LGBT+ creators have been among the most popular on TikTok in 2020 with the #ImComingOut hashtag reaching 2billion views.
The platform has shared its top trends for the year among its UK audience, including queer beauty artists and non-binary singing star Sam Smith.
However, it hasn’t all been plain sailing for the LGBT+ community and TikTok in 2020. The company updated its policies after it admitted suppressing some queer content.
More positively, TikTok’s #ImComingOut hashtag was one of the most popular this year.
While it didn’t quite reach the heights of #IsolationGames, designed to help people survive coronavrius lockdown, it ranked in the top 10 for the year. Likewise #BlackLivesMatter also made the list.
The #ImComingOut hashtag reached 2billion total views across the platform. For those unfamiliar with the platforms format of two to 60-second videos, here’s just one example:
@non_vondaPlease don’t let this flop🙏 ##fyp ##foryou ##foryoupage ##ImComingOut ##lgbt ##lgbtq ##lesbian ##gay ##bi ##trans ##pan ##omni ##queer ##pride ##viral ##loudandproud♬ MessinWithMyFamily – ♛私はмαℓυѕです♛
Celebrities and TikTok fame
Meanwhile non-binary singer Sam Smith proved one of the most popular celebrities on TikTok in 2020.
They performed live with TikTok star Holly H, sharing snippets of their new songs and gaining a huge 2million followers.
That ranked them as the seventh most popular celebrity on the platform, although far behind TV chef Gordon Ramsay, with 15.4million followers.
Meanwhile another English singer-songwriter, Dua Lipa, a keen LGBT+ advocate, got to the number three spot, with 4.3million followers.
However, the platform is also making stars of the LGBT+ creators who may well have not come to the public’s attention without it.
One example are boyfriends @matthewandryanuk. They have entered TikTok royalty, racking up almost 3million followers who enjoy laughing along to their videos, like this one:
@matthewandryanukHe thought we were getting cute… 🕷😂 ##cutecouple ##prank ##comedy ##prankster ##lgbt ##spider
Meanwhile LGBT+ beauty creators have also taken TikTok by storm, sharing their favorite outfits, transformations and glam-ups.
Check out @senorfenty and @jonysios:
@senorfentyI felt like doing some purples and gold today . This look will make you the show stopper yassss 💅🏾💅🏾 ##foryourpage ##fyp ##makeup♬ original sound – sofia tilbury
@jonysiosReply to @paytonanon u wanted a lil tutorial on how i… ✨😏✨ ##transformation ##freddiemercury♬ Killer Queen – Remastered 2011 – Queen
From shadow bans to fighting hate
In October, TikTok said it was strengthening its enforcement against hate – including anti-LGBT+ content.
It came after the video-sharing app apologized for suppressing some LGBT+ content.
Researchers had discovered that the platform stopped content, including videos showing men holding hands, from going viral in some countries. It became clear the app had ‘shadowbans’ on some LGBT+ hashtags in countries including Jordan, Russia and Bosnia.
As a result, a UK Parliament committee questioned TikTok’s director of public policy in Europe the Middle East and Africa, Theo Bertram.
He told them the platform restricted some gay and trans content, and videos from plus-size and disabled users with good intentions. The plan was to prevent online bullying. However he admitted it was a ‘terrible idea’ and promised it would stop.
