50 Affirmations for Queer People That Uplift the LGBTQ+ Community, Featuring Illustrator and Author Jess Vosseteig
Coming out as queer is tough. But after overcoming internalized homophobia, figuring out confusing feelings and navigating family members in the process, it can feel so freeing to accept who you are. However, even after all that—and for a lot of people in the LGBTQ+ community still in the closet or unable to affirm their sexuality or gender—being gay is an ongoing internal struggle. And regardless of how you even feel about being gay in your own head, there is so much hate thrown our way that it’s easy to fall into mental pits of darkness. While you can’t just tell yourself, "Be happy" or "Don't be depressed"—and have that work—coming up with affirmations for yourself can be a good reset and remind you of positive truths.
Helping queer people come up with affirmations for themselves was a big component of illustrator and author Jess Vosseteig’s new book, Affirmations for Queer People: 100+ Positive Messages to Affirm, Empower, and Inspire.
“For me, affirmations help me break negative thought patterns and help put me in a more positive mindset,” Vosseteig (she/they) tells Parade. “As a chronic overthinker, I can often find myself thinking the worst and getting stuck in spiraling thoughts; so affirmations that speak to what I’m experiencing can be helpful to pull me out of that.”
Vosseteig, a book lover since childhood, dreamed of one day having their art in a book and now it’s a reality. Affirmations for Queer People is a vibrantly illustrated book containing affirmations that help queer individuals overcome shame to embrace (and love) who they are. Vosseteig has illustrated book covers and created art for brands and campaigns, and with their new book, they create a beautiful and engaging way to teach people the power of positive statements while also giving queer people some great ones they can repeat to themselves daily.
“I was fortunate enough to be able to combine my love of books and educating people on queer identity and life with my love of art to make this book!” Vosseteig shares. “This book is the perfect combination of what defines me as an artist and a person, and it is also something I would love to read myself as a queer artist.”
So whether you’re queer or have queer loved ones in your life, we asked Vosseteig to share their favorite affirmations for queer people for many different scenarios (including you, allies!). So with their help, here are 50 creative, helpful and uplifting affirmations.
Related: Inspire Confidence and Find Inner Peace With These 75 Daily Affirmations
The Importance of Affirmations for Queer People
Being queer is tough. We’re very much a hated minority for some; people in the LGBTQ+ community are targets for hate crimes, violence and legal discrimination. There are currently 515 anti-LGBTQ bills in the United States, per the ACLU, and the HRC reported last year that there’s an “epidemic of violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people.” It’s draining to hear about these things while also experiencing discrimination in your everyday life. While we can’t make those things just stop cold turkey, knowing how to lift yourself up is important in stopping you from those moments of darkness.
Courtesy Adams Media
“Queer people are constantly having to fight for our rights and deal with adversity from society that we often don’t get the opportunity or resources to put our mental health first, which is why affirmations can be such an important tool for queer people,” Vosseteig shares with Parade. “I think that speaking affirmations and trying to reframe our thoughts can be really calming and reassuring which helps queer people feel more at peace in a world that is trying to fight us.”
They share that they want queer people to read their book and understand just how “important and powerful they are,” empowering themselves in the process. Vosseteig also shares that these queer affirmations don’t just benefit the LGBTQ+ community. They believe it’s important for allies to understand queerness better through these positive statements while gaining some affirmations they can keep in their back pocket in case someone in their life needs them one day.
As stated before, we asked Vosseteig what she thought were the best affirmations for queer people, and she gave us some great ones for different scenarios below.
Related: 50 LGBTQ Quotes To Celebrate Pride Month, Encourage Equality and Remind Us All that Love Is Love
Best Affirmations for Queer People
1. “Being queer gives me strength.”
2. “I am queer enough.”
3. “I choose what my identity means to me.”
4. “Change is possible.”
5. “The world is better with me in it.”
6. "I love being a part of a history full of strength."
7. “I am a fierce and empowered individual.”
8. “I am a true work of art.”
9. “I am worthy of healthy and fulfilling relationships.”
10. “I embrace the freedom to exist beyond the binary.”
11. “I prioritize my well-being and self-care.”
