When you’re embarking on a new journey (like learning to code or starting a new career), it helps to know that you’re not alone and that other people have been in your shoes before. For LGBTQ+ programmers and tech workers, there’s a vibrant community of queer people on social media who are sharing their skills and stories to help bring people into the fold.
Whether you’re looking for career advice from other LGBTQ+ professionals or want to learn how people are using code to make the world a better place, it’s never been easier to connect with other LGBTQ+ technologists and developers.
To celebrate Pride Month, here are some of our favorite LGBTQ+ programmers and tech professionals who you can follow on social media. (These people are not affiliated with Codecademy — we just think our community will learn so much from them.)
Angelica Ross
Angelica Ross is an actress, singer, and self-taught programmer who, as a transgender woman, faced discrimination and tokenization throughout her career before finding solace and opportunity in tech. She created the organization TransTech to help other transgender and gender-nonconforming people build new skills and launch careers in the tech field.
“So many times LGBTQ+ and marginalized people aren’t afforded the opportunities to dream and be creative because life is always at our heels,” Angelica said in an interview with People. “But technology is the one thing that can give you your creativity back.”
Why you should follow: Angelica uplifts LGBTQ+ people by sharing TransTech success stories and using her platform to address issues facing the community on Twitter. (And as a multi-hyphenate singer and performer, she often posts news about her music and concerts, too.)
Follow Angelica on Twitter and TikTok.
This warms my soul. This is why @TransTechSocial exists. ❤️ https://t.co/8ZSkt5V2pI
— A N G E L I C A (@angelicaross) April 3, 2022
Tae’lur Alexis
Tae’lur Alexis taught herself how to code and launched a new career in just eight months. Now, she’s committed to helping others do the same.
“My motivation for creating content is based on my desire to make learning how to code accessible for everyone,” Tae’lur says on her website. “I strive to explain technical topics in a simpler way, with pretty awesome anime graphics.”
Why you should follow: Tae’lur is a great source of inspiration and knowledge for self-taught developers. On Twitter, Twitch, and YouTube, she sheds light on her journey to her first role as a Front-End Developer, provides tips and resources for finding work opportunities, and gives us insight into her experience as a Black woman in tech.
Follow Tae’lur on YouTube and Twitter.
Today I hope this serves as motivation to those #codenewbies/ #100DaysOfCode devotees that it can happen.
Pic on the left was January 29th, 1st day as a fast food server. $8/hr. Every day I walked home & coded for hours.
Pic on the right is me as a dev, first day was July 29th pic.twitter.com/BcuYaYydUK
— Tae’lur Alexis (@TaelurAlexis) October 1, 2018
Alexis Williams
Alexis Williams is an Afro-Latina NYU student and social activist who uses her programming skills to combat civil inequality. “My fulfillment in computer science came from writing code to help people,” Alexis said in a TED Talk. “The true power of coding is writing code to help communities at no cost because it’s the right thing to do.”
Why you should follow: Alexis shares helpful and informative resources to address social and civil rights issues, like her website pb-resources, which she describes as an “encyclopedia of tools to fight against racial injustice.” She also often makes relatable TikToks about her experience as an LBGTQ+ woman of color in STEM.
Follow Alexis on TikTok.
But here’s the catch…. you have to pay us just as much as everyone else 🙂 #Boo #FootlongShuffle #womeninstem #cs #college
♬ original sound – Alexis Williams
Queerbots
If you’re a fan of nifty gadgets, Bug (aka Queerbots on TikTok) shares adorable 3D-printed objects and cool engineering projects, like this vibrating robot and 3D-printed octopus. The 26-year-old genderqueer robotics engineer also gives us a peek into life as a nonbinary person working in tech.
Why you should follow: Check out Bug’s “Lesbian Tech Skills 101” series on TikTok. In it, they challenge gender norms and stereotypes by teaching “typically masculine” skills like fixing a flat tire, grilling, and mowing the lawn.
Follow Bug on TikTok.
OK my transition skills are terrible but if you like it I’ll make it better #gayming #queersintech #makeymakey #gamer #necrodancer #techtok #edutok
♬ original sound – Bug (they/them)
Arlan Hamilton
Arlan Hamilton went from experiencing homelessness to spearheading a multimillion-dollar venture capitalist fund. After learning that minority-led startups struggle to receive funding, she was inspired to make a change and created Backstage Capital — a fund that invests in women-, POC-, and LGBTQ+-owned startups.
“Eight percent of funding goes to women and people of color, which has gotten much better over the past few years, but it definitely has a long way to go,” Arlan told Rocketship.fm.
Why you should follow: If you dream of running your own company, you’ll definitely want to follow Arlan. She shares practical resources for entrepreneurs and motivational messages for folks breaking into tech. Arlan also hosts a podcast called “Your First Million,” which covers business advice for startups, like how to raise money, navigate investing, and manage burnout.
Follow Arlan on Twitter and Instagram.
For those wondering, this is who I am: pic.twitter.com/m9JntJlHQm
— Arlan 👊🏾 (@ArlanWasHere) February 7, 2022
AsapSCIENCE
Mitchell Moffitt and Gregory Brown are life and business partners who’ve spent the last decade “making science make sense” with funny and educational videos, podcasts, and books. “Observing the world through science is actually quite spiritual,” the duo said in an interview with Bay Street Bull. “It’s how we create a worldview of being happy and relaxed in this chaotic world.”
Why you should follow: AsapSCIENCE’s YouTube channel is both educational and entertaining. The duo covers everything from environmental science and climate change to helpful brain hacks and the need for greater diversity in STEM.
Follow AsapSCIENCE on YouTube and Twitter.