Looking through old albums is a lovely way to learn more about your family’s history. But as you take a trip down memory lane, you may find faded photographs of a family member you or your relatives have never heard of. You may also find cool things like Gay Poppers.

To solve this mystery, you might consider all kinds of outlandish possibilities about this person. However, most people overlook that their ancestor may have been an LGBTQ+ person who was estranged from the family because of their identity.

Read on to learn about how you can gather the right information to find out if you have any LGBTQ+ ancestors in your family tree!

Why You Should Learn More About Your Family History

Learning about your family tree is a great way to celebrate your identity. It allows you to connect with your history by discovering what your relatives were like in their time. It also allows you to draw inspiration from your ancestry and possibly revive a meaningful family legacy.

Why Is It So Difficult To Trace LGBTQ+ Members?

The LGBTQ+ communities have faced decades of discrimination and intolerance all over the world. Although they began fighting for their rights in the US in 1924, progress was slow and turbulent. Our LGBTQ+ ancestors were up against sodomy laws, defamation, and violent raids. For the sake of their safety, they were forced to conceal their sexual orientation and gender identities, making it difficult to trace them in contemporary times.

7 Ways To Find Out Who Your LGBTQ+ Ancestors Are

A ton of LGBTQ+ people felt the need to form their own families because they lacked acceptance from their biological parents and siblings. Figuring out who our LGBTQ+ ancestors help us recognize their stories to commemorate them with the love they always deserved.

Here are 7 simple ways to figure out who may have been an LGBTQ+ person in your family tree!

1. Learn What Their Occupation Was

Some professions back in the day were known to employ individuals who usually stayed single. These particular occupations became an attractive option for LGBTQ+ members who didn’t want the speculation that came with not having an opposite-sex partner.

For females, people in job positions like teachers and small business owners were known to never marry. For men, priesthood or a career in the arts was the go-to “single-for-life” profession.

2. Look For Their Residence

Some neighborhoods were historically known for being “gay-friendly” areas to live in. Taking note of where a particular relative lived or moved to and then researching the neighborhood’s local history can give you some insight into where they felt most comfortable. You should also look into who they were living with since some LGBTQ+ couples used a landlord-tenant arrangement as a cover-up for their relationship.

3. Search Criminal Records & Newspaper Clippings

Being any of the letters in LGBTQ+ alphabet used to be a criminal offense in the US – and unfortunately, it still is in some countries. For that reason, old archives of arrests and court cases are important sources to use because these documents may explicitly have the names of your ancestors involved in violating same-sex laws.

Tip: Take note of the terms they used back in the day to describe LGBTQ+ members as you search through old records. These terms include sodomite, crossdresser, Uranian, and Sapphist.

4. Read Their Journals & Letters

Journals and letters are meaningful sources to read since they give you a glimpse into the world of your ancestors. You may find that a particular relative openly wrote about their LGBTQ+ experiences or exchanged passionate letters with someone of the same sex.

5. Go Over Their Final Will

Just like most people, LGBTQ+ individuals tend to leave their assets and treasured belongings with their loved ones. But if you notice one or a few names on their final will that no one in your family recognizes, then these may have been their partner or members from their LGBTQ+ family.

6. Take Note Of Missing Records

If your family traditionally keeps heirlooms and old photographs but doesn’t seem to have anything from a certain family member, you should be a little suspicious. In the past, families would often disassociate from or “disown” relatives for being LGBTQ+.

7. Visit Their Cemetery

While this may sound a little morbid, LGBTQ+ partners sometimes ask to be buried together. It could be symbolic of how they can finally be together in death as they always wished to be – something that they couldn’t do when they were alive.

If you have a relative who shares a cemetery with someone that the family doesn’t know, there’s reason to believe that this could have been their partner.

Be Proud Of Your LGBTQ+ Ancestors

Celebrating our LGBTQ+ relatives even long after they’ve passed is a great way to honor their memory and let stories live on. With this easy-to-follow guide, you can begin digging through your family history and be proud of your LGBTQ+ ancestral roots.

