Remember the legendary Rock Hudson who had to hide his authentic self at the height of his career? While there is still a stigma surrounding the members of the LGBTQ community, more celebrities have come out of the closet to inspire others going through a tough time in revealing and embracing their true selves.
With the immense power that the stars have, it is crucial to speak about this matter for representation. Here we list some of the most vocal LGBTQ celebrities who are the biggest allies of the community:
Miley Cyrus
While songstress Miley Cyrus will forever be known for her titular role in the Disney show "Hannah Montana," she may also be famous for the moment she broke out of this image. Since then, she has been bravely proving that she doesn't care about what people have to say about her.
Cyrus also revealed that she doesn't identify with any orientation, which makes her fluid. She has become a beacon of positivity in the LGBTQ community, so much so that her Happy Hippie Foundation advocates the cause.
Elliot Page
Fans of "Juno" actor Elliot Page, formerly known as Ellen Page, know that he opened up about his orientation in 2014. Still, there was something missing that made him uncomfortable–fast forward to 2020 and he announced that he is transgender.
Soon, Page, whose pronoun is "he," graced the front page of Time magazine, the first trans to have done so. But coming out of his shelter was far from his goal: "The Umbrella Academy" star became hands-on in spreading awareness about discrimination against the community.
Tim Cook
"[A]mong the greatest gifts God has given me," was how Apple CEO Tim Cook described his being gay when he came out in 2014 in a revealing editorial in Bloomberg. He became the first official of a Fortune 500 business to have shared the truth publicly.
Prior to this, Cook's orientation had always been talked about, but he revealed that the tech official was inspired to come out after he read letters of kids being bullied and ostracized because of their orientation.
Drew Barrymore
Since she was a child, we have come to know actress Drew Barrymore as the adorable kid in the iconic "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." The younger generation may remember her for being one of the skilled private investigators in the "Charlie's Angels" franchise.
She also has a successful personal life, but in an interview with Contact Music in 2003, Barrymore admitted that she was attracted to both men and women. She also noted she doesn't see anything wrong with a girl having a relationship with another girl.
Billie Joe Armstrong
Green Day is known for its hits "Coming Clean," "Basket Case," and "Good Riddance." While the songs are arguably head-banging, not many people know that the frontman Billie Joe Armstrong is open about his preference for partners. In the '90s, the rocker revealed his belief that he was born attracted to men and women.
Speaking to The Advocate, Armstrong shared that all people were born this way but that we were just imposed with the notion that this concept was taboo.
Fergie
Black Eyed Peas' frontwoman and muse Fergie has always been vocal about her orientation. She often spoke of her admiration for women and how she loves to have fun with them.
While married to Josh Duhamel, the "Big Girls Don't Cry" hitmaker admitted that it was only through counseling that she knew it was bad to fool around with girls when she is in a relationship with the star. While her marriage to Duhamel eventually crumbled, Fergie seems to be fine being single these days.
Kristen Stewart
Many fans will still remember Kristen Stewart as the meek Bella Swan who captured Edward Cullen's heart in the "Twilight" franchise, but a lot has changed since her time with the vampire movies.
After dating her co-star Robert Pattinson and another director, Stewart explored her options and began dating women like Stella Maxwell and Alicia Cargile. In a 2017 interview with The Guardian, the actress, who also starred in "Charlie's Angels," confirmed that she is attracted to both women and men.
Kate McKinnon
It was in the '90s when "Saturday Night Live" star Kate McKinnon began questioning her orientation. Specifically, it was seeing Ellen DeGeneres that made her wonder about liking women because at the time, she felt it wasn't scary to come out.
But she may have been having thoughts about this as early as 12. According to Into, McKinnon had a "physiological reaction" after seeing Gillian Anderson in "The X-Files." A few years later, the comedian came out to her mom, who was fine with it.
Gillian Anderson
Speaking about Gillian Anderson, "The X-Files" star revealed that she previously had relationships with women, even going as far as detailing how she had a girlfriend when she was in high school.
Although she was married to multiple men, Anderson never discounted the fact that she would enter a relationship with a woman in the future. Still, the actress, who appeared in "The Crown" and "The Fall," doesn't like to make a big deal of her orientation because it is just one part of her.
