#and also mildly afraid of anonymous links

[gobliiine]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espagnole_sauce

hey friend please help me out here what does this mean

[informationsorter]

Hi bot, thanks for the diversion I guess. I’m afraid that I did not ask for a videos. I wasn’t even aware that bots also send vids and links via asks now. But, since I post all asks, I suppose I have to post this one too. I’ve posted a screenshot with the link covered, as there is no reason to expose innocent tumblr users to all this rubbish. (BTW, answering the ask removes the blur from the video and I definitely was not comfortable sharing THAT on this blog.) So uhhh... Yeah, if anyone ever has an ask, feel free to send it in. Anon is on, and you want it to be anonymous but for some reason haven’t been able to set yourself as anon, please let me know in the message itself and I will post a screenshot with your name and pic covered fully. Thank you everyone, I hope you’ve found this as mildly amusing as I have. :)

[metalchickaf19]

The Bowers Gang: What the Guys’ First Kisses Were Like (Anonymous Request)

* Any and all credit for this idea goes to the requestor.

Belch: Belch’s first kiss happened in his freshman year of high school at a varsity football game. Though he and the guys had originally just gone as a last-ditch way of getting out on a Friday night, it wasn’t long before they had linked up with a (mildly unstable) group of girls, and headed underneath the bleachers to get rip-roaring drunk together (you know the girls I mean; those goth, witchy chicks present in every high school). Now, by that time, it was common knowledge among The Bowers Gang that Belch was the only one who had yet to have his first kiss... meaning Patrick announced that to the entire group of girls out of nowhere, and asked if any of them could “help his buddy out.” Almost immediately, the sloppiest girl in the group (Belch never did learn her name) slurred a volunteer and stumbled her way over to him; she kissed Belch (who was literally too nervous to even think), open-mouthed and wild in front of everyone. And, though the whole thing ended pretty quickly, Belch’s expression of relative shock remained throughout the night. Fun times. Fun times getting traumatized by your friends.

Henry: Henry’s first kiss happened in a closet during a game of spin the bottle. He was also a freshman in high school at the time (in fact, he’d just started at Derry High a few weeks before), and was attending the first boy-girl party he’d ever been to... meaning he felt he had everything to prove, and was nervous as hell when it came time to “get things going.” After standing awkwardly for a few moments with the unknown girl he’d been slotted to kiss (hesitating just long enough to make his anxiety noticeable), Henry leaned in hard and got it over with; the kiss was forceful, wet, and painfully under-skilled, with Henry coming in so fast as to make the girl flinch back at his speed. Regardless though, Bowers emerged from that cramped little room a new man... despite the fact that his reputation only survived the event because the girl he kissed was merciful enough never to describe it to anyone, ever.

Patrick: Patrick's first kiss happened when he was in first grade (don’t even act surprised). Having never subscribed to the belief that his female classmates had "cooties," Hockstetter had been trying to get weird with girls his age since he was first given access to them in kindergarten. Walking into the girls' bathroom, chasing girls around the playground, trying to touch girls’ private parts; Hockstetter had a formidable record of inappropriate behavior all by the time he was around six. He finally topped it all off during Mrs. Gain’s first-grade Valentine’s Day party, where he ran up to Sarah Fletcher (a painfully shy girl with pigtails) and laid a great big wet one all over her under-aged face. Sarah burst into tears (true to little kid form), Patrick's parents were called... and it did literally nothing, because he proceeded to do the same thing to all the rest of the girls in the class throughout the remainder of the year. Literally - all of ‘em. Not one pair of lips was spared.

Victor: Victor’s first kiss happened in his crush's bedroom just before he graduated middle school. 14 at the time, Victor had begun to develop feelings for his best female friend, and was having an increasingly hard time hiding them as time went on. Being that the two were so close as to be used to hanging out at one another’s houses, there was nothing out of the ordinary in their sitting on Victor’s crush’s bed, studying... until, slowly, a friendly laugh between them petered out into silence; nervous silence. You know what I mean - it was a moment (one of those perfect, “sitting here making eye contact because we know we want to kiss each other, but we’re each too afraid to make the first move” moments). And, sensing that moment (just about a split second too late), Victor quickly moved in to take advantage of it... only to get about a quarter's worth of hair stuck in his braces. Turns out, Victor's special someone (overwhelmed by his loving stare) had, unbeknownst to him, turned away at the last second - meaning Victor closed his eyes, went in to kiss her, ... and got curls where he expected a face. Victor's friend took it all in stride (they both laughed things off as he untangled himself from her head) and very graciously allowed him try again once he had righted himself. Let’s just say... the second time was exceedingly better than the first.

[askaceattorney]

Dear Skibot99,

Co-Mod: I’d tell you, but I’m afraid she might hear me.

…?

Mod Maya: Pre-twisted Simon would be adorable! He’s handsome, has a prosecutor’s salary, and is a complete gentleman. (For DGS though, I’d choose Barok because dang he’s fine--)

Dear Inferno,

Co-Mod: I’ll definitely do so and let you know what I think about it as soon as I find an empty spot in my already packed schedule.  It’s like I’m losing at Tetris 99 here.  (Or just plain Tetris, for that matter.)

*Fast forward a couple of weeks*

I started watching the first chapter, and I’ve gotta say, it’s already pretty intriguing.  I found it a little hard to take Franziska’s voice acting seriously, though.  I wasn’t expecting something spectacular, but she’s just not herself without a German accent, if you ask me.

