CafeMom is all about supporting people in communities who are doing amazing things, especially if they're underrepresented. Luckily for us, there are a lot of folks to support: from Black-owned businesses to AAPI ones, showing up for people and their ventures is a great way to be an ally. With Pride Month coming in June, we figured we would put together a list of LGBTQIA-friendly or/and LGBTQIA-owned businesses who deserve our cash and support (and cash support, too) year-round, and forever and always.
Seriously, there is no shortage of products from this community. There are "clean" beauty brands with amazing serums and face cleansers, there are boxers and undergarment brands, swimsuit labels, pieces of art, and home decor. Oh, and stunning jewelry — all founded or supported by people from the queer community. Whether it's time to shop for someone's birthday or just need treat oneself, these small businesses are a fab way to start.
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Stuzo Clothing
$30
from
Stuzo Clothing
Stuzo Clothing founder Stoney Michelli Love designs nonconforming clothes for everyone, including celebrities. According to the Stuzo story page, "Stuzo Clothing is a gender free clothing company designed to invoke thought and emotion." The brand sells everything from pants and joggers to shirts, hoodies, and button downs.
Wildfang
Wildfang clothing is where fashion meets intersectional feminism. The brand was created by two "bada–" women who thought women should have clothing options outside of the typical women's "clothing" out there, so they created fun "feminist" items, even onesies for babies like the one above. They also give back: The brand has donated over $500K to "charities and organizations that support reproductive, immigrant, and queer rights."
Volition
Looking for an inclusive beauty brand? Look no further than Volition. It's a "clean" beauty brand created for everyone. It's queer-owned (co-founded by COO Brandy Hoffman) and takes users' suggestions into account when formulating products. According to Allure, Volition "tapped LGBTQ writer (and former Autostraddle contributor) Aja Aguirre" to formulate one of the brand's SPFs.
Otherwild
Otherwild is basically a real-life Rose Apothecary like from Schitt's Creek, a store both in LA and online, that sells items made by artists and creators. In its own words, "Otherwild is a queer-identified woman-owned store, design studio and event space located in Los Angeles and online, centering ethics at the core of our business."
Humankind
Humankind has incredibly comfortable clothing that needs no specific gender to be worn. There's swimsuits, which is the brand's bread and butter, but it also makes lounge sets, too, because that's one of the good things to have come out of the lockdown. The brand is female-founded (by Haily Marzullo) and inclusive of all in design and wearability.
Hella Thrifty
$25
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Hella Thrifty
The thrifting world has a digital thrift store that's run by a Black queer person named Dannie Cherie, who is passionate about thrifting with the talent for it to match. The site currently includes incredibly cute '80s and '90s items that include Black celebrity T-shirts (like this Beyoncé one here) as well as vintage jackets and jerseys.
WeLIT
Candles are healing, that's the motto for candle lovers, but especially candle company, WeLIT. In the brand's own words, it is a "Black Trans Non-binary Candle company focusing on the emotional, mental, and spiritual well being of their community." Candle scents include lavender, orange blossom, eucalyptus, sandalwood and one called "SMOK'D OUT."
Jade & Fox Co.
$15
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Jade & Fox Co.
Looking for a beauty brand that's not gender specific? Try Jade & Fox Co. It sells face, body, and bath products that use "food grade ingredients" for high-quality skin care products that yield high-quality results "for both men and women." This Liquid Gold Facial Cleanser is giving us major spa vibes.
Loyalty Bookstores
Price may vary
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Loyalty Bookstore
People love books, and while it's great to buy books from the big brick-and-mortar stores, it's even better to buy from small, independent bookshops, particularly specialty ones like Loyalty Bookstore. It sells LGBTQ-specific and BIPOC books in-store and online (through Bookshop) which are underrepresented in the industry.
Babeland Toys
Babeland Toys is a sex-positive sex toy shop that was created in 1993 to cater to women who have been put second in the sex industry until that point, and after. That concept grew to include everyone who wants to have fun and safe sex, no matter how they identify. Fun fact: It was the first sex shop in the country to form a union to protect its female and LGBTQ employees.
