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2025 Show Your Colors Challenge

When
June 1-30, 2025, your timezone
What
A challenge to celebrate queerness in your setting
How
Write an article that celebrates LGBTQ+ identities in your setting and share a link in a comment
Welcome to Pride Month! This is the second annual Show Your Colors challenge, an unofficial (community-run) challenge asking you to add some queerness to your worldbuilding. This time, I'm working together with Mochi to bring you extra-rainbowy flair.   This challenge is now over. Though it's unjudged, we'll highlight a few favorites after Summer Camp.

Challenge

Celebrate Pride Month by celebrating the queer people, places, and things in your setting.
Mochi and I are looking for worldbuilding made with love for the queer community - articles that trend positive, hopeful, or uplifting, even in the face of conflict and struggle. This challenge also encourages showcasing the human behind the screen, and we'll prefer articles that aren't made with generative AI tools.  

Rules

  • Don't over-exert yourself! Save your energy for Summer Camp.
  • The challenge starts on June 1 in whichever timezone you're in and ends on June 30.
  • Write an article during the challenge that celebrates queerness in your setting.
    • Your submission must be created on/after June 1 and submitted on/before June 30.
    • It must be at least 300 words, but there's no word count maximum.
    • You can use any template as long as the article supports the spirit of the challenge.
    • All work is welcome, but we have a preference for human-made content - articles without genAI text or images.
  • Submit by adding a comment here containing your article as either a mention link or article block. See sidebar for instructions.
  • This challenge is unjudged, so you are free to edit your articles after the challenge ends.
  • We'll highlight a few favorites after Summer Camp.
 

Common Worries

I don't know how to write LGBTQ+ characters.
We're just people. If you know how to write other characters, you know how to write us.
There aren't any LGBTQ+ characters in my setting.
Now's a great time to add some!
No, really. It's not a concept that exists.
And why not? Not only have we existed throughout human history, but there are gay penguins and transgender fish and many more examples across nature. In any society with expectations and norms around relationships and reproduction, there will be those who don't fit.
Okay but what if my article isn't gay enough?
As long as your article overtly relates to queerness, it's plenty gay for this challenge. This includes focusing on aspects of queerness, such as The Employment Contract of Charlie Lancaster , as well as focusing on other topics that happen to feature queer individuals, such as Sofi Casabella .
 

Hosts

Councilor of the Inner Sanctum Mochimanoban

Mochi
 
I hope you have a great day!   Explore the endless planets brimming with life of the Yonderverse! Go after creatures, discover new places, and learn about the people you find along the way.   Come prep for Summer Camp with me!

 
Creator of the Yonderverse and A To Zoo , Mochi specialises in worldbuilding creatures and ecosystems, but diversity and queerness is an important aspect of their award-winning writing.   Show Your Colors Inspiration
 
Creator of wow that's a lot of stars and the world you're on right now, Rin's specialties are in characters, relationships, and the conflicts that result. They love articles that focus on writing and storytelling.   Show Your Colors Inspiration

Grandmaster Those2Nerds

Rin Garnett
⭐ Cause problems in wow that's a lot of stars
✏️ Take a WA unofficial survey
⛱️ Vacation with ghosts in Su-mehr Qiamp

 
 
To add this badge to your articles, use the image ID 6677129

Submitting

Submissions are open throughout the month of June, in whichever time zone you're in. There are several ways to get the links needed to submit your article, but these are the two easiest:
  • On any page where you can see the left sidebar, click the magnifying glass (or press ctrl+k) and Search for your article. Copy either the bbcode link or bbcode block.
  • When viewing your article on your world, scroll to the button and click the clipboard icon to copy article block.
Paste your copied link into a comment here with any commentary you'd like to add, and you're done!  

Sharing

When making WA community posts, use the tag #SYC25 on posts related to this challenge, and #pride for anything related to Pride Month.

Submissions

This challenge ended on June 30.
All submitted articles are in the list below!

Grandmaster Make lore, not war

Imagica
           
I survived Summer Camp! Check out what I wrote in my Summer Camp Hub Article
 
Come visit my world of Kena'an for tales of fantasy and magic! Or, if you want something darker, Crux Umbra awaits.

