Queer people share the weird, wonderful and wholesome ways they’re passing the time during self-isolation

We’re constantly being told that quarantine and self-isolation during the coronavirus pandemic can be a time for self-care and learning new skills.

As entire countries face lockdown, and many more encourage social distancing, we’re all having to find things to keep us occupied.

But what are queer people actually doing with their unprecedented amount of spare time at home?

Someone please tell me why my internal monologue just said ‘LGBTQ but the Q stands for quarantine’ completely unprovoked

— Spencer ? (@SpencerrFreitas) March 17, 2020

anyone figure out how to be gay and do crimes during self isolation

— floraquarantine (@floramargarine) March 16, 2020

Writing gay fan fiction.

An entire Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson gay quarantine fan fiction writing festival has been created. Yes, really.

Rules state that the fan fic must include “nothing heterosexual, please” and be “respectful of the virus and its impact”.

This can’t be fucking real pic.twitter.com/nngrMn28jf

— erin (@guccidaydreams) March 12, 2020

Another Twitter user pointed out that while Shakespeare wrote King Lear while in self-quarantine, the King Lear of our times will “just be reams of gay fan fiction”.

bold of people to tweet about how shakespeare wrote king lear and newton invented calculus while under self quarantine, as if the king lear of our time isn't gonna just be reams of gay fanfiction

— joy is underrated as an artistic objective (@boldsurvive) March 14, 2020

Still supporting each other and fighting for LGBT+ rights, even in self-isolation!

While self-isolation might be stopping the LGBT+ community from getting together, it hasn’t meant that we’ve stopped supporting each other.

One university student took to social media to remind LGBT+ people about a student emergency fund for loss of income during the coronavirus pandemic.

Helpful reminder to Otterbein's LGBTQ+ population! Don't forget the LGBTQ+ Student Emergency fund. It's there to help you if you're losing income/work hours during the quarantine. Good Otterbein LGBT emergency fund for application details ???

— ??Serenity?? (@SerenityCpt21) March 16, 2020

Another Twitter user gave a shout out to disabled queer people of colour leading the effort of chronically ill and disabled people to look out for each other.

I just want to recognize that in the midst of this chaos, disabled and chronically ill people are looking out for each other, & queer/POC disabled folks are leading that effort.

For anyone who has read Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha's "Care Work," this is no surprise.

— Sarah Blahovec (@Sblahov) March 13, 2020

Many queer people have been using social media to point out that a lack of blood donations during the COVID-19 pandemic could be helped by lifting archaic laws preventing gay and bisexual men from giving blood. 

@Surgeon_General you’re asking millennials and gen Z to donate blood because of #coronavirus. You realize a lot of us are queer and cannot donate because of it. So if you want us to donate blood, let everyone donate, regardless of who they have sex with

— Michael ✨? (@chingonmaricon) March 19, 2020

They are calling for people to donate blood. Just using this to remind everyone that #gay & #bisexual men are still banned from donating.
MILLIONS of Americans who can't help their friends, families & neighbors in a time of crisis because of who they love. #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/yypwAoXQHe

— Jonathan (@TheJonHaines) March 19, 2020

Dying, bleaching, cutting, or doing anything else to their hair to deal with the self-isolation stress.

We don’t know who needs to hear this right now, but leave your hair alone.

One person asked: “How soon until all the queers in quarantine start dying their hair and giving their roommates haircuts out of stress?”

How soon until all the queers in quarantine start dying their hair and giving their roommates haircuts out of stress

— emmett nahil QUEERantine 2020 (@_emnays) March 14, 2020

And the answer is now.

hello gays i split dyed my hair and i really love it thank you quarantine pic.twitter.com/aZm4foTgBU

— gintarė? #WeTrustX1 (@hanleesmooch) March 16, 2020

If a gay is in quarantine with nothing to do, are they allowed to bleach their hair and have it be an understandable crisis decision? Asking for a friend

— Joseph Longo (@josephlongo_) March 16, 2020

I have already seen THREE gays bleach their hair while in isolation. I promise there are better ways to handle this stress

— Logan kittaka (@logankittaka) March 17, 2020

As one person pointed out: “I promise there are better ways to handle this stress.”

Enjoying the company of cats, and no one else.

You’re never lonely in self-isolation with four-legged friend.

It’s so funny seeing het couples like “after this quarantine I’ll be so sick and tired of my significant other haha!” And then seeing queer couples be like “we are having the Time of our Lives, Dancing in the Kitchen with our Cat(s)”

— distriburritor (@distriburritor) March 16, 2020

By their fourth day at home, one lesbian announced on Twitter: “My cats have synchronised their bathroom breaks with me.”

Another combined crafts and a love of cats, by making blankets for her fur babies.

Day 4 of Isolation: My cats have synchronized their bathroom breaks with me

— Rocky Mountain Lesbian ? (@alphasappho) March 19, 2020

im knitting my pets some blankets happy quarantine

— wheres the lesbian flag drake (@aswarmofbeess) March 16, 2020

Wine.

This activity is certainly not exclusive to the LGBT+ community, but it’s worth noting that the purpose of self-isolation is to stay home and keep yourself and others safe.

There should be no pressure to learn new things or achieve more while in self-isolation if you just want to kick back with a glass of wine and watch Queer Eye.

I haven’t done anything but watch queer eye, eat and drink wine during this self imposed quarantine.

— Aïv (@ItsAiv) March 15, 2020

This self quarantine shit is gonna be easy pic.twitter.com/5OAfigEc1H

— the sassy wizard (@problematic_gay) March 15, 2020