Samuele Bartoletti: the fluid and cultured aesthetics of a queer voice that just wants to be itself

A cultured and fluid style, which ranges between fashion, cinema and photography, and an authentic and unique identity, impossible to cage in any stereotype: Samuele Bartoletti , a queer Tuscan creator with 332 thousand followers on TikTok , has conquered his audience with videos that seem like real film clips of which he himself is the protagonist.

Samuele has found his space for expression on social networks , just like many of his peers: according to a study by Hopelab and Born This Way Foundation, 82% of young LGBTQ+ people between the ages of 15 and 24 are openly open online, compared to 53% who do so in real life, while 61% perceive digital environments as "very kind", compared to 23% achieved by physical ones. In recent years, platforms have taken on a central role in promoting the visibility and inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community, becoming fundamental places for personal expression and the dissemination of queer content. We interviewed Samuele to find out about his journey and the role that social media has played in the discovery and valorization of his identity .

When and how did you start using social media as a tool for personal expression?

I started very early, as a teenager. I have always felt a strong need to express myself, to tell something about myself. At the beginning it was difficult, because I was afraid of other people's judgment and this led me to hold back. But inside me there has always been a deep desire to communicate, to free what I had inside. I started with photography, then with videos, painting... All ways to give voice to what I couldn't say with words. Art has always been my most sincere language.

How much have social media contributed to your personal journey and the definition of your identity?

Social media has played a fundamental role. It has allowed me to tell my story, to share a message of freedom and to reach people who perhaps felt alone or unheard. The love, support and energy I have received from those who follow me have given me the strength to not give up, even in moments when I felt that society was trying to silence me or make me feel wrong. Every message I received has helped me find the courage to always continue to express my freedom.

Your online presence has a very precise, cultured and fluid aesthetic. When did you realize that your way of communicating could also be a form of art?

Actually, I've always known it, since I was a child. Since I was little I felt that words were not enough, because every time I tried to speak I felt judged. This led me to look for other languages ​​to express myself. Art became my refuge and my megaphone. I always felt that my way of communicating would be different, I started expressing myself with photography, with painting and then with videos and that's where I found myself.

Is there a post or project that you consider a turning point in your artistic journey?

There is no single post or precise moment. My path is made of small steps, of daily choices. Every time I had the courage to show myself for who I am, even in fragility, I added a piece to my growth. It was a slow journey, made of many challenges. And precisely those small gestures, day after day, built what I am today.

Do you remember a moment when you realized that your online voice could make a difference?

I understand it every time I receive a message from someone who says “thank you”. People who perhaps felt lost, who couldn’t find the courage to be themselves and who write to me saying that my content has helped them, even just a little, to feel less alone or stronger. In those moments I realize that my voice is not only mine , but can become an echo that inspires other people to find their own.

Gen Z is often spoken of as the freest and most fragile generation. Do you identify with this definition? What does it mean to you to be queer today, at twenty years old?

Yes, I find myself in it. We are a generation that is trying to break old chains, ideologies that have conditioned us for too long. But it is not easy. Being yourself today, for me, means fighting every day for the right to exist freely. It means finding the strength to be yourself in a world that often does not understand you or rejects you. But it is also an act of love towards your own uniqueness, for our diversity that in this society is considered a defect, but which in reality is an asset because we are all different, we are all unique and we must learn to love and value our uniqueness, because it is a gift.

How can we build inclusion online, even outside of Pride Month?

I believe that inclusion comes from everyday gestures. From the simplicity with which we tell ourselves who we are. I do nothing but share my life, my experiences, without filters. And I think that in this way we can create empathy and understanding. There is no need for great proclamations: just show ourselves to be human. It is through the truth of our stories that we can build bridges, not walls.

What do you hope for the future of social media as spaces of freedom and representation?

I hope for a future where respect and education are the true pillars of society and social media. Where a person is recognized for their values, for how they love, for how they treat others, not for the color of their skin, their nationality or their identity. I would like a digital world where empathy is stronger than prejudice and where diversity is welcomed as a wealth, not as something to fear.