Stock images are part of the language of the internet, helping readers relate to the contents of an article.
But no one is relating to these bizarre queer stock images.
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Articles published on news sites need a visual element, and stock images help when no other picture works.
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LGBTQ Nation often uses images from Shutterstock, a subscription photo service that says it gives users access to 370 million photos. And in those millions of photos… some are a little off-the-wall.
Here are seven queer stock images to help you feel more normal.
This one shows a gay couple watching a scary movie before going to sleep on railroad tracks. The caption says the photo shows “Non-traditional sexual orientation in nature. Concept problem banning gays and not being able to move.”
This lesbian courtship picture is captioned: “Two blonde women gently nibble on both sides of one doughnut in pink and white frosting. Lesbian girls play sex games.”
This picture is intended to illustrate LGBTQ history lessons in school. Fortunately, the students are paying attention harder than any students ever did.
This picture has been used widely on the internet for articles about LGBTQ teen depression. But that doesn’t stop it from being a picture of a boy crying on a bench while holding a rainbow flag.
Less known is this picture from the same photographer, just in case an article on LGBTQ teen depression is very specific to the U.S.
This is just one photo from a larger shoot involving these two women, who are portrayed as a couple “wearing sportswear covering one eye with hand, confident smile on face and surprise emotion.”
Who knows why they’re covering one eye, but at least they’re confident about it.
This photo is meant to accompany a story about judges who oppose marriage equality… if the victims of discrimination are particularly happy about being denied their rights.
The photographer wrote in the caption: “People in this photo are models/actors and may have independent political or religious beliefs than depicted,” just in case anyone thinks that these people are gay.