Mod Kristoph: I watched that a while ago. Really good stuff. (Also, I called who the killer was from part 1.)

(Previous Letter)

Dear sc9ven,

Co-Mod: I actually didn’t find any of your letters in the inbox, which means we either deleted them or already posted them.  Either way, sorry 'bout that!

I haven’t read any fanfiction all the way through as far as I can remember, but I do remember reading part of one where Kay snuck into Phoenix’s office after he adopted Trucy and almost freaked out, thinking he was her biological father.  I don’t remember its title, though, so if anyone knows which one I’m talking about, please fill me in.

Mod Kristoph: I don’t remember what my first fanfic was but probably my favorite is Pick Your Poison. It’s not so much a case as it is a series of “punishments” given to other characters. It’s hilarious.

Mod Maya: I cannot reveal this

(Link in Letter)

Dear Certainly Bobby Fulbright,

Co-Mod: That’s a good que--

AaaaAAACHOO!!!  ...Sorry.  *sniff*

That’s a good question.  My first thought is Phoenix, since he’s earned himself a little R & R after the crazy adventures he’s been on lately.  It’d be a definite challenge for him to get back into the dating scene after his encounter (and re-encounter) with the darker side of relationships, but at least he’d be better prepared for it, so who knows?  It might work.

Please notice I didn’t mention who he’d be starting a family with.  That’s up to your imagination.

Mod Maya: Mildly afraid because I feel everyone in this series that has any relatives is just cursed--I think both Athena and Apollo are the types that would want to? Apollo’s a really caring boy, and Athena definitely loves that kind of thing too. I think they’d like to give their kids the type of life they couldn’t have.

Dear ZaK,

Co-Mod: I love it!  Especially the double-meaning of the word “represent.”  Heaven knows if we’ll ever get to see Phoenix join the already huge Smash Bros. roster, but I’d love to see a trailer like this regardless.  Just make it into a video, and I’ll give it the Co-Mod Seal of Approval!

Dear skibot99 again,

Co-Mod: Well, you’re right about us being busy with letters.  I still need to get on with the essay-writing part of this blog.  There are currently five or so requests for them, and I’d love to get them all done right now, but things have kept getting in the way.  I’ll be sure and get ‘em done ASAP, though.

Unfortunately, I don’t know of any blogs that are specifically about discussing Ace Attorney (and I’ll probably eat a cardboard badge before I go searching through Tumblr for them), but there are plenty of discussions going on at the Court-Records Forms, so I recommend checking it out.

The writing process for essays goes something like this: think about it, write it down, revise it, repeat.  I also take a look at gameplay videos to make sure I don’t miss any important details, but other than that, I just write whatever comes to mind when I think about the character in question, then try to reorganize it.  It think that’s called the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid.)  I hope it’s working for you all so far!

Dear jnv11,

Co-Mod: Thanks for finding those!  The first one was the Mod’s misspelling, but the Engarde letters were mine.  I must have let my mental guard down, so to speak.

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: We’re actually using Tumblr’s Schedule option, which lets you choose a specific times for letters to be posted.  It’s a little less convenient than the Queue option, but I’ve found it to be more reliable.

And trust me, if we had the kind of time one would need to post something manually ever two hours, we’d be answering letters way faster.

Dear Mothmouth,

Co-Mod: Sure thing.  Here it is, and here’s the Ghost Trick one.  That one was a feat of animation, let me tell you.

And thanks for the kind words!  You’re just as cool.

Dear Fulbright,

Co-Mod: Thanks!  It was mainly thought up by Mod Kristoph and Mod Paups, and we kind of started doing it at the last minute, so I’m super thankful for their help with it all.

And yes, the letters the villains answered will be given a proper answer as soon as they reach the bottom of the inbox.  We don’t take kindly to letter thieves ‘round these parts.

Dear Inferno again,

Co-Mod: A little late (and not even necessary, as you already know), but thanks anyway, pal.

Dear skibot99 again (again),

Co-Mod: Thanks!  I somehow forgot to do that, but those tags have been added now.  Sheesh, what would we do without you guys?

I’ll keep your April Fools’ Day idea in mind for next year (I blocked it out so we can retain the element of surprise), but there’s a chance we might choose to do something different.  Oh yeah, and the Mod’s back!

That was more or less my reaction when I first heard the news.  Glad to have you back, Modot!  (That’s definitely my favorite Mod nickname, by the way.)

-The Mods

[eirianerisdar]

I have a question about the story where Obi-Wan is mute and how Ahsoka reacts to that... I think they'd really get along, perhaps Ahsoka would be even better at understanding Obi-Wan than Anakin is.... how does Anakin react to this, and do you maybe have a short snip from when Obi-Wan and Ahsoka meet? *makes puppy eyes* (by the way, I'm anonymous reviewer ErinKenobi2893 from Fanfiction)

Erin! Lovely url you have here - I approve of it greatly. I haven’t really thought all the way ahead to clone wars era yet in The Silent Song universe, but I’d be happy to write you a snippet (an AU of the AU, in a way)

In this AU of TSS, we assume Obi-Wan is still 1) unable to speak and 2) recently elevated to masterhood upon Anakin’s knighting, according to canon.

Silent Laughter

Ahsoka Tano feels the thrum of the repulsors shiver up her new field boots, and quells the shudder before it can travel to her clenched fingers. She is not quite successful.

There is muffled boom as landing struts meet duracrete.

