Watch: Understanding DE&I in the Creator Economy<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n One of the best ways to make sure your marketing efforts are as diverse as your audience is by partnering with true brand fans from all walks of life. Be sure to offer them as much creative freedom as possible in their brand promotions, as they are the experts on what their audiences like to see and hear. And while it should go without saying, it\u2019s essential to use a standard payment system so you can be certain all of your partners are receiving fair compensation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another method you can use is partnering with customers to share their authentic user-generated content (UGC). Just be sure to negotiate content usage rights<\/a> with the creators, and don\u2019t be surprised if they ask for compensation in return. <\/p>\n\n\n\n See Also: A Complete Guide to User-Generated Content: Producing the Best On-Brand Influencer UGC<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n Harvey Milk<\/a> was one of the first openly gay people to be elected as a public official in the U.S. In 1977, he earned a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. After about a year in office, he was assassinated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Before his political career, Milk served as a diving instructor for the U.S. Navy, but he later resigned after people began to question his sexual orientation. After holding a variety of jobs, including teacher and stock analyst, Milk went on to help co-found the Castro Village Association, an organization of mainly LGBTQ+ businesses, for which he served as President. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marsha P. Johnson<\/a> was a Black trans woman and drag queen in New York City who became an icon after participating in the Stonewall Riots in 1969. Throughout the years, she helped homeless LGBTQ+ youth, and she advocated for her community against injustices. Additionally, along with Sylvia Rivera, she co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Frida Kahlo was a famous Mexican artist who expressed various life experiences through her paintings and drawings. She was married to Diego Rivera<\/a>, but she was known to have had many affairs throughout her lifetime with men and women alike, including Leon Trotsky, Dolores del Rio, and Isamu Noguchi. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Her self-portraits are arguably her most famous pieces, and her likeness and portraits have been repurposed in art, merchandise, and more throughout the years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Frederick Bulsara<\/a>, better known by his stage name of Freddie Mercury, was the lead singer of the rock band Queen. He found massive international success with the brand, branched out on a solo career, and even recorded the song which would become the theme of the 1992 Olympics with Montserrat Caball\u00e9. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many close friends of Mercury\u2019s point to the band\u2019s hit, Bohemian Rhapsody<\/em><\/a>, as Freddie\u2019s way of coming out as a gay man to the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After passing away from AIDS complications, the remaining members of Queen and Freddie\u2019s executor developed the Mercury Phoenix Trust<\/a>, a charity supporting AIDS education and awareness in developing countries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marlene Dietrich<\/a> was a German-American actress and nightclub performer from the 1930s through 1978. She broke boundaries by wearing trousers and typical men\u2019s fashion, and she was known to take many male and female lovers throughout her lifetime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the \u201840s, she dedicated much of her time to supporting the American war effort<\/a> and helped sell war bonds throughout the country, despite having grown up in Germany. She even recorded popular American songs in German that could be used in overseas broadcasts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sir Elton John<\/a> is a pop star, singer, composer, pianist, and gay icon. As a child, he earned a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music and later joined Bluesology as a member of the band. John initially came out as bisexual to Rolling Stone in 1976<\/a>, and he told the same publication he was gay in 1992. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He is a highly awarded musician, with an Oscar, a Tony, and several Grammys, and a biopic about his life story<\/a> was released in 2019. He was also knighted<\/a> in 1998 by Queen Elizabeth II. <\/p>\n\n\n\n RuPaul Charles is perhaps the most widely recognized drag queen in pop culture today. RuPaul\u2019s Drag Race <\/em>has ushered the art of drag into mainstream media, and what began as a reality show in 2009 has now spanned several countries and continents to become a media empire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to his reality show, he\u2019s a celebrated recording artist, actor, and entrepreneur. And at the time of publication, RuPaul is \u201cthe most-decorated Black artist in Emmys history, with 12 trophies to his name so far,\u201d according to Entertainment Weekly<\/em><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to partner with LGBTQ+ influencers <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nLGBTQIA+ icons throughout history<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Harvey Milk <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Marsha P. Johnson<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Frida Kahlo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Freddie Mercury <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Marlene Dietrich<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Elton John <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
RuPaul Charles <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Lesbian influencers to follow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Jessica and Claudia Kellgren-Fozard<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n