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4 Awesome LGBT+ Role Models for Young Girls

byMikayla Bruendl
December 14, 2016

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here is a lack of LGBT+ representation in the media, which can cause teenagers discovering their sexuality to feel polarized from the rest of society. People with a wide following who openly discuss the truths and struggles of the queer community are a bright light in the lives of LGBT+ youth. Seeing fellow young people living authentically encourages our youth to do the same. A feeling of validation and acceptance comes from being properly represented. I’ve compiled a list of LGBT+ young women in the spotlight who openly discuss sexuality and have inspired me during my own self discovery.

1. Lauren Jauregui

Image result for lauren jauregui(Photo : Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment)

Lauren Jauregui, 20 year-old member of the successful girl group Fifth Harmony, recently came out as bisexual in her post election open letter to Trump supporters for Billboard. The tremendous amount of people who stand behind a future Trump-Pence government have caused much of America’s LGBT+ community to feel as though their basic rights and freedoms are being threatened. In an act of defiance, Jauregui courageously states in her letter, “I am a bisexual Cuban-American woman and I am so proud of it.” At a time where her community is filled with fear she eloquently takes a stand against the discrimination minorities, including LGBT+, are facing.  Her letter also notes the importance of “political correctness” and  that creating labels to help queer people feel validated is an important progression we must not get rid of. The way she came out depicted the importance of kindness and acceptance in a world filled with hate.

Fifth Harmony has a large LGBT+ following, likely because they are a positive group that promotes diversity and inclusion (not to mention they are all incredibly attractive). Jauregui’s coming out was a huge excitement among her young fans, a necessary symbol of hope given at such a dark time for the queer community.

 

2. Hayley Kiyoko

(Photo : Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment)
Hayley Kiyoko’s career kicked off in her teenage years, when she starred in Disney Channel’s “Lemonade Mouth” and “Wizards of Waverly Place”. Now 25 years-old, she has shifted her focus to a music career. In June of 2015, her song “Girls Like Girls” and its accompanying music video were a smashing success. The music video has now accumulated over 50 million views, and is recognized by queer girls around the world as an empowering anthem. Her new EP, Citrine, digs further into the emotions and struggles faced by a queer women. She does not focus on coming out, or assigning labels, but rather the complex individual struggles LGBT+ youth face growing up. She is normalizing and accurately representing queer women, by making deeper connections in her lyrics and depicting the entirety of their struggles. In an interview with Refinery 29, she explained her recent song “Gravel to the Tempo” is a representation of herself growing up, and her many crushes on her female high school peers. Kiyoko explains that once she grew up, she realized the only validation she needed was from herself, an important message to be heard.
In her most recent interview with Paper Magazine, she states her goal is to help young girls discovering their sexuality to gain confidence. She wants them “to know their own self-worth at an earlier age.” As a teenager, accepting yourself can be difficult, especially as a member of the LGBT+ community. Hayley’s music is providing casual representation that connects with young people and empowers them.
3. Rowan Blanchard

(Photo : Harry Eelman)

This exceptional 15 year-old, star of Disney Channel’s “Girl Meets World”, is truly wise beyond their years. They utilizes their social media platforms to bring awareness to feminism and current social justice issues, including those involving the LGBT+ community. Despite being a Disney star, which are usually expected to play it safe and keep a clean image, they aren’t  afraid to voice her opinion on controversial issues.

In May of 2016, they took to Twitter to share with their fans that they identifies as queer. They stated, “I am not gonna give myself labels to stick with.” Not restricting oneself to a label and openly exploring your sexuality is an important message to give her young audience. This is valuable representation for youth who are still discovering themselves. When later asked to clarify what her previous tweet meant, she confirmed in another tweet that she was “open to liking any gender.”

Having someone with such a large young audience openly discuss sexuality is such a refreshing sight. As a representative of a huge family company such as Disney, they are  potentially starting important conversations for many children and parents. Even when a fan tweeted them stating they wanted to see their “Girl Meets World” character explore their sexuality, they responded with complete enthusiasm towards the idea.

4. Amandla Stenberg

This Hunger Games breakout star, now 18 years old, has a strong voice on social media. They use their platform to promote cultural diversity, and bring attention to issues like cultural appropriation. They came out casually and effectively when taking over Teen Vogue’s Snapchat story. While on their snapchat they discussed the hardships of identifying as a “black, bisexual woman” and how “its deeply bruising to fight against your identity.” They credit other black woman who have opened up about their sexuality (Solange Knowles, Ava DuVernay, Willow Smith) for encouraging them to be confident within themselves.
They came out in a compelling way that focused the importance of being heard and true to oneself, rather than the action of coming out itself. They are an excellent person to follow because they tackle issues with a broad lens and makes connections between different oppressors. They recognize that their sexuality, race, and gender are all interconnected, and important aspects of one’s identity. They continue to discuss LGBT+ issues and representation on social media. They are a strong voice for young women of colour, and an honest representation of those who also belong to the LGBT+ community.

 

Author
Mikayla Bruendl
Mikayla Bruendl is a 17 year old in Canada. Aspiring psychiatric nurse and journalist. Actively promoting intersectional feminism, the celebration of cultural diversity, ending stigma against mental illness, and LGBTQ+ and PoC representation in media. For inquiries, requests, and discussion, contact @mikaylabruendl on Instagram or Twitter.

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