LGBTQIA+ CELEBRITIES
RU PAUL CHARLES
RU PAUL CHARLES
RU PAUL CHARLES
Ru Paul Charles is known as the "Ambassador of Drag" with 14 seasons of Drag Race on VH1, which has topped Friday cable ratings and launched many drag careers. Ru Paul has won 4 Emmys for best reality-series host and says he first felt represented when he saw "Bugs Bunny outsmart the status quo with a wink and a witty remark."
Photo by Kevin Mazur
DAN LEVY
RU PAUL CHARLES
RU PAUL CHARLES
Dan Levy, co-creator of Schitt's Creek and member of the LGBTQ community, achieved 6 successful seasons and 4 Emmy nominations. Levy earned a huge fan based for creating a same-sex love story in a series that was free of homophobia, considered a first of its kind.
Photo by Michael Kovac
JOJO SIWA
RU PAUL CHARLES
JACK DYLAN GRAZER
YouTube and Nickelodeon star JoJo Siwa came out as LGBTQ pansexual in 2021 through posts on TikTok and Instagram. She lipsynched Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" and wore a t-shirt "BEST GAY COUSIN EVER" to confirm it. Siwa dates girlfriend Kylie Prew, saying, "She never cares what the internet said about us. It's nice to have somebody in my life like that."
Photo by Charlotte Rutherford
JACK DYLAN GRAZER
JACK DYLAN GRAZER
JACK DYLAN GRAZER
Jack Dylan Grazer recently came out as bisexual during an Instagram Live when asked, "Are you gay?" Jack responded "I'm bi," and quoted his Luca character, exclaiming, "Silenzio Bruno!" Fans of It, We Are Who We Are, and Shazam! noticed that they changed their preferred pronouns on their page after the conversation to either he or they identifiers.
Photo by Kevin Winter
CHRIS MOSIER
JACK DYLAN GRAZER
CHRIS MOSIER
Transgender triathlete Chris Mosier has instigated change in sports. Through his challenges of the International Olympic Committee policy, he was able to participate in the Duathlon Age Group World Championship Race and many events afterward. Mosier was the first transgender man to compete in Olympic trials with other men, and he was the
Transgender triathlete Chris Mosier has instigated change in sports. Through his challenges of the International Olympic Committee policy, he was able to participate in the Duathlon Age Group World Championship Race and many events afterward. Mosier was the first transgender man to compete in Olympic trials with other men, and he was the first transgender athlete to participate in the “Body Issue” of ESPN Magazine.
Photo by Slaven Vlasic
RICKY MARTIN
JACK DYLAN GRAZER
CHRIS MOSIER
Ricky Martin is a Puerto Rican-born superstar from the teen boy band Menudo, who later became a worldwide Latin sensation with "Living La Vida Loca" and "She Bangs". Ricky Martin kept his sexuality hidden until 2010, but is now proud to say that "I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am."
Photo by Getty Images
LAVERNE COX
AULI’I CRAVALHO
AULI’I CRAVALHO
Laverne Cox may be the most famous trans celebrity and activist, most known for her role on the Netflix series “Orange Is the New Black.” Cox was the first transgender performer nominated for an Emmy in acting, and became the first transgender actress to get a series regular role on a network series, “Doubt” for CBS. Cox has been a strong
Laverne Cox may be the most famous trans celebrity and activist, most known for her role on the Netflix series “Orange Is the New Black.” Cox was the first transgender performer nominated for an Emmy in acting, and became the first transgender actress to get a series regular role on a network series, “Doubt” for CBS. Cox has been a strong activist in national discussions about transgender people in the United States.
Photo by Sarah Morris
AULI’I CRAVALHO
AULI’I CRAVALHO
AULI’I CRAVALHO
Auli'i Cravalho of Moana fame came out in 2020 lipsynching to an Eminem song on TikTok that she is bisexual. Auli’i admits that she’s still learning when it comes to other identities in the LGBTQ+ community "I still sometimes slip up even with my friends, of integrating 'they/them' into sentences, because I'm so used to this binary of 'he
Auli'i Cravalho of Moana fame came out in 2020 lipsynching to an Eminem song on TikTok that she is bisexual. Auli’i admits that she’s still learning when it comes to other identities in the LGBTQ+ community "I still sometimes slip up even with my friends, of integrating 'they/them' into sentences, because I'm so used to this binary of 'he or she’” but she feels that her generation will try hard to normalize inclusivity, “I'm glad that these terms are being used in film, because that's just going to help me and help others use it in their daily lives."
