Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

When I joined Pinterest, I started a set of boards for my work projects and a set for my personal life. Unfortunately (???) I defaulted to work pins because it was easier. I have to take the effort to log out and back in to post to my PghLesbian boards so I rarely do it. 

Until this past month. For some reason, I switched defaults and have been making more of an effort to use Pinterest to aggressively engage people on the things that matter to me personally.

I have 25 boards. I try hard to stay a little focused and creative. I had a board for general LGBT things and a board for LGBT organizations and causes. I set up a board about women I admire, women’s issues and a general board for organizations and causes I support. Just tonight, I started a board for youth oriented posts after reading about a 6th grader ostracized by his choir teacher because he uses a wheelchair. To me, that’s not a “cause” – its a kid.

I pin about Pittsburgh, the Pirates and Politics. I have a board for Ledcat and another one for the woofers and kitties. Tucked away is a board called “my truth” when something resonates and a more general board for things that inspire me. Sometimes my truth isn’t very inspirational, just revealing.

I occasionally toss up something from my blogging and apparently I have a movie board, but I’m not sure why.

Wow. They really add up (for perspective, I have over 35 boards for my professional life!) No wonder Pinterest is the third most popular social networking site in the world.  It certainly is impacting referrals. Something is up! 

I’m not a crafter. I don’t really cook. I don’t fit the Pinterest stereotype – but I do like cats!

So as part of my Pinterest routine, I search for the latest pins on all things LGBTQ which requires multiples keywords. Here’s what I tend to find

1. Sexy pictures of heterosexual folks that we wish were queer.

2. Lesbian pulp fiction covers.

3. Pictures of incredibly unbelievably beautiful gay men and lesbians kissing.

4. A lot of HRC merchandise.

5. Retro pins of historically queer folks.

What I don’t see? Pins about other stuff that happens to involve LGBTQ people. Very rarely do I see a photo of a same sex family that’s about the dog or the drapes or the matching handknit socks. I don’t see many pictures of persons of color who are identifying as queer. I don’t see many women and men outside of the very stylized image of being gay ie. white, thin and conventionally beautiful.

I also don’t see much bashing. I can’t recall ever seeing a “That So Gay” reference that wasn’t clearly tongue in cheek.  So that’s good. But Pinterest is literally a window into our community so I think those of us pinning need to put a little effort into making the place we “escape” to more … fabulous?

Let me know if you are on pinterest! I’ll follow you and if you’d like to pin to a board I curate, let me know!  Believe me – people are paying attention!