our first-ever LGBTQIA2S+ TikTok Visionary Voices List, recognizing 15 LGBTQIA2S+ creators and small business owners who are using TikTok to educate, entertain and advocate for the LGBTQIA2S+ community. This year's Pride Month honourees are recognized across three categories — Creators, Small Owned Businesses and Industry Disruptors. Read more about our Pride Visionary Voices below:

Creators

@hal.baddie (she/her)(New York, NY) - Devin Halbal is a social media icon, known for her off-the-cuff phrases, like “Met Gala behaviour,” and for spreading positivity through her lifestyle content, her travel journey and daily mantra videos on TikTok. She hopes to inspire other transgender women to have adventures and live their lives to the fullest.

@jaegurley (they/them)(New York, NY) - Jae Gurley, a Black fem nonbinary creator, uses their gift of performing and storytelling to share their journey of self discovery through lifestyle videos on TikTok that center on the importance of embracing individuality to encourage people to live their “most confident Bougie B life.”

@mercurystardust (she/her)(Madison, WI) - Mercury Stardust is a professional home maintenance technician, performer and award-winning activist. Recognized as Trans Handy Ma'am, her unique brand and expertise in the home repair space earned her fame on the internet. With over 2.3 million followers on TikTok, Mercury uses her platform to share DIY tips on home maintenance. She also recently participated in a "TikTok-a-Thon" fundraiser to celebrate Friday's Transgender Day of Visibility, raising over $1 million for trans health care.

@octopusslover8 (he/him)(Los Angeles, CA) - Comedian and content creator Jake Shane became known for his PSAs and reimaginings of significant historical events through the eyes of Gen Z. He uses his platform to share light-hearted videos, while opening up raw conversations about mental health and sharing his own experience and journey with treatment for severe OCD and anxiety, which he has struggled with since the age of 7.

@thezletnis (she/her)(Toronto, Ontario) - Am and Noey are queer sisters who have captivated diverse audiences through their content focused on self-expression, inclusive fashion and LGBTQIA2S+ advocacy on TikTok. Their mission is to foster a community where everyone is encouraged to embrace their true selves and celebrate the beauty and power of authenticity.


Industry Disruptors

@drdre4000 (he/him)(Boston, MA) - Andre Isaacs, an associate professor of chemistry, uses his platform to push the envelope on the capacity of the STEM community and challenges normative STEM culture through dances, skits and educational content to demonstrate what an inclusive space could look like for the next generation of scientists, primarily those with marginalized identities.

@imbabytate (she/her)(Atlanta, GA) - Fueled by self-love and manifested dreams, Tate Farris is an ever evolving artist who is known for her music that spans summery pop, amorous R&B and hard-hitting hip-hop and for creating viral moments on TikTok with sounds like the confidence-boosting “I Am,” the playful “Hey, Mickey!” and her feature on Ashnikko’s massive single “Stupid.”

@jonkung (he/they)(Detroit, MI) - Jonathan Kung teaches people not only how to cook, but also how to express their cultures and personalities in their food. Jon combines their passion for food and authenticity in their videos on TikTok and encourages people to embrace their heritage, passion and pride.

@oldgays (he/him)(Cathedral City, CA) - Mick, Robert, Jessay and Bill are the four voices behind The Old Gays, known for performing the latest dance trends on TikTok. Through their humorous and heartwarming TikToks and fun surprises, they have won over young and old fans alike. The ensemble advocates for the LGBTQIA2S+ community and continues to spread their messages and stories through their platform.

@saucysantana (he/him)(Perry, FL) - Saucy Santana is a vibrant artist with an infectious and bold personality. Santana's first-ever song, "Walk Em Like A Dog," was a viral hit with tens of millions of streams. With chart-topping tracks like "Material Girl," his strong presence in the LGBTQIA2S+ community and co-signs from notable artists like Nicki Minaj, Rihanna and Cardi B, Saucy has gained a worldwide following.


Small-Owned Businesses (SMBs)

@ctoan.co (she/her) (Milwaukee, WI) - Jodyann Morgan is a queer Black candle business owner of CTOAN Co., who uses her platform to celebrate all bodies, candles and food. She creates and designs candles from a completely gender-neutral perspective in an effort to celebrate the human form while infusing joy, heart and a whole lot of love!

@n00nice (she/they)(Rapid City, SD) - Eunice Straight Head is an Indigenous artist who is Mnicouju Lakota from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation. They use photography as a foundation to branch out into various creative forms, such as fashion, cosplay, beading, sewing and more to bring Indigenous representation to the media.

@goodlight.world (he/they)(New York, New York) - David Yi, a journalist and proud Korean American, is the co-founder of the gender-inclusive beauty brand Good Light Cosmetics. They have been recognized as a GLAAD-nominee and have authored PRETTY BOYS. They aim to use Good Light as a brand and platform to center non-binary folks who have long been excluded in the beauty industry and beyond.

@jackandbec (she/her)(San Antonio, TX) - Jack and Bec are sisters, illustrators, designers and makers, who create art to uplift their underrepresented communities. Their art focuses on themes around body positivity, deaf pride, LGBTQIA2S+ pride, mental health awareness and social justice.

@verygaypaint (he/they) (Los Angeles, CA) - Nicholas Scheppard and Jenson Titus are comedians-turned-painters and the duo behind Very Gay Paint, a muralist company centered around their own queerness and colourful designs. From comedic skits to vibrant mural artwork, they entertain and inspire their community while emphasizing their own queerness and colorful designs.