Lady Gaga
Perhaps one of the biggest allies of the LGBTQ community is Grammy winner and pop star Lady Gaga, whose hit "Born This Way" has become the group's unofficial anthem. However, she clarified that she didn't like to be their spokesperson because they didn't need her to do so.
What she does promote is radical love for everybody, regardless of their orientation. As for Lady Gaga, she previously revealed that the meaning behind her song "Poker Face" was about her fantasy with women despite being in a relationship with a man.
Aubrey Plaza
"Parks and Recreation" star Aubrey Plaza admitted being attracted to both men and women to The Advocate in 2016. At 12, she found comfort in the theater community where she said she could let her "flag fly."
Thankfully, Plaza grew up in a household where everyone is accepting. Her younger sister is gay, so it makes sense that the comedian is open about her preferences. On top of her on-screen work, the "Dirty Grandpa" actress has a steady LGBTQ following on social media.
Kristian Nairn
Avid fans of "Game of Thrones" will always remember actor Kristian Nairn as Hodor, a hero of a few words who only blurts out his name when talking. In real life, he also doesn't say too much, except when asked!
Case in point: Nairn never hid his orientation; it's just that he was never asked about it! When asked about his awareness of his character's gay following in 2014, the actor casually pointed out that the reporter was talking about his community before revealing his orientation.
Frank Ocean
In 2012, R&B singer Frank Ocean, whose hits include "Lost" and "Pink + White," shared a statement on his Tumblr account, hinting that he was not straight. At that time, people speculated that his first love was a man.
His statement was crucial because Hip Hop is a genre known for masculinity and its attack on anything that shows femininity. Ocean's confession also came on the reels of Jay-Z's expression of support for gay marriage at the time, following former President Barack Obama's endorsement.
Jason Collins
Given that the National Basketball Association has been linked to machismo, we can understand that many players choose to hide in the closet. So everyone was in awe of Jason Collins when he revealed that he was gay in a 2013 essay for Sports Illustrated.
According to History, Collins marked the first openly gay to play for the NBA. He came out while announcing his retirement, and expressed hope that his fellow members of the LGBTQ community in the sports industry would be able to live their truth without repercussions.
Angelina Jolie
This may come as a surprise to many readers but "Maleficent" star Angelina Jolie previously said that she would date a woman any time. In the '90s, she even explained that she would have married actress Jenny Shimizu if she didn't marry her then-husband.
While Jolie has yet to update her fans about her orientation these days, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees advocate has been open about her support for the community, even praising Marvel for refusing to cut some scenes involving a gay superhero from the "Eternals" movie.
Victor Garber
"Sleepless in Seattle", "Argo," and "Titanic" are arguably some of Canadian star Victor Garber's biggest projects. While he is a known actor, he isn't a fan of delving too much into his personal life, so much so that he didn't make a fan-fare when he revealed that he was gay in 2013.
In an interview, a member of the press asked the Tony Award nominee about his Wikipedia page that stated Garber was living with an artist named Rainer Andreesen. While Garber doesn't talk about his orientation, he believes that everybody knows about it.
Wanda Sykes
While many stars came out of the closet before entering show business or while they were young, comedian Wanda Sykes was 44 when she revealed the truth in 2008 while at a rally in Las Vegas.
While her inner circle knew that she was gay and that she got married to her girlfriend Alex, Sykes needed to speak up at the time due to Proposition 8. She came out to her parents when she was 40. According to OprahDaily, the comedian's revelation wasn't planned at all.
Charlie Carver
"Teen Wolf" star Charlie Carver announced he is gay in 2016, but he already knew about his orientation from such a young age. He came out to his family in his late teens even though he was ready to do so earlier but feared that he would hurt his mother because she and his father divorced when the patriarch revealed he was gay.
Plus, growing up, Carver admitted he didn't feel safe in school because of his orientation and because kids weren't fully mature to understand this matter.
Amber Heard
In 2010, "Aquaman" star Amber Heard took the opportunity to announce that she was attracted to both men and women during a GLAAD event in 2010. While the actress, who previously dated artist Tasya van Ree, was proud that she was a member of the LGBTQ community, she admitted that she didn't want to be defined by her orientation.
