Five LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs promote inclusion all year

Dutch YouTuber Nikkie de Jager (also known as NikkieTutorials) probably doesn’t require much introduction.

Her online journey began in 2008 when she started creating celebrity-inspired makeup looks on her YouTube channel. You can see her painting faces like the famous celebrities she idolized in 2022.

Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian have all been in her makeup chair. Her channel has nearly 14 million subscribers.

Nikkie was a transgender woman in 2020.

In a YouTube video, she stated that “with this message, I want inspire little Nikkies all over the world who feel insecure, feel out of place, and feel misunderstood.” “I hope that by standing up and being bold, it inspires others.”

Since then, she has been using her platform as an outspoken ally for the trans community and a representative of it. She advocates for everyone’s right to speak out on their terms.

Her mission extends to her cosmetic line, Nimya. Nikkie had tried almost every product on the market, so it was an easy decision to start her own cosmetics brand. It took Nimya over three years to become a reality. Nikkie and Wes van Os, her co-founder, set out to achieve perfection, rather than overproduction.

“Instead of releasing an entire collection…we took our time and looked for products that we wanted…to perfect,” Nikkie explains in Nimya’s 

The result was a simplified collection of five iconic products: Brrr Brrr Eye Stick, Where It All Starts Cream and Brrr Brrr Cooling Eye Stick. Set It & Forget it Setting Spray, License to Glow Serum and the Blow before You Go Fan.

Nimya is more than just a catchy name and well-crafted formulas. It has a deeper purpose. Nimya is committed to making everyone feel confident, safe, and sexy, regardless of their identity. Its motto is “We help you to strengthen the only label that really matters in your life…YOU!”

Queer Tribe

Sabine Maxine Lopez [she/they] 

All it took was an Instagram account. Sabine Maxine Lopez (a Los Angeles-based artist and founder of 

This initiative became something far greater and more powerful.

A Tribe Called Queer is now a multifaceted community organisation. Its mission is to empower BIPOC communities and LGBTQIA2S+ communities and create conversations about mental illness and provide a safe place for all identities.

Sabine says, “Every aspect my interconnected identity is deeply embedded into the foundation of A Tribe Called Queer and also in every we do.” “As a queer, black, non-binary person, I feel it is imperative that my community be represented and served in the best possible way.”

A Tribe Called Queer uses a multi-media approach to empower others. It hosts community programs, virtual events and podcasts biweekly. Sabine also designed the fashion line.

Sabine says, “The inspiration was gender neutral, size inclusive clothing and accessories that allowed me to make a statement without saying a word.”

The online shop has candles, tote bags and bucket hats. There are also t-shirts in sizes small through 5XL with slogans that spark thought and encourage conversation.

Sabine reminds us that it’s important to support LGBTQ+-owned and operated businesses, organizations and people during Pride Month, and every day thereafter. There are many ways that you can support them, whether it’s by shopping at their stores, attending their programs and events, donating to their causes or marching with them as an ally.

A Tribe Called Queer marks a special milestone in June. Sabine, who is optimistic for the year ahead, recently changed the brand’s status from a “small business” to one that is a community organization. “[On] June 1, we launched] our first Fundraiser campaign with the aim of expanding our team as well as our programs, projects, and programs. We are so excited for what lies ahead in 2022 and beyond.

Gay’s The Word

Jim MacSweeney 

Gay’s The Word , a landmark London bookshop and one of the most enduring LGBTQ+ bookshops in the UK, is known as . Ernest Hole and Peter Dorey, two gay socialist trailblazers, founded the shop in 1979. All profits were redirected back into the business.

Gay’s The Word quickly became a keystone for the LGBTQ+ community. It provided a central hub of information as well as a safe place for LGBTQ+ groups to meet. Jim MacSweeney, its current manager and owner, has maintained this ethos.

Jim says, “I joined Gay’s The Word in 1989 and have seen] a lot of change over the years.” “After the rise of Gay Rights, we saw small independent lesbian/gay publishers and bookshops emerge in the US and UK in the 70s and 1980s. Major bookshop chains that were looking for new markets opened gay and lesbian sections in their shops in the 1990s.

He adds that Amazon’s rise–growth in online shopping and massive discounts–made it more difficult for independents and resulted in a large number of bookshops closing. “We managed to survive and were the only LGBT-only bookshop in the country for 20 years.”

Gay’s The Word is a distributor of a wide range of LGBTQ+ books. These books include fiction, nonfiction, young adult, children’s, and many other genres. It hosts weekly Lesbian Discussion Groups and other community events.

“People come to us from all parts of the world, often from places where it is difficult to be gay or lesbian. Jim says it’s important that people find inspiration and a welcoming environment.

Gay’s The Word, a store that was once considered a “true destination”, went online in 2020. This made their treasure trove LGBTQ+ literature available to everyone.

Jim says that Gay’s The Word had no website until 2020, when we were released from the first lockdown. We did some research, and one of our colleagues decided to create one using Wix. It was amazing how fast it took off. Soon, we were sending orders all across the country and even to Europe. It has been a great success thanks to our active presence on social media. We’ve managed to thrive in very difficult situations.”

Pride is Love

Alexis Cariddi [she/her] 

Alexis Cariddi is a student, designer, illustrator and photographer. She says that it was a lifetime goal to print her artwork on clothing. Instead of waiting for a job at a clothing company, the 22-year old launched her own brand: 

Love With Pride clothing offers a range of gender-neutral baseball caps and beanies as well as t-shirts and sweaters. Alexis created the minimalist designs and illustrations. They are intended to encourage love, equality and acceptance.

Alexis explains in an 

Love With Pride is not only about spreading love and positivity to the LGBT community but also focuses on affordability, sustainability, comfort, and affordability.

Alexis states that “a major problem with fast fashion is the large amount of waste created by overproduction.” In another Instagram video, Alexis says. “I use a sustainable process called print on demand. This basically means that clothing is made as ordered. It is much more eco-friendly.

Love With Pride also offers a great reason to purchase: 10% of all profits are donated to LGBTQ organizations such as 

Alexis states that “I was tired of all these corporations making PRIDE clothes for the month June, and then turning around and donating money to homophobic organizations right after the month’s end.” It’s obvious that they are exploiting the queer community to make money. This is why I founded Love With Pride. As someone who is queer and loves to make art, it’s also the reason I honestly started Love With Pride. If I can make just one or two people more comfortable in their identities and feel accepted by having a queer clothing brand, then I will be happy.

Show your support

These six businesses, which range from books to bowties to promote equality and inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community throughout the year, are all dedicated to doing so. We, as consumers, need to support each other every month. You can shop with them, refer them, donate, or just follow them on social media.

source https://www.wix.com/blog/ecommerce/2022/06/lgbtq-owned-brands