Photo by Getty Images
RICKEY THOMPSON
AULI’I CRAVALHO
RICKEY THOMPSON
Rickey Thompson grew up in North Carolina, where he regularly performed in theater productions and was bullied for being gay. Rickey began posting YouTube videos about being bullied as well as about fashion, and funny vines about himself which brought him over 2.5 million followers that he took over to Instagram. Rickey starred in the You
Rickey Thompson grew up in North Carolina, where he regularly performed in theater productions and was bullied for being gay. Rickey began posting YouTube videos about being bullied as well as about fashion, and funny vines about himself which brought him over 2.5 million followers that he took over to Instagram. Rickey starred in the YouTube web series Foursome from 2016-2018, and then walked in his first runway show for designer Alexander Wang. Rickey is openly gay and came out on Twitter in 2016.
Photo by Rachel Murray
ROWAN BLANCHARD
ROWAN BLANCHARD
RICKEY THOMPSON
Rowan Blanchard Tweeted in 2016 that she was "open to liking any gender" and identified as "queer". She is known for Spy Kids: All the Time in the World, Girl Meets World, The Goldbergs, Snowpiercer, and the Disney Channel original movie Invisible Sister. She's a political activist for intersectional feminism, human rights, and gun violen
Rowan Blanchard Tweeted in 2016 that she was "open to liking any gender" and identified as "queer". She is known for Spy Kids: All the Time in the World, Girl Meets World, The Goldbergs, Snowpiercer, and the Disney Channel original movie Invisible Sister. She's a political activist for intersectional feminism, human rights, and gun violence, and was invited to speak at the UN Women and US National Committee's annual conference as part of #TeamHeForShe, a feminist campaign.
Photo by IMDB
STEVEN CANALS
ROWAN BLANCHARD
STEVEN CANALS
Steven Canals is a writer who made history with Pose, featuring the largest number of trans actors ever on scripted TV. His and Ryan Murphy's FX drama boosts trans and person-of-color representation on and behind the camera. Steven says he will feel good about Hollywood's LGBTQ representation when "Every network has at least one series o
Steven Canals is a writer who made history with Pose, featuring the largest number of trans actors ever on scripted TV. His and Ryan Murphy's FX drama boosts trans and person-of-color representation on and behind the camera. Steven says he will feel good about Hollywood's LGBTQ representation when "Every network has at least one series on air created by an LGBTQ person, centering an LGBTQ lead, played by LGBTQ talent."
Photo by David Miller
LIL NAS X
ROWAN BLANCHARD
STEVEN CANALS
Montero Lamar Hill is known by his stage name Lil Nas X and is an American rapper/singer. He rose to fame with his country rap single "Old Town Road" which topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and became the longest-running number-one song. Lil Nas X came out as gay while topping the Hot 100, becoming the only artist to do so while havin
Montero Lamar Hill is known by his stage name Lil Nas X and is an American rapper/singer. He rose to fame with his country rap single "Old Town Road" which topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and became the longest-running number-one song. Lil Nas X came out as gay while topping the Hot 100, becoming the only artist to do so while having a number-one record. He was the most-nominated male artist at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, and is also the first openly LGBT Black artist to win a Country Music Association award.
Photo by the AMA
MORE LGBTQIA+ CELEBRITIES
ELLEN DEGENERES
ELLEN DEGENERES
ELLEN DEGENERES
Ellen came out on the cover of TIME magazine in 1997 with "Yep, I'm gay" and spoke for the first time about why 'gay'. "Until recently I hated the word lesbian. I've said it enough now that it doesn't bother me. But lesbian sounded like somebody with some kind of disease. I didn't like that, so I used the word gay more often," she said.
Photo by NBC Universal, Inc.