Since then, a lot has happened to Heard because she had gotten married and later divorced "Pirates of the Caribbean" star Johnny Depp.
Sarah Paulson
When "Ratched" actress Sarah Paulson confirmed her relationship with Holland Taylor in 2016, she said that she didn't want to be labeled anything because what mattered was that she was in love with the celebrity.
The Golden Globe winner, who has been mum about the details of her love story with Taylor, also addressed people who always highlight their over three decades of age gap, describing it as "ageist thinking." In the past, Paulson was in a relationship with actress Cherry Jones and Tracy Letts.
Bella Thorne
Some stars decide not to create a huge fuss about coming out but former Nickelodeon actress Bella Thorne announced that she was interested in both men and women when she shared a snap of her and another girl sharing a kiss.
In 2019, the "My Own Worst Enemy" star clarified that she was actually attracted to a person's personality and not based on whether they are male or female. In the past, Thorne was linked to Tana Mongeau and Mod Sun.
Amy Winehouse
"Valerie" singer Amy Winehouse had always been the talk of the town when she was alive so her orientation probably wasn't as always discussed. In 2010, News of the World claimed that the artist told her friends that she was also attracted to women.
Winehouse reportedly said that she didn't mind what people had to say about her dating other women because she also loved her then-husband Blake Fielder-Civil, who was rumored to be dating a transgender woman at the time.
Marlon Brando
As one of the most influential actors of his generation, there's not a doubt that a lot of people know Marlon Brando, or are familiar with his movies like "The Godfather" and "Last Tango in Paris." Despite his success, he really didn't care what spectators said about him.
Brando, who was also attracted to women, reportedly once told his biographer that he had intimate relationships with men and didn't pay attention to how people reacted. After his death, Quincy Jones shared that the matinee idol had a relationship with Richard Pryor.
Anna Paquin
Actress Anna Paquin has been acting since she was young, and after becoming the first millennial to have won an Academy Award, it is safe to say that she has successfully carved her path in the entertainment industry.
In 2010, Paquin announced her orientation and later married her "True Blood" co-star Stephen Moyer. Since then, she has made it a point to slam naysayers who question her orientation because she has a husband, clarifying that her better half doesn't mind that she is also attracted to women.
Lee Daniels
Who would ever think that someone as successful as Lee Daniels experienced hardship when he was just trying to figure out his orientation as a child? As he narrated to Hollywood Reporter, his father threw him in a trash can after the patriarch saw him trying out his mother's heels.
Of course, avid "Empire" fans may be familiar with this scene, which is not surprising because Daniels admitted that a lot of sequences in the show were inspired by his experiences. Viewers may also get a glimpse of his life in the movie "Precious."
Lil Nas X
As a man of color who grew up in the hood, it was difficult for Lil Nas X to reveal his true self. He only came out to the public at the height of his success in 2019 in a post to celebrate World Pride Day, urging his fans to listen intently to his hit "C7osure."
The "Old Town Road" rapper then shared a snap of a zoomed in rainbow on a building after his fans seemingly didn't get what he was hinting about.
Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe, who gained waves for her debut album "The ArchAndroid," is also a member of the LGBTQ community. While she let her fans understand that she is flexible when it comes to the genre she performs, she also announced that she is non-binary in April 2022.
In 2018, Monáe shared that she didn't look at a person based on their orientation but rather their energy. In a "Red Table Talk" interview, the singer noted how she doesn't look at how people identify themselves but rather how beautiful their spirit is.
Brendon Urie
Panic! At The Disco is known for its songs "House of Memories," "High Hopes," and "New Perspective." Moreover, its frontman, Brendon Urie, is famous for being an ally of the LGBTQ community after he came out in 2018.
At the time, he revealed that he was attracted to "just people," hinting that he doesn't regard a person's orientation when falling in love. Urie is happily married to Sarah since 2013 but has been open about being fluid even when he has a wife.
Andrew Scott
"Fleabag" star Andrew Scott may be a member of the rainbow community but he doesn't want it when people describe him as "openly gay." That's because for him, the statement "implies a defiance," which he simply doesn't feel.