Ahsoka swallows past a throat completely dry and checks herself over. Her boots are shined to perfection, her belt buckled night, her lightsaber clean and oiled at her hip. The weight of the Akul teeth that frame the edge of her montrals carry the pride of her heritage; the new string of silka beads behind her right lekku her hope for the future.

Her hands unclench from beneath her newly-requisitioned bracers.

The transport has landed, and she is one durasteel wall away from Christophsis, war, apprenticeship, and a commission as Commander.

In the short moment before the ramp opens, she straightens her spine and cocks her head to a point just between polite deference and confidence. She is Ahsoka Tano, and she will soon be Anakin Skywalker’s padawan. From the stories whispered between the Initiate dorms, he will most likely appreciate a little…attitude.

The thought makes her smile, ever-so-slightly.

The ramp thuds onto cracked duracrete. The light of Christophsis’s sun spills into the dim hold, and Ahsoka has automatically descended halfway down the ridged metal before she fully registers the two figures waiting below.

One stands confident and cocksure, his robes a dark symphony of black and crimson, a scar skirting the edge of his right eye - eyes the colour of fire beneath earthy soil. The other, slightly shorter than the other, older, in flowing cream robes and white bracers to match, a curl about his lips that suggests a wealth of hidden humour, and eyes the deep, still blue of a silent sea.

Anakin Skywalker, and-

And?

Ahsoka glimpses the sheet of flimsy tucked into the older Jedi’s belt.

Oh.

Her heart skips a little at the realisation that she stands before two legends.

Anakin Skywalker may be the Chosen One, but Obi-Wan Kenobi - Obi-Wan Kenobi is the Silent Jedi. The master negotiator who does not speak; the Jedi that led a generation of young apprentices to wisdom and glory.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is the Jedi. And he has earned that title without speaking a single word.

I should have known it was Master Kenobi; I was sent here to bring a message to both masters.

Both senior Jedi seem surprised at Ahsoka’s arrival, though they certainly show it in different ways. Master Kenobi’s eyebrows raise just a fraction but relax almost immediately, as though he registers the surprise but accepts it, waiting calmly for an explanation. Master Skywalker’s scar tightens, though, as he frowns down at her from an admittedly very high height.

“And who are you supposed to be?” he says bluntly, a broad, Outer-rim accent stretching his words.

Ahsoka almost starts. He sounds far younger than she had supposed.

Master Kenobi tilts his head slightly at this, and though Master Skywalker cannot possibly see the motion from where he stands, he flicks his gaze towards his former Master, a brief look of chagrin flashing over his features.

“I’m Ahsoka?” Ahsoka replies, deciding brashness is best met with confidence. “Master Yoda sent me to tell the both of you that you need to return to the Temple. There’s an emergency.”

Master Kenobi folds his arms thoughtfully as Master Skywalker explains - just as blunt as before and slightly too heatedly, in Ahsoka’s opinion - exactly how pinned down the 501st and 212th are, and the utter mess that is both communications and Christophsis in general.

She replies as well as she can and offers to route a comm back to Coruscant through the orbiting cruiser. Master Kenobi’s smile becomes a little less faint at this, as though he sees her move and approves.

One cut-off holoconference to the Temple later - Ahsoka had been quietly impressed at the speed with which Master Kenobi typed replies to Master Yoda’s questions - she finds herself once again facing two inquisitive Jedi.

“Well, we’ll have to hold out a little longer,” Master Skywalker - no, Anakin, because Master Skywalker just doesn’t seem to suit him - says, without any real heat.

Master Kenobi gives his head a little shake, pulling a stylus out from under his left bracer and penning a few quick lines across the flimsy at his belt. To Ahsoka’s astonishment, he extends the flimsy to her. She bows automatically over it as she takes it, but then a gloved hand is on her shoulder, straightening her.

He smiles and shakes his head at her confusion, as if to say: Forgo the ceremony.

Ahsoka opens the flimsy, and is struck with the smooth elegance of the script.

My apologies, young one. I should have introduced myself earlier. My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am your new master.

She blinks. What? “I’m Ahsoka Tano,” she replies as she hands back the flimsy, barely remembering not to bow - The flick of Master Kenobi’s eyebrow says the motion does not go unnoticed - but she hurries on to avoid confusion. “I’m at your service, Master Kenobi, but I’m afraid I’ve actually been assigned to Master Skywalker.”

The look on Anakin’s face is priceless.

If there is any surprise in Master Kenobi’s eyes, it is soon replaced by mischief. His beard does not quite hide his delight.

“What? Nonononono,” Anakin splutters. It would appear shock galvanises him into motion; he circles around behind Obi-Wan and back to the opposite side, as though he is a small planetoid that escaped orbit, but suddenly decided it was not that good of an idea and so returned to its proper tether.

Ahsoka’s eyes widen. Huh. So Master Kenobi is Obi-Wan to her now? Maybe Anakin’s personality is rubbing off on her already.

Obi-Wan runs a hand over his beard as the faint crowsfeet at the edges of his eyes crinkle. Ahsoka is sure he is hiding a grin.

Anakin is still rambling. “There must be some sort of mistake. He’s the one who wanted a padawan!” The latter is said as he points one black-gloved finger at his former master.

Obi-Wan gestures mildly back at him, unaffected.

“Hey, Obi-Wan, you can’t do this!”

Obi-Wan looks pointedly at Ahsoka.

She folds her arms and narrows her eyes at Anakin. “Master Yoda was very specific. I’m assigned to Anakin Skywalker, and he is to supervise my Jedi training.” There. You can’t send me back, now.