PORTIA de ROSSI
ELLEN DEGENERES
ELLEN DEGENERES
Portia de Rossi from Arrested Development said when appearing publicly with wife Ellen Degeneres, "That was the first time that we actually stepped out together as a couple, but for me, it was the first time that I'd stepped out as a gay woman, really."
Photo by Jeffrey Mayer
JOSIE TOTAH
ELLEN DEGENERES
JOSIE TOTAH
Josie Totah, born in 2001, is currently one of the youngest transgender performers in entertainment. Totah first appeared in Disney Channel's “Jessie,” and then in the 2016 film “Other People.” It wasn’t until 2018 that she came out as a transgender woman.
Photo by Rich Fury
JANE LYNCH
CHRIS COLFER
JOSIE TOTAH
Glee and Marvelous Mrs. Maisel actor and lesbian Jane Lynch told People, "It was almost like I had a disease I had been diagnosed. I had a journal and I remember I wrote, ‘I am gay. No one can ever know this.’ And I went four blocks away and threw it out in somebody else’s garbage. It led to a life of secrecy that I had to unravel."
Photo by Paul Archuleta
ELLIOT PAGE
CHRIS COLFER
CHRIS COLFER
Juno and Umbrella Academy actor Elliot Page came out as gay in 2014. "I'm here today because I am gay, and because maybe I can make a difference, to help others have an easier and more hopeful time. Regardless, for me, I feel a personal obligation and a social responsibility." Elliot has since spoken out about being trans and changing his name and using he/they pronouns.
Photo by Victor Virgile
CHRIS COLFER
CHRIS COLFER
CHRIS COLFER
Chris Colfer is a gay actor, singer and author who won Golden Globe and People's Choice Awards for his role on Glee. In 2011 he was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world. Colfer wrote, starred in, produced, and novelized his first film "Struck by Lightning" as well as The New York Times bestselling The Land of Stori
Chris Colfer is a gay actor, singer and author who won Golden Globe and People's Choice Awards for his role on Glee. In 2011 he was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world. Colfer wrote, starred in, produced, and novelized his first film "Struck by Lightning" as well as The New York Times bestselling The Land of Stories series of YA books, starting with "The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell" and to-date has published 18 books.
Photo by Jennifer Graylock
ASHNIKKO
RUBY ROSE
RUBY ROSE
Ashnikko is non-binary and uses she/her and they/them pronouns. Their hit "Daisy" is renowned and they are pansexual and genderfluid.
Photo by Taylor Hill
RUBY ROSE
RUBY ROSE
RUBY ROSE
Ruby Rose enjoys a gender-fluid identity and told News Corp Australia "I am very gender fluid and feel more like I wake up every day sort of gender neutral." She prefers she/her pronouns but had previously wanted to transition from to male.
Photo by Kevin Mazur
SAM SMITH
RUBY ROSE
AMANDLA STENBERG
Sam Smith told The Sunday Times that they identified more in the middle on the gender spectrum when they released their 2nd album. "I don’t know what the title would be, but I feel just as much a woman as I am man," they said. Sam officially came out as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.
Photo by VCG
AMANDLA STENBERG
AMANDLA STENBERG
AMANDLA STENBERG
Amandla came out as non-binary in 2016 and has been an open activist for more non-binary representation in the media. Amandla starred in The Hate U Give and The Darkest Minds.
Photo by Frazer Harrison
LACHLAN WATSON
AMANDLA STENBERG
LACHLAN WATSON
Lachlan stars in The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and is one of the youngest non-binary actors in the industry. On Netflix's What I Wish You Knew: About Being Nonbinary, Watson said, "I identify as both non-binary and pansexual, which are two very fancy ways of saying I don’t care."
Photo by Randy Shropshire
DEMI LOVATO
AMANDLA STENBERG
LACHLAN WATSON
Demi Lovato revealed that they are non-binary "I've had the revelation that I identify as non-binary," they said on their Instagram feed. "I’ll officially be changing my pronouns to they/them. I feel that this best represents the fluidity I feel in my gender expression and allows me to feel most authentic and true to the person I both know I am and still am discovering."
Photo by Rich Fury