【Dear Utol (2025): Totoy Bayo Episode 38】

Queer history doesn't exist in high school textbooks. It's hidden in fading library books,Dear Utol (2025): Totoy Bayo Episode 38 dusty archives, and oral histories forgotten with time.

But one Instagram account is bringing important LGBTQ moments out of the shadows.

@lgbt_historymeticulously documents the queer community's past, bringing stories of queer people to light through historical photos and incredibly in-depth captions.

The account features photos that span back to the advent of photography, documenting same-sex affection long before "gay" even existed as an identity. Images featured on @lgbt_history mostly include Stonewall-era throwbacks, though some photos show more modern protests to recognize LGBTQ activists making queer history today.

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The historical account, created by partners Matthew Riemer and Leighton Brown, posted its first picture on Instagram in January 2016. Now, a year and a half later, the account has more than 126,000 followers.

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In 2008, Riemer started to explore LGBTQ history by collecting political buttons as he worked on the Obama campaign. By 2014, his personal collection grew to include correspondence, flyers, and photographs from the queer liberation movement.

Brown also became intrigued by LGBTQ history after seeing Riemer's passion for the topic grow. He began collecting photos of queer history, skimming archives and digging into online databases.

But each of them approached his passion for this history in different ways. Riemer shifted from button and flyer collecting to doing tons of text-based research, keeping a master calendar of more than 30,000 unique LGBTQ events throughout history. Brown, on the other hand, amassed an enormous collection of more than 75,000 images of queer people from the last 150 years.

"We found ourselves losing hours looking at pictures of our people, our events, our family," Brown says. "Queer history is so visual, so artistic, so campy, so moving, so fun."

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Riemer and Brown were inspired to create @lgbt_history in order to bring their approaches together, and share their passion for queer history with the world.

"Every queer person in every picture from every parade, protest, photo booth, house party, disco, picnic, AIDS ward, stage, jail cell, bar, and everywhere else has a story," Brown said. "And too few of them are known ... That’s why we started @lgbt_history."

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They post multiple pictures every day with the account, making for a steady stream of LGBTQ education in a follower's feed. Given that Riemer and Brown often post five or more pictures in one day, they cover a lot of history -- and fast.

The pair says finding pictures and information for @lgbt_history is a process that's constantly ongoing, stemming from a simple premise: They search. A lot.

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They pore over their archives, identifying what's happening in photos to match them to historical events. Uncovering these untold stories is more than work -- it's a genuine calling for Riemer and Brown.

What isn't an inherent passion, however, is social media. The two struggled to

"It's interesting because neither of us are particularly fond of social media in our personal lives," Riemer says. "But Instagram has proven to be the perfect platform for the work we’re doing."

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Through the account, Riemer and Brown are careful to represent a spectrum of identities in the LGBTQ community, giving special attention to the often overlooked stories of transgender and bisexual members of the community. @lgbt_history also gives noticeable representation to people of color and people with disabilities, who have been crucial to the advancement of queer liberation but often go ignored.

"There’s not a lot of representation out there, and what’s out there tends to be skewed toward gay white men, so showing the spectrum strikes a chord," Riemer says.

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Currently, the account mainly depicts LGBTQ history in the U.S. But Riemer and Brown hope to change that in the future, with plans to expand coverage to include international history.

For now, however, the account is a vital documentation of queer activism's rich history, showing the struggle, resilience, and pride of LGBTQ people. Through seeing and learning the roots of queer resistance, Riemer and Brown want to inspire followers to become active in equality movements today.

"More than anything, we hope to show the value in relentless queer activism by those who are able to be visible," Riemer says. "Showing up matters, and doing what you can do matters."

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But they also know that some followers of @lgbt_history may still be struggling to come out as LGBTQ and live visibly. Riemer and Brown say the account is equally for those who aren't able to be out, helping them to connect with their community and history virtually.

"Stay safe, be proud of yourself for surviving, and know that you are still part of this beautiful community," Riemer says to those followers. "We’ll be here when you’re ready."

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The account is an empowering educational tool for followers, allowing them to dig deeper into the evolution of LGBTQ life and identity. Through @lgbt_history, the creators hope to show followers the depth, complexity, and beauty of the queer community -- and themselves.

"The entire world is geared toward stripping us of the most basic truth: we’re lucky to be queer," Riemer says. "That’s what the majority doesn’t want us to know."