Amusement leaks over the edges of Obi-Wan’s shields. If he is as formidable with shielding as he is with a lightsaber, Ahsoka is sure that inside, he is doing the Jedi-Master-equivalent of howling with laughter.

-That is to say, he pats a wide-eyed Anakin on the shoulder in a gesture of mock comfort, gives Ahsoka’s back a firm push in her new master’s direction, and then swaggers - there is no other word for it - over to where two gold-striped troopers are conversing quietly.

Ahsoka notices the one with command markings on his armour seems to know the Jedi is approaching even though he faces the complete opposite direction.

A voice sounds above her head. “You don’t see how he communicates with his troops.”

“No, I don’t,” she admits, turning back to where Anakin seems to have mostly calmed down.

“He holds all of the 212th Attack Battalion in his mind. At once.” Anakin turns and begins to walk, tracing a path through the clutter and debris.

“What?” Ahsoka has to raise her voice above the shouts and orders of the troopers around them.

“Technically he’s a High Jedi General,” Anakin says. “That means he’s in charge of a Systems Army - one of ten really big chunks of the GAR - but he personally commands the 212th. He gives general orders on text through HUDs, but on the ground he gives…impressions and images through his mental link with them. It’s usually enough for them to get his commands.”

Ahsoka’s jaw drops. “But that’s…”

“Close to six hundred minds, yes.” Anakin makes this statement without any particular awe in his voice, as though this is not unexpected of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

A slight niggling at the back of Ahsoka’s mind suggests that perhaps her suspicion is right. Obi-Wan Kenobi is…something. Something different.

“We’ll sort this out later,” Anakin mutters.

“Sorry, sort out what?” Ahsoka asks, jarred out of her reverie.

Anakin pulls up short, looking back at her. “The…apprenticeship thing.”

“Oh.” She doesn’t know what to say to that.

Anakin raises one hand to scratch embarrassedly at his mop of brown hair. “Uh, it’s not that we’re going to send you back, it’s just-” he pauses. “Let’s see how this works out?”

Ahsoka looks up at him and sees a young man Knighted early because of war, just as she herself is now sent to the field earlier than any previous generation, simply because a commander is needed in battle. So different to Obi-Wan’s steady, wise humour, obvious and constant even in the ten minutes she has interacted with him.

She can see why Anakin needs a padawan. But she can also see that he will not teach her alone.

“Okay,” she says, simply.

Anakin smiles, and it is a flash of white teeth in a confident face. “Come on, then. I’ve got to introduce you to Rex.”

@doctorwithafryingpan​ I hope that this is what you wanted! I’ve wanted to write tcw fanfic for a long while. I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed writing this, though if the way Obi-Wan communciated with his men continued on to Order 66, we may have…extra angst. O_O

If anyone wants to read more of my work, you can find my stories on fanfiction.net and my Masterlist. Do reblog if you like!

[news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog]

The best places to find queer joy on Instagram

This post is part of Me, online, Mashable's ongoing series digging into online identities.

If you were a queer kid growing up in the early '10s, Tumblr, not school, was where you found community.

Tumblr was home to some of the internet's gayest Disney Princess memes. It was where you went for the best transmasc fashion, queer Harry Potter fan fiction, lesbian spells, and sometimes even a little bit of love. Queer teens disproportionately used the platform, studies found. 

But Tumblr's financials are bleak, and its role in queer culture has quietly diminished. Instead, it's Instagram — an equally visual medium somewhat sheltered from Reddit's trolls, Twitter's bots, and Facebook's morons — to which queer culture has moved. 

And it's a beautiful thing. There's just so much greatness to witness, experience, and fave.

SEE ALSO: Hollywood hasn't gotten any better about LGBTQ inclusivity onscreen

Here are a few of the best queer accounts on Instagram, from queer Appalachian meme culture to LGBTQIA+ astrology— and some non-tearful reminiscing about queer platforms past.

1. For "All things dyke and beautiful," aka, vintage photos of K.D. Lang, Godimsuchadyke

Unlike many queer accounts on Instagram, the account's founder chooses to keep Godimsuchadyke anonymous. The result is less a glimpse of one person's life than it is a bird's-eye view of queer women's culture, history, and art.

It's hands down the best place on the web to find hot vintage photos of Ellen and contemporary paeans to Lena Waithe. Think of it as a collage board of 21st- and late 20th-century queer women's life.

"When I started Godimsuchadyke, it transformed Instagram from a platform that I didn’t find very useful beyond content consumption to a platform where I felt that I could share freely," the account founder told Mashable. "I think a lot of that sense of freedom has to do with my decision to keep the account anonymous and also to keep the posts curatorial, as opposed to sharing images of myself or my personal life."

It's a phenomenal account for anybody, but particularly those in the Xennial queer community desperate to see images of '90s dykes other accounts lack.