Jess Vosseteig/Affirmations for Queer People, Adams Media
Related: 'Lesbian Bars Near Me': Where the 32 Remaining Lesbian Bars Are in America
Affirmations for Queer People in Tough Times
12. “I refuse to let hate diminish my spirit.”
13. “I will find the support and resources I need.”
14. “I release any shame I’ve internalized.”
15. “I surround myself with love and support.”
16. “I am powerful and strong.”
Affirmations for Queer People Who Want To Come Out
Canva/Parade
17. “I don’t have to have ‘experience’ to be valid in my queerness.”
18. “I can come out whenever it feels right to me.”
19. “I don’t have to come out in a particular way.”
20. “My community supports me when others don’t.”
21. “I am not obligated to teach anyone how to respect me.”
Affirmations for Queer People Who Are Feeling Dysphoric
22. “My gender expression is valid.”
23. “I love my transitioning body.”
24. “People of all genders get their period.”
25. “I deserve to wear clothes that reflect who I am.”
30. “I love my body in all its forms.”
31. “Having feminine qualities doesn’t make me less of a man.”
Jess Vosseteig/Affirmations for Queer People, Adams Media
Related: What Does Nonbinary Mean? Definition of the LGBTQ+ Term
Affirmations for Queer People When They’re Feeling Like They’re Not Enough
32. “I am a fierce and empowered individual.”
33. “I deserve the love I want.”
34. “I am a true work of art.”
35. “I am not a burden.”
36. “I am enough as I am.”
Affirmations That Allies Can Say To Queer People in Their Lives
Canva/Parade
37. “Your identity is valid.”
38. “I celebrate your courage in being your authentic self.”
39. “You have the right to live without fear.”
40. “Your voice matters.”
41. “I support you just as you are.”
Related: Here's How To Be a Straight Ally to the LGBTQ+ Community
More Queer Affirmations
These general affirmations are not from Vosseteig or their book, but are still great starting points for you to customize so that they work best for you.
Canva/Parade
42. “I am braver than I give myself credit for.”
43. “[Gay/Queer/Lesbian/Trans/Ace] is not a bad or dirty word.”
44. “You don’t owe anyone [androgyny/feminity/masculinity].”
45. “I deserve to take up space."
46. "I can create my own happy ending."
47. "I am not a stereotype."
48. "I deserve to live an authentic life."
49. "My interests/hobbies are valid."
50. "I live my life for myself, nobody else."
How To Come up With Your Own Queer Affirmations
While this list of 50 affirmations for queer people is a great place to start, you don’t have to adhere to hard and fast rules when it comes to uplifting yourself. You can create affirmations for any situation you’re faced with, affirmations that are molded to you specifically. When Vosseteig was writing their book, she thought of obstacles and issues that queer people might experience and came up with reassuring affirmations for those situations.
“So if someone wanted to come up with affirmations for themself, they could think about an area of their life they might need some reassurance or confidence in, and think of a short phrase that maybe you would tell a friend who is struggling,” she shares.
And while that’s daunting to think about for yourself, it’s something you might not think twice about when coming up with a friend, Vosseteig points out. So approaching affirmations that way can help create them, too. Plus, keeping it short also helps, so that “you can easily remember and repeat it,” she shares.
Overall, as Vosseteig said, affirmations for queer people can pull you out of a bad headspace and recenter your thoughts. And while affirmations in general are good for anyone who needs a pick-me-up, they’re especially useful for the LGBTQ+ community.
“Affirmations give us power and confidence,” they say. “Which queer people will always need to exist.”
Next up: What Does LGBTQ+ Mean? Every Letter Is Important to the Community
Source:
Courtesy Alyssa Wilson
Jess Vosseteig (she/they), is a "Colorado illustrator making queer, feminist and inclusive illustrations." They've worked with brands and companies such as Penguin Random House, Dr. Martens, Facebook/Meta, Ulta Beauty and so many more. Vosseteig is also the author and illustrator of Affirmations for Queer People: 100+ Positive Messages to Affirm, Empower, and Inspire. She sometimes takes commissions via her Instagram (@jessvos_art) but you can also shop their work on their website.