 
 
The Legend of Cleo
Myth | Jun 11, 2025

Grandmaster Elven Obsidian Arts

Ørvar Blackwood
         
-TXMX (ae/aer, he/him, vamp/vamps)

 
 
Being Transgender in East Jyalb
Tradition / Ritual | Jun 25, 2025

Comments

Please Login in order to comment!
May 31, 2025 23:37

Definitely taking part in this! Also got a nice surprise seeing one of my articles used as an example <3

I can hear the stars, they are singing to me...
For more mystery and magic, check out the world of Starsong
Jun 2, 2025 14:09 by Rin Garnett

I happen to strongly relate to Charlie's struggle for gender-correct identification! Looking forward to seeing what you do next :D

⭐ Cause problems in wow that's a lot of stars
✏️ Take a WA unofficial survey
⛱️ Vacation with ghosts in Su-mehr Qiamp
Jun 3, 2025 14:03

Mireanda Aorelis
Character | Jun 3, 2025
  Meet Mireanda Aorelis, one definitely queer young woman struggling with the role assigned to her due to her gender, who is learning to push the boundaries of what it means to be a woman in a patriarchal and deeply misogynistic world.   This is a complete rewrite of one of my first articles, which no longer fit the character or my style of writing. The article was gutted entirely, so every word now in it (except the name of the article) was written after June 1st. If this disqualifies me, so be it, but here it is.

Jun 3, 2025 15:22 by Rin Garnett

We support polyamorous princesses in this house (and also article rewrites). Thank you for the submission! ❤

⭐ Cause problems in wow that's a lot of stars
✏️ Take a WA unofficial survey
⛱️ Vacation with ghosts in Su-mehr Qiamp
Jun 7, 2025 12:10 by Nimin N

Continuing on the same train as your Trans Day of Visibility event, here's the spokesperson & founder of the Font of the Radical Ego. :)  

Many-Hands
Character | Jun 7, 2025

Hierarch & Voice of the Font of the Radical Ego.

Jun 8, 2025 22:16 by Rin Garnett

Lovely to learn more about this person! Also impressive that you conquered the mountain of drawing *eight* hands. Thank you for the submission! ❤

⭐ Cause problems in wow that's a lot of stars
✏️ Take a WA unofficial survey
⛱️ Vacation with ghosts in Su-mehr Qiamp
Jun 11, 2025 00:10 by Imagica

This challenge gave me the push to try something new that was missing from my world, so thank you! I even doodled a bit (badly, but hey!). That little sketch ended up turning into a myth, which was a fun surprise.

The Legend of Cleo
Myth | Jun 11, 2025

I survived Summer Camp! Check out what I wrote in my Summer Camp Hub Article
 
Come visit my world of Kena'an for tales of fantasy and magic! Or, if you want something darker, Crux Umbra awaits.
Jun 13, 2025 21:28 by Rin Garnett

This is the best outcome we could ever wish for! Trying something new and loving the result :D

⭐ Cause problems in wow that's a lot of stars
✏️ Take a WA unofficial survey
⛱️ Vacation with ghosts in Su-mehr Qiamp
Jun 11, 2025 20:42 by Tynen The Mighty

I've been super self conscious of this article if it does respect to the community. Inspired by Harvey Milk and Alan Turing, I present Richard Hale.  

Richard Hale
Character | Jun 14, 2025

Jun 13, 2025 21:49 by Rin Garnett

Wonderful figures to take inspiration from! Thank you for the submission ❤

⭐ Cause problems in wow that's a lot of stars
✏️ Take a WA unofficial survey
⛱️ Vacation with ghosts in Su-mehr Qiamp
Jun 13, 2025 08:32 by Abby Goode

I literally just finished up my pride article at like, midnight for me! Here it is btw! I hope you, Mochimanoban and everyone else who sees this enjoys it! I also hope you like what their design references too! (Sorry, I summited the link wrong the first time, this should do it)  

Shifting Frogs
Species | Jun 13, 2025

Jun 13, 2025 21:53 by Rin Garnett

Hope you got some well-earned rest when you were done! Nice touch to have an intersex species colored like the intersex flag :)

⭐ Cause problems in wow that's a lot of stars
✏️ Take a WA unofficial survey
⛱️ Vacation with ghosts in Su-mehr Qiamp
Jun 13, 2025 14:34 by Asmod

Rambling lesbian 'werewolf' drama.

Not about leafy greens
Prose | Jun 13, 2025

Jun 13, 2025 22:25 by Rin Garnett

An apt title, it's not just about leafy greens, but also spiders! :P thank you for the submission! ❤

⭐ Cause problems in wow that's a lot of stars
✏️ Take a WA unofficial survey
⛱️ Vacation with ghosts in Su-mehr Qiamp
Jun 14, 2025 06:31 by Jacqueline Taylor
Jun 15, 2025 13:10 by Rin Garnett

Love a good masquerade! Thanks for the submission ❤

⭐ Cause problems in wow that's a lot of stars
✏️ Take a WA unofficial survey
⛱️ Vacation with ghosts in Su-mehr Qiamp
Jun 17, 2025 17:42 by Enoris Leinwand

I have an article in French, hope it still counts !