This gray tank variation of the iconic hard femme look Anjelica Huston served in Vanity Fair is everything. As a Cancerian femme, I find so much strength in iconic Cancerian women ♥️ (Anjelica Huston portrait by Annie Leibowitz for @vanityfair, 1985)

A post shared by Godimsuchadyke (@godimsuchadyke) on Mar 21, 2018 at 7:01pm PDT

Actual pic of you and bae watching your single friends get ready for yet another Friday night of bi monthly lesbian parties at the “gay” bar and empty romantic encounters (Roseanne, “Ladie’s Choice,” 1992)

A post shared by Godimsuchadyke (@godimsuchadyke) on Feb 2, 2018 at 6:28pm PST

Pam Grier’s lesbian icon status knows no bounds. The Lesbian Avengers, “We Recruit,” Designed by Carrie Moyer 💣⚢ (“The Lesbian Avengers began in New York City in 1992 as a direct action group focused on issues vital to lesbian survival and visibility. They refined media-savvy tactics, often creating actions for their visual appeal, and touched a nerve with the Lesbian Avenger Manifesto. The group quickly spread worldwide after the Avengers organized a Dyke March for lesbian visibility on the eve of the Lesbian and Gay March on Washington in 1993 that mobilized 20,000 lesbians. The Avengers also developed a civil rights organizing project that championed "out" grassroots activism, that not only fought homophobic initiatives, but worked to train activists for the longterm”) #pamgrier #lesbianavengers #werecruit #gay90s #dyke #lesbianculture #lesbianstyle

A post shared by Godimsuchadyke (@godimsuchadyke) on Mar 15, 2018 at 6:24pm PDT

While @Godimsuchadyke is proud of their work on Instagram, they're also making a call for increased representation on the platform, namely: "more archival and cultural accounts that are run by QPOC, trans people, and people with a wide array of experiences with diverse bodies, socioeconomic backgrounds, gender expressions, and sexual identities." 

2. For nerds who love to read about LGBTQIA+ history: queerbible

Account founder Jack Guinness solicits people to write about their favorite LGBTQ heroes for queerbible, then posts snippets of their always poignant essays on Instagram. There's also really charming original art, for those of us who hate to read more than 100 words on Instagram.

As a queer person, I'm not afraid to admit I always like to read about other people like me throughout history. Queerbible provides the super-gay history my high school textbooks just didn't.

SIR IAN MCKELLEN Today on The Queer Bible: ‘A major reason for me becoming a professional actor was because I’d heard you could meet gay people. Where else could you go? There were no clubs in Bolton, no bars. There’s no literature, no internet. There’s nothing on the telly, nothing on the radio. No gay plays, no gay people.’ . Link in bio . #queerhistory #queerhistorymatters #queerbible #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia #gayinstagram #gayinsta #lesbian #lesbianhistory #gay #gayworld #gaypride #gaylife #gaylove #gayrights #gaygram #queer #queerart #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtmemes #lgbtproud #queerhistory #queerhistorymatters #lgbtqhistory #ianmckellen @ianmckellen

A post shared by Queer Bible (@queerbible) on May 31, 2018 at 9:50am PDT

PETER HUJAR: CHRISTOPHER ST PIER, 1976 Today on The Queer Bible: ‘Harald Smart here, taking over to introduce a selection of photographs by Peter Hujar, accompanying my essay on his life and work, now live on The Queer Bible. // Our penultimate photo is Christopher Street Pier #2 (Crossed Legs) taken in 1976 // During the 1970s the shipyards of Manhattan’s Lower West Side, which had fallen into postindustrial dilapidation, became a virtually lawless annexe for communities living on the margins of society. Hundreds of gay men explored and occupied the spaces that were made available there during this time, turning the haunting, broken buildings into makeshift canvases for radical art, and into a sprawling sexual cruising ground shot through with danger. Hujar’s photographs of this precarious pre-AIDS utopia illustrate crumbling, deserted interiors - walls covered in poetic verse or lewd, witty cartoons - contrasting them with the scantily-clad bodies sunbathing and making merry out on the riverside during the summer months.’ . Peter Hujar: Speed of Life runs until May 20th 2018, at The Morgan Library & Museum . @h__smart #queerhistory #queerhistorymatters #queerbible #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia #gayinstagram #gayinsta #lesbianhistory #sarahkane #gay #gayworld #gaypride #gaylife #gaylove #gayrights #gaygram #queer #queerart #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtmemes #lgbtproud #queerhistory #andywarhol #candydarling #peterhujar #queerhistorymatters #lgbtqhistorymonth . © Peter Hujar Archive, LLC, courtesy Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York and Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco @themorganlibrary

A post shared by Queer Bible (@queerbible) on Mar 29, 2018 at 10:43am PDT

3. and 4. For the coolest contemporary queer superheroes:  Hayley Kiyoko + Janelle Monae

We all need celebrities to fantasize and gossip about with our equally mildly shallow friends. Kiyoko has been called the "lesbian Jesus." Janelle Monae made pansexual a household term.

For that, they deserve all our likes and love. The best place for that? Instagram.

@refinery29 🌹 @badfatblackgirl 🌹@sheekswinsalways🌹

A post shared by Janelle Monáe (@janellemonae) on May 17, 2018 at 3:54pm PDT

@gq

A post shared by H A Y L E Y K I Y O K O (@hayleykiyoko) on May 9, 2018 at 1:30pm PDT

5. For the best queer rural Appalachian memes (and social services), Queerappalachia

Queerappalachia is Instagram's best account for rural queer Appalachianism, even though competition is, uh, limited. It provides breaking Appalachian news, Dolly Parton memes, BDSM gingerbread iconography, and addiction recovery services for queer and trans Appalachians through a telehealth program.

"These queer [Appalachian] kids need to know about people who got out and did things," Gina Mamone, one of the founders of the account, told Mashable in May. "And that it's okay for them to stay! Stay home and build things. Or not. Whatever they want to do, it's okay. They're okay."