Celebrating #ForYourPride on TikTok and IRL

At TikTok, we're committed to amplifying the voices of our diverse community of LGBTQIA2S+ creators as they reach new audiences, build careers and drive a positive impact on TikTok. This June, join us as we celebrate Pride and our LGBTQIA2S+ community through a series of in-app initiatives and special programming themed around hashtags including: #ForYourPride, #PrideAnthems and #LGBTQBusiness.

Throughout Pride Month, our #ForYourPride in-app programming hub will feature inspiring stories from creators and LGBTQIA2S+ owned businesses including @lovewithpride, @rainbowcertified, @everywhereisqueer, @icedabove, @milky.tomato, @musiccitycreative, @thegrowinggroves, @queerency, @verygaypaint and non-govermental organizations including @itgetsbetter, @translifeline, @humanrightscampaign, @gamergworls, @glaad, @pride_site and @lgbtq.

Pride on LIVE: Join the Celebration

We have an exciting 'Pride on LIVE' lineup scheduled for Monday, June 12, that will highlight some of our most innovative queer creators. The programming will be live-streamed from our @tiktoklive_us account and will feature conversations with creators surrounding their career and LGBTQIA2S+ representation across the creative industry. Be sure to follow @tiktok and @tiktoklive_us for more info on our 'Pride on LIVE' lineup!

#PrideMusic: Sounds that Inspire

During Pride Month and beyond, we will celebrate the music and culture-shifting impact of LGBTQIA2S+ artists with our #PrideMusic programming efforts. Throughout June, our sounds page will feature special music guests including GRAMMY-Award winning singer/songwriter @samsmith, rapper-singer @iamdoechii_ and many more. We'll also be shining a light on the queer community on our @musicontiktok channel with a series of LGBTQIA2S+ artists including Canadian pop singer, @jamiefinemusic, @alexchapmannn, @saucysantana and @morgxnofficial.

TikTok Takeoff: Queer Inclusivity in Marketing Webinar

On Tuesday, June 13, we are launching the next installment of our TikTok Takeoff webinar series, a string of workshops highlighting the stories and strategies of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) who have taken off on TikTok. Starting at 2 pm ET, our June session will include a roundtable discussion with LGBTQIA2S+ owned SMBs on the many ways they are using TikTok to engage with new audiences and real-world success for their brands. Businesses of all sizes are welcome to attend – to learn more, please visit the link HERE.

TikTok's Local External Empowerment

TikTok's commitment to local external empowerment is demonstrated through its partnerships with organizations like CGLCC and Get Real Movement, where collaborative efforts have resulted in impactful initiatives and upcoming workshops and campaigns.

Canada's LGBTQIA2S+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC) - We joined as a new corporate member this year and hosted a networking mixer in the office in April. In June, we will host a workshop at their annual summit.

Get Real Movement - We have been a partner of The Get Real Movement for two years. In year one, our funding helped expand their After-School Program in Ontario. In year two, they expanded to both Ontario and Manitoba. The program includes guest speakers, art, projects and activities. With our funding, Get REAL will launch five French Anti-Racism workshops in Fall 2023. They have already translated their current curriculum into French. Our funding also supports their educational video campaign "Pride In Our History," which shares stories of LGBTQIA2S+ figures and important moments in history. This summer, Get REAL will release the Diverse Media Series, focusing on combating LGBTQ2S+ discrimination, racism and bullying through various forms of Pop Culture. Additionally, in June, with TikTok's support, Get REAL will release a Mythbusters Series addressing common myths and providing insight into the reality of those topics.

Empowering TikTok's Internal LGBTQIA2S+ Community

Championing and celebrating our LGBTQIA2S+ employees here at TikTok is something we take seriously year-round. As a part of our company-wide Pride celebration, TikTok's very own LGBTQIA2s+ employee resource group (ERG) PRIDE will be hosting a series of Pride Month events and internal programs, from LGBTQIA2S+ film screenings to Pride panels, that celebrate the full spectrum of intersectional identity groups throughout Pride month.

Creating a safe and inclusive environment for all

You Belong Here is more than a campaign—it's our commitment to the LGBTQIA2s+ community on TikTok. We believe that people should be able connect with one another, express themselves authentically and thrive on the platform. And we know that fostering an inclusive space requires prioritizing their needs by investing in measures that empower them to define their online identities and experiences.

The LGBTQIA2S+ community on TikTok sets trends, drives culture and serves as a source of inspiration, and we're focused on maintaining a safe and supportive environment for them to continue to do so on the platform. They pour their hearts into their content and deserve to do so without fear of harassment or hate. We strive to protect the LGBTQIA2S+ community on TikTok by taking action, including removal, on content and accounts that engage in harassment, bullying, hate speech and hateful behaviour, such as deadnaming or misgendering—as explained in our Community Guidelines.

We also empower people to create the best TikTok experience for themselves by providing a range of safety features, such as confidential ways to report potentially violative content and accounts and privacy settings to choose who can engage with their content. Comment filtering tools also enable our community to manage the conversation about their videos, for example, the Filter all comments tool gives creators the ability to approve which comments are displayed, and the Filter keywords tool enables creators to select key terms that they do not want to see in their comments.

For this year's Pride, we're reflecting on how we can better uplift and recognize these creators, both on and off the platform. As we develop policies and features that centre the well-being of our community, we also continue to collaborate with organizations and nonprofits around the world to raise awareness and advocacy for LGBTQIA2S+ rights and champion causes that matter to the LGBTQIA2S+ community.

Honoured and humbled to be part of our global community's path to Pride, as we continually look for ways to build an inspiring and inclusive space for everyone on TikTok