Why Representation Matters
The LGBT+ community is a diverse, multicultural community, but this is often not how we see the community reflected by the media. Think about the famous LGBT+ people you are aware of, chances are they are mostly white and in the entertainment industry, with very little representation of our trans friends and family. It may be because of this limited representation that some young people may begin to think that you have to act, dress or look a certain way to be LGBT+. It is important that young people see that LGBT+ people exist in all aspects of wider society, so they can see that being LGBT+ is not a barrier to reaching your aspirations and that being LGBT+ is a ‘normal’ and valid identity.
On the ‘LGBT+ Icons’ pages you can read about a variety of LGBT+ people, and books, as well as TV shows and films where LGBT+ identities are represented.