How Wes Smoot Is Unleashing LGBTQ+ Visibility in the heart of Dallas, Texas

Editor's Notes: I had the pleasure of meeting Wes at his conference, Unleashed LGBTQ+, and I was genuinely blown away by the community he is bringing together there. When people think of Texas, they don’t immediately think of LGBTQ+ rights or rainbow flags, but what Wes is creating challenges that assumption in a really powerful way. Through an annual queer conference that brings together activists, changemakers, creators, and industry leaders in Dallas, he’s building something rooted in relationship-building, visibility, and expansion of safe spaces. There’s a friendliness and generosity in the way he moves that naturally brings people together, especially in places that are often perceived as quieter or more divided when it comes to queer presence.

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Wes Smoot is a bisexual entrepreneur and community builder from Bastrop, Texas, just outside of Austin. Long before founding Unleashed LGBTQ+, he was already creating. “I was always an entrepreneur,” he shares. “I would have projects like selling graffiti stickers and T-shirts as a kid with my breakdancing crew, I got into producing events, and being very project oriented.” That early drive eventually evolved into a larger mission: building spaces that highlight LGBTQ+ voices across industries while creating visibility and belonging.

Five years ago, that vision became Unleashed LGBTQ+, a gathering that brings together activists, creatives, industry leaders, and allies in Dallas, Texas. While often described as a “Gay SXSW,” Wes is clear that the intention goes deeper than format. It’s about creating access, conversation, and community in places where those things don’t always exist at scale. “I am a proud bisexual man who would also like to create more awareness even within my own community,” he says. “I look forward to being part of a change that is very necessary, especially in today’s political climate.”

At the center of everything Wes builds is a belief in authenticity. “Be yourself, everyone else is taken,” he says simply. That mindset has shaped not only his work but his perspective on identity. He speaks openly about recognizing his attraction to multiple genders from a young age and identifying today as queer. While his experience has been shaped by both acceptance and tension, including moments of pushback within the LGBTQ+ community itself, his stance remains grounded in honesty. “Life is too short for me not to be exactly who I am,” he says.

For Wes, queer joy is simple but profound: feeling safe, accepted, and able to exist fully as yourself among people you care about. That definition directly informs how he thinks about space-making. “When we feel safe and confident in being who we truly are, it is much easier for us to unify and make a change,” he explains. "It’s not just about celebration, but about creating conditions where real connection and impact can happen."

He’s also transparent about the emotional weight of building something like this. As an entrepreneur, he talks about hitting walls, navigating uncertainty, and constantly having to motivate himself forward. “We have to teach ourselves how to do it, make mistakes, learn from them, and move forward,” he says. In those moments, even small practices like walking or going to the gym become essential resets that help him return with clarity.

"Be yourself, everyone else is taken."

And for Wes, that extends beyond the conference itself. With new projects including a vodka brand and an upcoming line of non-alcoholic beverages under Unleashed LGBTQ+, his work continues to expand into new spaces while staying rooted in the same mission: visibility, authenticity, and community.

When reflecting on his journey so far, Wes keeps it grounded. “We are all just trying to do something, leave our mark, and make a difference,” he says. And through that lens, what he’s building in Texas isn’t just a series of events, it’s a reminder that community can be created anywhere, when someone is willing to start it.

At its core, Unleashed LGBTQ+ is about exactly that: clarity of purpose, and a refusal to dilute identity in order to make space for it. It’s about creating something where LGBTQ+ professionals, creatives, and allies can show up fully, not just to be seen, but to connect, collaborate, and grow.

Follow Wes' Journey:

• Instagram: @unleashedlgtbq

• Website: https://www.unleashedlgbtq.com

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