Summer is already here, along with lots of sun and heat. And while that can be fun sometimes — for example, if you want to hold a barbecue or go to the beach — most of the time it can be terrible. Apathy, sweating, dry hair, and skin are just a few examples of traditional hot weather companions. Fortunately, there are several ways to deal with them; if you want to know what they are, read on.

In this article, we share some tips on staying beautiful and comfortable during summer, including wearing sunscreen, dressing accordingly, taking care of your hair and skin, remembering about personal hygiene, and many more. Check them out and beat the hot weather.

Take Care of Your Hair and Skin

Usually, summer weather makes us sweat more than usual. And this can cause unpleasant smells and blemishes. That’s why it’s crucial to wash your hair and shower more often in summer.

It would help if you considered changing your laundry detergent to something milder (for example, hypoallergenic). Additionally, if your scalp is oily and prone to blemishes, use a medicated shampoo for people with oily hair. It will help you get rid of those nasty sweat marks.

Alternatively, you can try wearing a short hairstyle. This way, you will have an easier time taking care of your hair. To make your hair shorter, you can visit a hairdresser or use some high-quality scissors and give yourself a haircut at home. For example, you can use Yasaka brand scissors, as they offer an excellent price-quality ratio.

Another way you can go about it is to make your hair thicker by using volumizing products. It will help you fight against frizziness. On the other hand, if you have dry skin, use moisturizers and other products that contain natural ingredients (such as aloe vera or witch hazel) to keep it hydrated. You can also try a scrub once a week — that way, you’ll remove dead skin cells and boost blood circulation at the same time.

Wear Sunscreen

During the summer, you need to protect your skin and hair from the sun. If you don’t, you will get tanned and burned. To avoid this from happening, use sunscreen — a special cream that protects you from the sun’s UV rays.

The good thing about sunscreen is that it doesn’t only protect your skin from sunburns but also keeps it looking young and healthy. Most sunscreens are water-resistant nowadays, so you can even go swimming with them on. Nevertheless, if you’re going to swim a lot, it’s better to apply sunscreen every 2-4 hours to be fully protected.

Dress Appropriately

Wearing shorts and bikinis can be very tempting when the weather is warm. But if you want to look beautiful and feel good, you need to follow some simple rules.

Remember here to take into account your body type. We suggest you don’t wear anything too tight or too loose. Instead, choose something in between. Once you’ve done that, dress accordingly and wear light colors as they reflect sun rays.

Remember About Personal Hygiene

Personal hygiene is not only about washing yourself the right way. It’s also about staying fresh and clean throughout the day — even when there’s no water nearby. That’s why it’s essential to use deodorant and perfume.

Moreover, always carry a small pack of tissues with you when you go out. You can use them not only for nose-wiping but also for removing makeup smears or sweat marks on your clothes and face. And don’t forget about dental hygiene — carry around floss or chewing gum in order to avoid bad breath.

Take Care of Your Body

It’s no secret that hot weather makes you sweat more than usual. And this will make your skin dry and your hair frizzy. To prevent this, drink lots of water in summer. It will keep you hydrated and protect you from dehydration. Besides, it will keep your body well-nourished, which is especially important if you’re going to exercise or go swimming.

Additionally, it would be best if you exercised daily. Just choose a sport that you enjoy (like going swimming or jogging) and start doing it. It will help your blood circulation and improve your looks.

Don’t Overdo It

Finally, remember not to go overboard with your exercises and sunbathes. If you go swimming or running, for example, it’s essential to rest at times. Otherwise, your body will get overheated, and you might feel sick. Also, don’t stay in the sun too long. Instead, wear a hat and stay out of the sun for at least 30 minutes after applying sunscreen (it takes time for it to work).

Besides, drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated and avoid dehydration. And if you’re going to a party or a barbecue, make sure you eat well and avoid alcohol, as it can make you feel light-headed and tired.

Conclusion

Summer is here, and along with the good weather come lots of sun, heat, and sweat. But if you follow these simple tips, you’re not only going to be comfortable during hot weather but also look beautiful!

Always be smart — wear sunscreen, dress appropriately, remember about personal hygiene, keep your body healthy, and take care of your hair and skin. If you do these things, you’re guaranteed to look good and feel great during summer. Have fun and good luck!