The #internationalgayrodeoassociation had its season opener this past weekend. Keep sending in pics of your #Electricdirt #queerappalachia #gayrodeo #queersouth

A post shared by Queer Appalachia (@queerappalachia) on Feb 20, 2018 at 4:37pm PST

#same #electricdirt

A post shared by Queer Appalachia (@queerappalachia) on Feb 15, 2018 at 3:59pm PST

Keep sending me your #holiday #electricdirt From @mrcotton_tail #queerappalachia #queersouth

A post shared by Queer Appalachia (@queerappalachia) on Dec 24, 2017 at 3:55am PST

6. For LGBT history, high and low: LGBT_History

If you're the type of person who complains that LGBT history was so much cooler back in the day, this account is for you. LGBT_History goes back — all the way back — and provides an eclectic collection of cultural images at all points along the queer timelines. The account, which has more than 283,000 followers, reflects on key moments in history as well as minor cultural shifts. 

It's delightful to look at the protest aesthetic of generations past. Teachers and gay fashionistas, take note.

“FAGGOTS ARE FANTASTIC,” Harmodius & Hoti, San Francisco, California, August 1975. Photo c/o Daniel Nicoletta (@dannic100), whose incredible book of photographs, @lgbtsanfrancisco, is available for Pride. #lgbthistory #HavePrideInHistory #Resist #Mood

A post shared by lgbt_history (@lgbt_history) on Jun 1, 2018 at 2:44pm PDT

“Now they got two nice statues in Sheridan Square Park to remember the Gay Movement. How many people have died for these two little statues to be put in the park to recognize gay people? ... . “I don’t think that as long as people with AIDS and as long as gay people don’t have their rights ... there’s no reason for celebration. That’s how come I walk every year. That’s how come I’ve been walking for Gay rights all these years. Instead of riding in cars and celebrating everything. Cause you never completely have your rights until you all have your rights.” — Marsha P. Johnson, 1992 . Pride is a protest. . Picture: Marsha P. Johnson, Christopher Street Liberation Day, New York City, c. 1989. c/o @randolfewicker. #lgbthistory #HavePrideInHistory #Resist #PayItNoMind #Night

A post shared by lgbt_history (@lgbt_history) on Jun 2, 2018 at 8:25pm PDT

"You're never given power; you have to take it." - Harvey Milk (May 22, 1930 - November 27, 1978) . “MILK for SUPERVISOR” pinback, San Francisco, California, 1973. From collection of @lgbt_history. #lgbthistory #HavePrideInHistory #Resist #Night

A post shared by lgbt_history (@lgbt_history) on May 21, 2018 at 7:04pm PDT

7. For the history they never taught you in school: BlackLesbianArchives

Queer history often bends to the cis, white, and gay. Even if you don't care about history, BlackLesbianArchives is an awesome corrective to the trend. At fewer than 1,000 followers, the account doesn't currently have the following of some of the others on this list, which is exactly why you should follow it. The account zigzags back and forth through crucial moments black lesbian history.

"The BLA was created in June 25, 2017, due to the lack of resources and representation of Black Lesbian history on the web," the account's founder, Krü Maekdo, told Mashable. "As I started coming into myself, I started to research history on my people of the past. I'm a huge history archivist, so having this information available is crucial to me. I figured if I'm searching for this, then I know there's other people in the world probably wondering where we at."

Black Lesbian Archives has since expanded into an exhibit at Affinity Community Services in Chicago.

@lesbianrepresentation Black (Lesbian) History Month: Jewelle Gomez - Author, Activist . her work often intersects and addresses multiple ethnicities as well as the ideals of lesbian/feminism and issues . published seven books, most known for “The Gilda Stories” . was on the founding board of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) in 1984 . she is currently employed as Director of Grants and Community Initiatives for Horizons Foundation, the oldest lgbt foundation in the US . married to activist Diane Sabin . #lesbians #blackhistorymonth #representationmatters #jewellegomez #gaywomen #thegildastories #lgbt #lesbianhistory #lesbian #herstory #lgbthistory #blackexcellence @lgbt_history @h_e_r_s_t_o_r_y @blackhistory

A post shared by BLA (@blacklesbianarchives) on Mar 7, 2018 at 9:30am PST

@xigammas Pat Parker’s activism included involvement with the Black Panther Movement, contributing to the Women’s Press Collective and serving as medical coordinator for the Oakland Feminist Women’s Health Center. Cheryl Clarke has said of Pat that she articulates “a black lesbian-feminist perspective of love between women and the circumstances that prevent our intimacy and liberation.” She toured with Varied Voices of Black Women, published multiple volumes of poetry, and, in 1980, founded the Black Woman’s Revolutionary Council. #WeAreBlackHistory #BlackHistory #BlackLGBTHistory #LGBTHistory #PatParker #BlackPantherParty

A post shared by BLA (@blacklesbianarchives) on Feb 26, 2018 at 4:57pm PST

@femmagradio THIS photo! This moment in herstory ... #Repost @h_e_r_s_t_o_r_y: ""This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color", published in 1981, garnered attention for women of color within the feminist movement. Hailed as a landmark book offering a collective, serious challenge to white feminists by women of color, "This Bridge" reshaped how feminism was revised, reconceptualized, expanded, and laid the groundwork for the centrality of intersectionality today. "This Bridge" is an anthology edited by Cherríe Moraga and Gloria E. Anzaldúa that was first published in 1981 by Persephone Press and then published again in 1983 by Kitchen Table (Women of Color Press). The third edition, published by Third Woman Press, was in print until 2008. For seven years, the book was virtually gone. Some of the original contributors to This Bridge Called My Back at the Arlington Street Church, June 5, 1981. Top row, left to right: Cherrie Moraga, Gloria Anzaldua, Barbara Cameron, Rosario Morales. Bottom row, left to right: Aurora Levins Morales, Barbara Smith, Kate Rushin, Beverly Smith, Nellie Wong, Hattie Gossett. Photo by Susan Fleischmann. #lesbianculture #cherriemoraga #gloriaeanzaldúa #qpoc #feminism" #thisbridgecalledmyback #feminist #feminista

