There’s no way to know exactly how many US businesses are owned by LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs. Unlike race and (binary) gender, the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t collect data about sexuality, nor about gender identity that falls outside the binary. (Is that any of the government’s business? Arguable! But bear with us here.) The best information we have comes from the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NLCC), which has “certified” 1,678 LGBTQIA+-owned and -operated businesses — compared to the 31.7 million total small businesses the government has counted overall, as of 2020. That’s only 0.005% — and if 5.6% of Americans identify as queer or trans, those numbers just don’t add up. So we’re pretty sure there are way more than that.

Now let’s talk about venture capital: Between 2010 and 2019, global VC deals doled out more than $1.5 trillion to businesses overall. But according to one report, not even 1% of US deals are made with openly LGBTQIA+ founders — “openly” being the keyword there, as another report found that 37% of LGBTQIA+ business owners avoid mentioning their sexuality and / or gender identity to investors in the first place. It’s hard to own your own business in general, but in an economy dominated by cishet people (usually men), that struggle can be exponentially more challenging if you’re … not.

As we say often here at Ellevest, money — who gets it, how it’s spent — is an essential component of social justice. That applies to LGBTQIA+ justice, too. And in the absence of “official” forms of data — the kind that can expedite access and stability at the institutional level — it’s even more on us, as consumers, to actively support queer- and trans-owned businesses when deciding where to put our dollars.

You probably know a few LGBTQIA+-owned businesses already, but there are countless more to explore and support, in your own network and beyond it. We asked the Ellevest community to share some of their favorites, and we’ve compiled the answers we got into an initial list. We’ll be updating this by-the-industry directory in the coming weeks, so be sure to bookmark this page for future reference.

Art, Artists, and Crafts

Anna Parade, IG: @annaparade

Art Joshua Studio, IG: @artjoshuastudio

Bless the Messy, IG: @blessthemessy

Brooklyn Sewing Academy, IG: @brooklynsewingacademy

Eel Fine Art & Sculpture, IG: @eelcostello

Prime Creative Co., IG: @joaquinprime

La Flecha FIlm Co., IG: @laflechafilm

Lanni Made, IG: @lannimade

Lonesome Bill, IG: @lonesome.drift.er

Mud Witch, IG: @mud.witch

Muddy Rib, IG: @muddy_rib

POT Studios, IG: @POT_la

Robin Eisenberg, IG: @robineisenberg

Slip n' Stitch by Toni, IG: @slipnstitchbytoni

Sydney Valiente, IG: @sydney_valiente

The Pigeon Letters, IG: @thepigeonletters

Beauty, Wellness, and Skincare

Babeland, IG: @babeland_toys

BatMe Cosmetics, IG: @batmecosmetics

Bijou Candles, IG: @bijoucandles

Bottom Line Yoga, IG: @bottomlineyoga

Boy Smells, IG: @boy__smells

Candle Tit, IG: @candletit

Entity Health Coaching, IG: @entityhealthcoaching

Faceted Beauty, IG: @facetedbeauty

Fempower Beauty, IG: @fempowerbeauty

Fluide, IG: @fluidebeauty

Goodlayla, IG: @goodlaylaco

Heart and Soull Studio, IG: @heartandsoullonmtrose

Jade & Fox Co., IG: @jadefoxco

Katelyn Page Fitness, IG: @katelynpagefitness

Little Yoga Studio, IG: @littleyogastudio

Maven Made, IG: @mavenmade

Mainstream Nails Denver, IG: @mainstream_nails

Mystic Baby, IG: @mysticbabystore

Noto Botanics, IG: @notobotanics

Platform BTN, IG: @platformbtn

Pura Luna Apothecary, IG: @puralunaapothecary

Roots & Crowns Apothecary, IG: @rootsandcrownspdx

Sapphic Apothecary, IG: @sapphicapothecary

Selia & Co., IG: @seliaandco

Service Bar Soaps, IG: @servicebarsoaps

Simply Extract, IG: @simplyextract

Taya Beauty, IG: @tayabeauty

The New Savant, IG: @thenewsavant

Untamed Supply, IG: @untamed_supply

We Live in Truth, IG: @weliveintruth_welit

Clothing and Accessories

Automic Gold, IG: @automicgold

Awe Inspired, IG: @aweinspired_

Bowtie Behavior, IG: @bowtiebehavior

Carmen Liu Lingerie, IG: @carmenliulingerie

City6 Streetwear, IG: @city6streetwear

Culture Flock, IG: @cultureflock

Dapper Boi, IG: @dapperboi

Jen Zeano Designs, IG: @shopjzd

Official Rebrand, IG: @official_rebrand

Otherwild, IG: @otherwild

Peau de Loup, IG: @peaudeloup

Powers Provisions, IG: @powersprovisions

Proud Crowns, IG: @proudcrowns

Q Threadz, IG: @qthreadz

Silkkin Co., IG: @silkkin.co

Shannon V Jewelry, IG: @shannonvjewelry

The LB Connection, IG: @thelbconnection

Twin Denim Co., IG: @twindenimco

Wildfang, IG: @wearewildfang

Wooaryou, IG: @wooaryou

Food and Restaurants

Big Gay Ice Cream, IG: @biggayicecream

Cuties, IG: @cutiesLA

Dayum Jam, IG: @dayumjamrva

Diaspora Co. Spices, IG: @diasporaco

Kajun’s Pub, IG: @kajunspub

Marination, IG: @curb_cuisine

Pipcorn Heirloom Snacks, IG: @pipsnacks

The Royce Detroit, IG: @theroycedetroit

The Pie Queen of Denver, IG: @thepiequeenofdenver

Other

Camp Violet Jungle, IG: @campvioletjungle

Charis Books and More, IG: @charisbooksandmore

Common Dear, IG: @shopcommondear

Darling Spring, IG: @darlingspring

Encourage Coaching Chicago, IG: @encouragecoachingchicago

Everybody LA, IG: @everybodylosangeles

Foggy Pine Books, IG: @foggypinebooks

Homo Af, IG: @homo_a_f

The Honey Block, IG: @thehoneyblock

Lesbian Bar Project, IG: @lesbianbarproject

Little Pickle Memories, IG: @littlepicklememories

Minna Goods, IG: @oh_minna

Rebel Data Co., IG: @rebeldataco

The Salt Eaters Bookshop, IG: @thesalteaters

Shop Jamie Freya, IG: @shopjamiefreya

Thems Health, IG: @themshealth

The Trans Capitalist, IG: @thetranscapitalist

Tubby & Coo’s, IG: @tubbyandcoos

Very Gay Paint, IG: @verygaypaint

Disclosures