When the world seems unfriendly, pop culture can be an escape. But it can also be a mirror — a glimpse into another way of being that speaks to some unexpressed part of you. Queer people know this better than anybody. Many of us learn it at a young age, when we’re trying to understand why we feel different, grasping at any spark of recognition in movies and magazines. As a young gay boy, I kept asking my parents to rent Spice World from the local video store, not because I wanted to be a Spice Girl, but because I wanted what they had: a full-volume insistence on being their colorful, outrageous selves. (OK, the platform shoes looked pretty sick, too.)
It’s a lesson we keep rediscovering as we get older. We need a break from the news — you don’t need us to tell you about the precarious state of LGBTQ+ rights right now — so we put on that buzzy TV show we’ve been hearing about, then stumble upon new queer talent whose brilliance and confidence inspire us to take up more space in our own lives.
Bustle’s annual Pride Yearbook spotlights the LGBTQ+ artists and activists who give us hope when it feels like that’s in short supply. This year, we’re asking our favorites about the icons who did the same for them, zooming in on one particularly special bond: that with our most formative divas. Not every queer person has one, of course; LGBTQ+ individuals of all stripes have different relationships with femininity. Those who do, however, know that connection is ride-or-die. So whether we’re talking pop stars, movie stars, or one larger-than-life Muppet, come celebrate the women who shaped us — and maybe pick up a little extra sparkle for yourself along the way.
— Nolan Feeney, Features Director
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