A post shared by BLA (@blacklesbianarchives) on May 9, 2018 at 8:44am PDT

8. For overall excellence in funny memes: Xenaworrierprincess

Let's not lie, 2018 is a low point for planet Earth. But Xenaworrierprincess offers some of the funniest damn queer memes on the internet, and for that, we should be grateful.

"@xenaworrierprincess is a niche lesbian meme page and queer advice zine. I started making memes after moving to a winter-y, strip mall city in the midwest for a Women's Studies grad school program," Madeline Court, the account's founder, told Mashable. "I was researching and writing about lesbian culture all day, but I didn't know any lesbians. It was a really surreal, lonely relationship to my sexuality," she says. "I started making memes and sharing them on my personal Insta because I wanted to feel some kind of connection."

XenaWorrierPrincess doesn't think that Instagram always supports their queer artists — it's not uncommon for the platform to take down posts that include the word "dyke" — but Court is glad the platform doesn't seem to have the same negative energy Tumblr once did: "Instagram prizes curation and deliberateness, I think. It's also a photo app; captions and comments are secondary. Tumblr was really, really text-heavy. A lot of the queer discourse was bad. We were all babies, trying to make sense of the world without any lived experience."

hey! if you are questioning your gender or sexuality or both your gender AND sexuality, here are some amazing resources (a lot of these are aimed at teenagers, but are really thoughtful and applicable to all ages): Autostraddle.com, scarleteen.com, and the Trevor Support Center. If you have access to a city or a university, chances are there is a LBGT community center or space that provides counseling/support. I am a dog with a blog and a creative writing MFA, but I’m sending you so much love 💕💕💕

A post shared by 🔥 FiRE SiGN OPENSWIM🔥 (@xenaworrierprincess) on Apr 5, 2018 at 12:15pm PDT

some hot tips from me to you

A post shared by 🔥 FiRE SiGN OPENSWIM🔥 (@xenaworrierprincess) on May 5, 2018 at 12:00pm PDT

I found out about butches when my English teacher gave me a Smith College prospectus in 2003 & afterwards I couldn’t eat for like 3 days, just sat in my room listening to Green Day and burning incense so YES this is an appreciation meme

A post shared by 🔥 FiRE SiGN OPENSWIM🔥 (@xenaworrierprincess) on May 29, 2018 at 8:42pm PDT

9. For representation that matters: BlairImani

Blair Imani is a black queer Muslim activist and, with more than 28,000 followers, an Instagram star. Imani's account defies constricting stereotypes that people can't be queer and Muslim or a person of color.

"A lot of people assume that I'm homophobic, or that queer Muslims could not and did not exist. I do exist," Imani told Teen Vogue recently.

Her Instagram is testament.

PRIDE. STARTS. TOMORROW. 🏳️‍🌈❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🏳️‍🌈 📸: @liaclay

A post shared by Blair Imani (@blairimani) on May 31, 2018 at 11:43am PDT

#BlackLivesMatter 📸: @heatherhazzan

A post shared by Blair Imani (@blairimani) on Jun 2, 2018 at 7:43pm PDT

10. For all the best queer women's history, high and low: Herstory

With more than 133,000 followers, Herstory is the leading queer women-specific history account on Instagram.

"I started the lesbian culture Instagram h_e_r_s_t_o_r_y, which I have been running for about three and a half years now. I post mostly herstoric photos and images from the 1800s to the late 1990s," founder Kelly Rakowski told Mashable. "It all happened organically. I didn’t plan for it to have been so popular. People seem to really respond the images and stories I post. About one and a half years ago I started @herstorypersonals, now renamed @_Personals_, on Instagram. It’s a dating and community account where followers write personals based on old-school newspaper personals ads. I’m currently fundraising on Kickstarter to turn this account into a text-based dating and community app for queers."

TRACY CHAPMAN. 1997. Photo Ernie Panniccoli (rg @cornellhiphopcollection) #lesbianculture #tracychapman #1997

A post shared by ⚢ LESBIAN CULTURE ⚢ (@h_e_r_s_t_o_r_y) on May 29, 2018 at 6:57pm PDT

Do you?🥖Found in the butch/femme folder @lesbianherstoryarchives #lesbianculture #butchfemme

A post shared by ⚢ LESBIAN CULTURE ⚢ (@h_e_r_s_t_o_r_y) on Jun 8, 2018 at 6:08am PDT

11. For queer astrology that'll make you feel all the feelings: Chani Nicholas

Astrology is having a moment, and queer astrologers like Chani Nicholas are leading the way. 

You can head to her Instagram for the best queer-friendly, loving, affirming horoscopes on the internet. 

"Queer, trans, and gender nonconforming folx, and many marginalized communities, in my experience, have always been attuned to wisdom traditions, art practices, mythologies, and story-telling that explore the value of life beyond the normative conditions we've been given, but cannot exist within joyfully," Nicholas told Mashable earlier this year.