Pyramid Seven
$45
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Pyramid Seven
Pyramid Seven makes comfortable and cozy boxer briefs that are made for when someone has their period, that can and do fit every body. In the company's words, "Pyramid Seven LLC is a Chicago-based company that creates boxer briefs for periods, not gender. For us, this means that an individual can identify anywhere on the gender spectrum and menstruate."
Pals Socks
From
$10
to $11
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Pals Socks
Kids clothing, even their socks, have been gendered for decades, but Pals Socks provides an alternative to that. More than that, kids are told that certain types of people match, but these socks were created to dispel that. "What if we could inspire our future global citizens to promote inclusivity and acceptance?" the brand asks. "Yes, Dragons and Unicorns can defeet the norm and become best friends. So can a T-Rex and Triceratops!"
Bows For Beaux Co.
Anyone can wear a bowtie — and they should. Good thing that Etsy shop Bows For Beaux Co. makes them in all different types of colors and styles. The shop also makes face masks with the same types of materials and patterns. Etsy designated the shop as one that is LGBTQ-friendly as founders Dre Cortes and Lex Londino are members of the community and wanted to make bowties for those who wanted fun ways to express themselves.
Automic Gold
$99
from
Automic Gold
Everyone needs a good pair of earrings and LGBTQ-owned shop Automic Gold has them, or rather "radically wearable fine jewelry for everyone." Founder Al Sandimirova says the store hires "size-inclusive, non-cis and non-white models all year round, not just for awareness months." To promote body positivity, the owners don't use photo editing tools on models in promotional images.
Rocket Art
Speaking of jewelry, Pittsburgh-based Etsy shop Rocket Art is crystal clear about its LGTQ pride, and luckily for the rest of us, shows us that in the form of awesome earrings like these rainbow "We're Here We're Queer" ones. They're chic and colorful sets that pay homage to the LGBTQ community. As it says on the page: It is a "Queer/Black/woman operated biz."
Heartland Stichery
Starting at
$25
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Heartland Stichery is also an LGBTQ-owned and -operated business, run by two folks by the name of Kenzie and Jessi. The shop has amazing embroidered items from sweatshirts to hats and T-shirts that have different sayings written in script. We love this sweatshirt that has an embroidered rose and says "No War But Class War."
Tomboyx
Tomboyx cuts no corners when it comes to designing and selling comfy, chic, and inclusive undergarments, which includes different kinds of bras, different styles of underwear (including period underwear), pajamas, swimwear, tanks, and more. As founders Fran and Naomi put it, they created the company, "because of one simple fact — they wanted underwear that fit who they are, not who others told them to be."
Alexandra Penn
Astrology knows no gender, and that is part of the reason that makes it beautiful. Etsy seller Alexandra Penn makes beautiful zodiac sign art print decor pieces with each sign name and a symbol on it. The seller is a trifecta of inclusivity and says they are "Black Owned, Female Owned, Queer Owned." Plus, Penn will plant a tree for every purchase made from the shop.
Queer Book Box
$18
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Queer Book Box
Everyone loves a good subscription box. It's a fun surprise for yourself each month, or a surprise to gift someone else. This one is special because it's the Queer Book Box and people who sign up for it will get a box with a queer fiction book delivered to them. As founder Georgia wrote, it's reportedly "the only queer owned, queer supplied subscription out there."
Ladyfingers Letterpress
$6
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Ladyfingers Letterpress
There are lots of greeting card options out there, but only a select few stationary brands are LGBT-created and run. One of those brands is Ladyfingers Letterpress. It sells fun and fresh cards that are inclusive to all kinds of life events. It was founded in Colorado Springs, Colorado, by designer/printmaker couple Arley Torsone and Morgan Calderini.
*Psst: if you choose to purchase an item from this post, CafeMom.com may receive a small cut. Each item and price is up to date at the time of publication; however, an item may be sold out or the price may be different at a later date.