Hypo-crites et Hyper-fiers
Document | Jul 21, 2025

Article de journal au sujet de la Kissy-School

This was such a good challenge, thank you for the opportunity ! (I will probably work on some decoration / update before the end of the challenge)

Jun 23, 2025 15:37 by Rin Garnett

It absolutely still counts! Thank you so much for the submission ❤

⭐ Cause problems in wow that's a lot of stars
✏️ Take a WA unofficial survey
⛱️ Vacation with ghosts in Su-mehr Qiamp
Jun 17, 2025 20:40 by Annie Stein

this challenge really warmed my heart! i wanted to showcase some of the lgbtq+ characters in my world already, and encourage myself to add even more diversity. there's so many of my flags i didn't get to use yet! thank you so much for running this  

LGBTQ+ Characters
Generic article | Jul 21, 2025

Creator of Solaris -— Come Explore!
Solaris | Camp Chill | Summer Camp
Jun 23, 2025 15:40 by Rin Garnett

Love a good Solaris index! It will be fun to see this get filled in over time :D

⭐ Cause problems in wow that's a lot of stars
✏️ Take a WA unofficial survey
⛱️ Vacation with ghosts in Su-mehr Qiamp
Jun 22, 2025 22:49

Thank you both for running this challenge! It was great motivation to attempt to put one of my country's attitudes towards gender diverse identities down onto paper for the first time! Enjoy!

Gender Identity in Firina
Tradition / Ritual | Jul 18, 2025

Jun 23, 2025 15:42 by Rin Garnett

Happy to provide motivation for writing such cool articles! Thank you for the submission ❤

⭐ Cause problems in wow that's a lot of stars
✏️ Take a WA unofficial survey
⛱️ Vacation with ghosts in Su-mehr Qiamp
Jun 23, 2025 15:47

On the Sexuality of Dwarves
Ethnicity | Jun 25, 2025
  Here's my submission for this lovely little challenge. I love Dwarves, and as an Asexual myself, I've always seen their culture as something akin to that.   Hope you all enjoy, I will probably pretty it up a little later, mostly just wanted to get it all out in one go ATM :P

Jun 27, 2025 23:08 by Rin Garnett

This space ace enjoys some ace rep! Thank you for the submission ❤

⭐ Cause problems in wow that's a lot of stars
✏️ Take a WA unofficial survey
⛱️ Vacation with ghosts in Su-mehr Qiamp
Jun 23, 2025 17:27 by Leagsaidh

Elena (I hope the character article is linked properly) Thank you for running this challenge because it made this character suddenly spring to life and fill a story gap which has been bothering me for months. I will definitely be writing more about this character in future.

Jun 24, 2025 09:37

And here is my entry - thanks for hosting this challenge! It was fun to work out of my comfort zone as a writer.

Heart of the storm
Generic article | Jul 21, 2025

When the world rages with fury, salvation lies in their hands.

Join me at the sandy beaches of Aran'sha for new adventures.
Jun 25, 2025 01:34 by Ørvar Blackwood

What a neat challenge!! Glad I saw this in time LOL. Here’s my entry; https://www.worldanvil.com/w/mirthae-artisticarmoury/a/being-transgender-in-east-jyalb-ritual

-TXMX (ae/aer, he/him, vamp/vamps)
Jun 27, 2025 23:02 by BUGHOLDERS EPIPHANY

What started as an article about a gender potion ended up becoming about the history of it, gender expression, and how greed and oppression are ultimately pointless in the long stretch of people wanting to express themselves happily. Very happy to partake in this challenge :3

Gender Potion
Item | Jun 28, 2025

A potion that allowed the drinker to change their gender, and the history behind it and the world around a simple desire to feel complete in a broken world.

HEAD LIKE A HOLE//BLACK AS YOUR SOUL//I'D RATHER DIE//THAN GIVE YOU CONTROL

CHECK OUT WITHERED WORLDS


SUPPORT ME ON KOFI AND BANDCAMP

WORLDEMBER 2024 PAGE
Jul 3, 2025 00:51 by Elijah Hemlock

I'm definitely over the deadline but here's my submission! Writer's block was a pain but it's complete and it's also inspired some ideas for Summer Camp.   In this special issue of the Scorched Scrolls, we learn about "LGBTQIA+" in Oxerune. This special edition will have a much farther reach than our normal publications so some terms will be defined to keep our readers on the same page. If there was something you hoped to see, don't despair! This article has inspired us to begin work on an anthology dedicated to helping people learn about the different identities and cultures of Oxerune.

LGBTQIA+ in Oxerune
Generic article | Jul 3, 2025

Jul 4, 2025 23:52

Would you remove mine from the page please? The more I look it over the less I like it. I'll need to work at it a lot more before it's ready to be seen.

From The River to The Ocean, a civilization grows up. Under them both lies The Deeps.