We need more public spaces that welcome and help us hold our grief. So much of this world is constructed to make us suffer. So that we feel less than. So that we will buy more of. Forgetting who we are. Forsaking so much of what we have to give. Depression is a natural side effect of the violent systems we live within. May we all do what we can to recreate the world today as we need it to be. With room to grieve. Give. Love. And receive. Sending much love, protection, and sweetness to you and yours ❤️

A post shared by Chani Nicholas (@chaninicholas) on Jun 8, 2018 at 10:11am PDT

Mercury enters Cancer today, reminding us that when we don’t have people and places where we can articulate our feelings, they are so much more of a burden to work through. Emotions need to be expressed. Unpacked. Investigated. Left alone they fester. Twist themselves into strange monsters that lurk in the shadows of our lives. Threaten to wreck what is working. . The world is a dumpster fire of injustice. It is constructed to keep us separate from our power. From our wisdom. From our wildness. We need to both construct, and get ourselves to, the spaces that reflect our beauty and our becoming. The spaces that help us sort through the situations that bewilder, betray, and become too difficult to carry alone. . Each interaction that is done in kindness can become one of those spaces. . This month’s new moon workshop goes into great detail in regards to Mercury’s journey as it will trigger the July 12th eclipse point as it opposes Pluto. If you want to know more, please join me for A Workshop for The New Moon in Gemini and The Full Moon in Capricorn, which is now available for immediate download. . In it you’ll receive meditations, altar suggestions, and rituals specific to your sign for both the new and full moon. I’ve geared the whole course to help cleanse and clear in preparation for this summer’s eclipses as well. Hope you enjoy! #Tuesday #Mercury #NewMoon #Gemini #Astrology #ResetYourSystems

A post shared by Chani Nicholas (@chaninicholas) on Jun 12, 2018 at 7:25am PDT

12. For excellence in Samira Wiley: Whodatlikedat

Samira Wiley doesn't provide queer history or astrological wisdom on her account, and that's okay. Sometimes all you need is a simple, relentlessly positive, thirsty queer account in your feed. Bonus: she's apparently in a healthy, happy marriage that should make all of us who've experienced queer drama feel really good.

A post shared by Samira Wiley (@whododatlikedat) on Jan 6, 2018 at 8:23pm PST

Thank you, again, @disneyland for these dope #rosegoldchurros!!!!! (Yes, that is a thing). And for making our 1st anniversary so magical. :) #disneyland #getmorehappy

A post shared by Samira Wiley (@whododatlikedat) on Mar 27, 2018 at 12:18pm PDT

13. Because we all need our Queer Eye fix: Jonathan Van Ness

Jonathan Van Ness is a ray of queer sunshine, and we're all desperate for a little light in these sad times. His account features some of the best selfies on the whole damn site. Bless him.

🎆New Getting Curious 🎆Yesterday I went to see @trevorproject & interview @amitpaley the CEO of the Trevor Project who runs an incredibly important crisis & suicide hotline for LGBTQ+ youth. The challenges that our community faces are vast and can be so lonely to navigate on your own, I wanted to find out more about their orginazation and how we can help in this episode of #gettingcurious link in bio now #thetrevorproject #suicideprevention Need someone to talk to? 1-866-488-7386

A post shared by Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) on Jun 27, 2018 at 8:57am PDT

This Pride was a dream, I had friends & @florence & I got to help raise money for @humanrightscampaign , here’s to a gorge safe & not regretting it tomorrow Pride to all💙❤️💛💚💜💗

A post shared by Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) on Jun 24, 2018 at 6:47pm PDT

14. If you feel like you want to understand queer culture but don't get half the terms: gayglossary

Listen. I'm queer and 34 years old, and I still feel like my queer vocabulary is out of date. Gayglossary provides helpful explainers and super-pretty illustrations to make learning all the less irritating. At fewer than 1,000 followers, gayglossary is still a young account, but it's growing, as well it should.

"I wanted to create a really visual glossary that helps to make sense of all LGBTQIAA+ identifying language. Honestly, even a lot of the people I started talking to about the idea didn't even know what LGBTQIAA+ stood for," Kate Carter, the account's founder, told Mashable. "Which made it even more obvious there was a need for a modern resource."

LGBTQQIAA / Acronym Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Ally. #wordofthegay by @iamrodrigobistene #gayglossary

A post shared by Gay Glossary (@gayglossary) on Jun 5, 2018 at 12:00pm PDT

gayby / noun a baby whose parents are gay. Anecdotally, you hear a lot of stories about what is being called the 'gayby boom,' which was a boom in same-sex couples having children in 2009. Yay for gaybies! 😇🙌🏻 #wordofthegay by @shanmadeit #gayglossary

A post shared by Gay Glossary (@gayglossary) on Jun 29, 2018 at 11:24am PDT

androgyny / adjective androgyny is the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics. Usually used to describe characters or persons who have no specific gender, gender ambiguity may also be found in fashion, gender identity, sexual identity, or sexual lifestyle. This is a fun one. #wordofthegay by @therevdoctor #gayglossary

A post shared by Gay Glossary (@gayglossary) on Jun 21, 2018 at 4:39pm PDT

If you've retired from Tumblr or can't find queer community in your hometown or even your big city, you're not alone. The platforms, not the verticals, are where you'll find the best in queer culture.

There's so much queer excellence out there. You just need to know who to follow. 

WATCH: Meet the 10-year-old drag kid shaping the future of drag youth