Poke is where pride happens

A free and private platform built for everyone. Celebrate your identity, discover diverse creators, and experience software made with love.

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Built by a Queer Developer

Poke was created by Ashley Íris Celeste. We understand the importance of building safe, welcoming spaces online because this project was built from the ground up by a queer person.

Pronoun Support

Identity matters. We have integrated dedicated pronoun support directly into your channel so you can show the world exactly how to refer to you.

Code of Conduct

We built a specific code of conduct heavily focused on radical inclusion and zero tolerance for bigotry to keep our spaces completely safe. Community spaces must be actively protected.

Spotlight: Queer Creators

CiblesGD
CiblesGD
she/her
@CiblesGD
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mysticat
mysticat
she/they
@mysticat
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izzzyzzz
izzzyzzz
they
@Izzzyzzz
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YukkoEX
YukkoEX
she/her
@YukkoEX
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nyaraVT
nyaraVT
she/her
@nyaraVT
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Alice Lunazera
Alice Lunazera
she/her
@Lunazera
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FairyPrincessLucy
FairyPrincessLucy
she/her
@fairyprincesslucy
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Alice in Wonder1and
Alice in Wonder1and
she/her
@aliceinwonder1and
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ShySprite
ShySprite
she/her
@TheShySprite
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Thomas Game Docs
Thomas Game Docs
she/her
@ThomasGameDocs
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Vylet Pony
Vylet Pony
it/she
@VyletPony
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The Journey of Pride

1924 Society for Human Rights

The first recognized gay rights organization in the United States is founded in Chicago by Henry Gerber.

1950 Mattachine Society

Harry Hay founds one of the first sustained gay rights groups in the U.S., focusing on assimilation and advocacy.

1955 Daughters of Bilitis

The first lesbian civil and political rights organization in the U.S. is formed in San Francisco.

1966 Compton's Cafeteria Riot

Transgender women and drag queens fight back against police harassment in San Francisco, preceding Stonewall.

1969 The Stonewall Uprising

Patrons of the Stonewall Inn in NYC resist a police raid, sparking the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera are prominent figures.

1970 First Pride Marches

The first Christopher Street Liberation Day marches are held in NY, LA, and Chicago to commemorate Stonewall.

1973 APA Declassifies Homosexuality

The American Psychiatric Association removes homosexuality from its list of mental disorders.

1974 Kathy Kozachenko Elected

Becomes the first openly LGBTQ+ American elected to public office (Ann Arbor City Council).

1977 Harvey Milk Elected

Harvey Milk becomes the first openly gay man elected to public office in California.

1978 The Rainbow Flag

Gilbert Baker designs the iconic Rainbow Flag, which debuts at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade.

1979 March on Washington

The first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights draws an estimated 75,000 to 125,000 people.

1981 Lambda Legal Defense

Founding of the first legal organization to fight for the rights of LGBTQ+ people.

1987 ACT UP Formed

The AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power is formed to demand political action to combat the AIDS crisis.

1988 World AIDS Day

The first World AIDS Day is observed to raise awareness and mourn those lost to the epidemic.

1993 Don't Ask, Don't Tell

The U.S. policy prohibiting military personnel from discriminating against closeted queer people, while barring openly queer people from service.

1996 DOMA Passed

The Defense of Marriage Act defines marriage as between a man and a woman, later overturned.

1999 Transgender Day of Remembrance

Founded by Gwendolyn Ann Smith to memorialize those murdered due to anti-transgender violence.

2001 First Same-Sex Marriage

The Netherlands becomes the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.

2003 Lawrence v. Texas

The U.S. Supreme Court strikes down sodomy laws across the country, decriminalizing same-sex relationships.

2004 Massachusetts Legalizes Marriage

Becomes the first U.S. state to legally recognize same-sex marriages.

2010 DADT Repealed

The U.S. Senate repeals 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell', allowing gay, lesbian, and bisexual people to serve openly.

2013 DOMA Ruled Unconstitutional

The U.S. Supreme Court rules that legally married same-sex couples are entitled to federal benefits.

2015 Obergefell v. Hodges

The U.S. Supreme Court guarantees the right to same-sex marriage nationwide.

