Gay culture has become more or less accepted in the mainstream thanks to more everyday people coming out with friends and family, greater visibility on TV (thank you "Will & Grace") and even more political backing.
But that wasn't always the case, and for many, it sadly still isn't. The arts have attracted gay and lesbian people almost for the beginning, but it's only in the past few decades that they could publicly be out of the closet. And many of them have continued to advocate on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community in the hopes that others can feel as comfortable as they have become in their own skins.
Here then are some of our favorite gay celebrities who are proud to be themselves.
Date of birth: June 6, 1954
Year he came out: Unknown
What you know him from: "Mrs. Doubtfire," "Independence Day," "Bullets Over Broadway"
Why he's one of our faves: When it comes to coming out, actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein claims he was never in the closet to begin with - he was simply always himself. Fierstein worked his way up through the ranks of Broadway in the 1970s and wrote several plays, including "The Torch Song Trilogy."
He also has an innate funny bone, as evidenced when he played Robin Williams' gay brother in "Mrs. Doubtfire," who helps Williams "become" a woman to get back into his estranged children's lives. Fierstein also voiced Karl, Homer Simpson's one-time assistant, on an early episode of "The Simpsons."
Date of birth: Feb. 21, 1987
Year he came out: 2014
What you know him from: "Juno," "Inception," "Umbrella Academy"
Why he's one of our faves: Actor Elliot Page (formerly known as Ellen Page) came out in 2014 at a Time to Thrive conference in Las Vegas, and more recently came out as trans and queer in a letter to fans on Twitter in December 2020.
"I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive," he wrote.
Date of birth: Nov. 19, 1962
Year she came out: 2007
What you know her from: "The Silence of the Lambs," "Contact," "The Accused"
Why she's one of our faves: Jodie Foster "quietly" came out as a lesbian at a press event in 2007 when she thanked her longtime partner for always being supportive. However, she took to an even bigger stage to share her preference at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards, where she was recognized with a lifetime achievement award.
The two-time Oscar winner smiled and whispered from the stage that she had something major to share: "I'm single," she said, to much applause.
Date of birth: Jan. 26, 1958
Year she came out: 1997
What you know her from: "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," "Ellen," "Mr. Wrong"
Why she's one of our faves: When Ellen DeGeneres - both the actress and the character she played on the sitcom "Ellen" - came out in 1997, the backlash was swift. ABC, owned by Disney, soon canceled her show amid pressure from religious groups, and DeGeneres later claimed she didn't get much showbiz work for several years thereafter.
Fast-forward two decades, and DeGeneres's daytime talk show is a staple of the airwaves. Despite the controversy around her show in 2020, she's helped shed light on several LGBTQ+ topics as well as issues on race and gender equality.
For more openly gay celebrities, check out FamilyMinded.