LGBTQ Celebrities
LGBTQ Celebrities and Their Involvement in the LGBTQ Community
Introduction:
Identifying your sexuality or finding the right way to come out can be tough; especially if you’re someone who doesn’t have any guidance from close family or friends. In recent years, many celebrities have taken it upon themselves to pave the way in the LGBTQ community to increase awareness and express their own individual sexualities. Below are some well-known icons and their involvement within the LGBTQ community.
Laverne Cox
Most know her from starring in the Netflix original series, Orange Is the New Black; however, others may know her from her LGBTQ+ advocacy and the stance she takes on vouching for more public policies that accept transgender individuals in society. To spread word, she has involved herself with Taylor Swift’s song that supports the Equality Act, “You Need to Calm Down”, as well as her involvement in Smirnoff’s “Welcome Home” Campaign, where she is in New York welcoming individuals for the WorldPride event. Looking ahead towards the future, Laverne hopes that the safety of trans individuals is increased and policies limiting trans people are decreased.
Halsey
Halsey, a notorious song writer and performer, has opened up about her experience trying to “prove” who she is to her family. She has focused her advocacy on trying to diminish certain challenges that arise with being bisexual, including erasure and eliminating the term of being in a “sexual phase”. In order to create awareness, Halsey focuses on including sexuality in her music and contributing as a donor to pro-LGBTQ organizations.
Ellen DeGeneres:
Ellen DeGeneres, known largely for her comedy talk show and generous gifts, is an openly gay woman who hasn’t had the best response to her coming out. In 1997, she announced her sexuality on public stage in front of millions of viewers. Her coming out had a back lash that none expected, putting her out of work for years – until she debuted as Dory on Finding Nemo. Since then, Ellen has used her platform to fight against anti-LGBTQ laws and focuses on helping LGBTQ teens who are facing bigotry in the United States.
Sam Smith:
Sam Smith, known for being a popular pop music singer, has recently come out as nonbinary and gender queer, in order to embrace himself for who he really is. In an open interview, he stated "Non-binary, genderqueer is that you do not identify in a gender”. “You are a mixture of all different things. You are your own special creation. That's how I take it. I'm not male or female, I think I float somewhere in between. It's all on a spectrum. I think the same with sexuality.” Since his coming out, he has been focusing on finding himself and advocating for the proper pronoun usage to describe those in his current position.
- Shayla Bannert
Resources:
4) https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49688123