2016 Stonewall National Monument

President Obama designates the Stonewall Inn as the first national monument honoring LGBTQ+ rights.

2019 WHO Declassifies Transgender Identity

The World Health Organization removes 'gender incongruence' from its list of mental disorders.

2020 Bostock v. Clayton County

The U.S. Supreme Court rules the Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ+ employees from workplace discrimination.

2021 Record Global Visibility

A record number of openly LGBTQ+ athletes compete in the Tokyo Olympics, reflecting growing global acceptance.

2022 Respect for Marriage Act

The U.S. passes federal protection for same-sex and interracial marriages.

Present The Ongoing Fight

The movement continues globally, fighting against anti-trans legislation and advocating for true intersectional liberation.

Clearing the Air

It is a new trend
Fact Transgender, queer, and gender non-conforming people have existed in almost every culture throughout all of recorded human history. The only thing that is new is the language we use and the increasing safety for people to live openly.
It is a choice
Fact Sexual orientation and gender identity are natural, inherent aspects of human diversity determined by a complex interplay of biology and environment. The only choice being made is the courageous decision to live authentically.
Queer people want special privileges
Fact The community is seeking equal rights, fundamental dignity, and protection from discrimination. These are exactly the same baseline rights that heterosexual and cisgender people experience safely every single day.
Being trans is a mental illness
Fact Being transgender is a natural variation of human gender identity. Every major medical and psychological association affirms this. Gender dysphoria is the distress caused by societal friction and physical mismatch, which transition care alleviates.
Pride events are dangerous for children
Fact Pride is about celebrating diversity, love, and community. Teaching children about inclusion, empathy, and existence prevents bullying and helps them grow into compassionate adults.
It's a threat to family values
Fact Queer people build loving families, adopt children in need, and expand the definition of family to include chosen families. Love and support are what make a family, regardless of gender.
Bisexuality is just a 'phase'
Fact Bisexuality is a valid, distinct sexual orientation. Bisexual people are not 'confused' or in transition to being gay or straight. Their identity is whole and complete.
Transgender people regret transitioning
Fact Studies consistently show that the regret rate for gender-affirming care is less than 1% — vastly lower than the regret rates for almost any standard medical or surgical procedure.
Asexual people just haven't found the right person
Fact Asexuality is a complete sexual orientation characterized by a lack of sexual attraction. It is not celibacy, abstinence, or a temporary state of mind.
Non-binary identities are a modern internet invention
Fact Cultures across the globe, from Native American Two-Spirit identities to the Hijra in India, have recognized and revered genders outside the binary for centuries.
Gender-affirming care for youth is experimental
Fact Gender-affirming care is a well-established, evidence-based medical practice endorsed by the AAP, AMA, and APA, significantly improving mental health outcomes.
You can tell someone's identity by looking at them
Fact Gender expression (how someone presents themselves) does not automatically equal gender identity or sexual orientation. You can never truly know until someone tells you.

Understanding Queerness

LGBTQIA+
An acronym representing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and other identities.
Lesbian
A woman who is emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to other women.
Gay
A person who is emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to members of the same gender.
Bisexual
A person emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to more than one sex, gender, or gender identity.
Transgender
People whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.
Queer
An umbrella term used by some people whose sexual orientation or gender identity falls outside the heterosexual mainstream.
Questioning
The process of exploring one's own sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
Intersex
People born with a variety of differences in their sex traits and reproductive anatomy.
Asexual
A person who experiences little or no sexual attraction to others.
Non-binary
An adjective describing a person who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman.
Genderqueer
People who reject notions of static categories of gender and embrace a fluidity of gender identity.
Genderfluid
A person whose gender identity is not fixed and changes over time.
Agender
A person with no distinct gender identity or who identifies as having no gender.
Bigender
A person who has two gender identities, either simultaneously or varying between the two.
Two-Spirit
An umbrella term used by some Indigenous North Americans to describe Native people in their communities who fulfill a traditional third-gender role.
Pansexual
A person who is attracted to people regardless of their gender identity or biological sex.
Polysexual
A person who is attracted to multiple, but not necessarily all, genders.
Aromantic
A person who experiences little or no romantic attraction to others.
Demisexual
A person who only experiences sexual attraction after developing a strong emotional connection.
Cisgender
A person whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.