Despite his orientation, Scott played the straight love interest of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's character in the mentioned series. While many criticized stars who portray gay roles when they are not in real life, Scott maintained that his orientation doesn't affect his acting abilities.
Jason Mraz
"I'm Yours" hitmaker Jason Mraz may be great at wordplay but his fans are quicker to decipher what he really means by his phrases. In a letter for Pride Month for Billboard Magazine, the singer expressed his gratitude to his LGBTQ fans, before saying "know I am bi your side."
Many fans took this as Mraz's coming out, and a few months later, the "Wordplay" singer confirmed that the speculations were true. However, he said that even he didn't anticipate this fact.
Tessa Thompson
Just how powerful can a celebrity get when they come out? In the case of "Thor: Ragnarok" star Tessa Thompson, she inspired a lot of LGBTQ fans to come out after she did in 2018. In 2022, she told People how many supporters wrote to her about how they were able to tell their families because of her.
While she also noted how Hollywood puts a lot of pressure on celebrities when it comes to their orientations, Thompson is lucky enough to have supportive people behind her.
Rebecca Black
Singer Rebecca Black shot to stardom after releasing "Friday" in 2011 but it wasn't in a good way. Still, that won't stop her from living her truth because she revealed that she was attracted to both men and women.
However, Black told a podcast show that she made a conscious effort not to come out because she felt that she was still in the process. Still, she felt that she was queer and wouldn't put a label on herself. She did come out of a relationship with a woman.
Alia Shawkat
Everyone who has been following the Brad Pitt-Angelina Jolie break-up may have come across Alia Shawkat, who starred as Maeby in "Arrested Development." The latter star slammed the media for this and maintained that she was not in a relationship with the hunk.
Still, many would find out that Shawkat is interested in both men and women. It wasn't something that she had hidden from the public but it was something that wasn't asked. She was also at the helm of the LGBTQ movie on Netflix called "Duck Butter."
Annie Clark
It's impossible not to know Annie Clark, professionally known as St. Vincent, because she is a Grammy awardee whose signature is complicated musical arrangements. Moreover, she has become an LGBTQ icon, who has been linked to several high-profile women like Cara DeLevingne and Kristen Stewart.
When asked about her orientation in 2014, Clark said she wouldn't put a label on it because she only preferred fluidity. Still, many predicted that she is either gay or preferred both men and women in her relationships.
Vanessa Carlton
Remember "A Thousand Miles," the hit that will forever be associated with the movie "White Chicks"? Vanessa Carlton is the brains behind this LSS-inducing hit, but there's more to this song than its catchy tune–or at least that is what fans feel.
In 2010, Carlton revealed in a Nashville concert that she was proud to say that she was interested in both men and women. So when she said that her song was about a person she had a crush on at Juilliard School, many predicted that it could be Sara Ramirez.
Halsey
Singer Halsey, who uses the pronoun they/them, knows what they really want so much so that they call out anyone that does them wrong, including the time they slammed Buzzfeed for an article that analyzed their orientation and celebrity status.
In the past, Halsey opened up about being attracted to both men and women, explaining that they had long been trying to validate themselves to their friends and trying to tell them that whom the singer loved wasn't a phase.
Jim Parsons
Someone as big as Jim Parsons, who is known for playing Sheldon in the hit show "Big Bang Theory," may probably find it hard to hide anything from his fans. But still, he managed to surprise them when he came out quietly on a New York Times profile in 2012.
Although Parsons admitted that it was a scary moment for him, especially because he is in Hollywood, he lives his truth and has found love in Todd Spiewak, his long-time partner whom he married in 2014.
Billy Eichner
As part of the LGBTQ community, writer and comedian Billy Eichner doesn't hesitate to amplify the group's voice as many times as possible. On top of being the first openly gay to star and write his studio movie, he also made history when he cast actors from the spectrum for the rom-com "Bros."
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Eichner underlined how crucial it was to hire LGBTQ stars for the roles after the industry's history of using straight celebrities for these parts.
Ben Platt
Unlike many stars that choose to keep their orientation from their family and friends, "Pitch Perfect" actor Ben Platt has been open about being gay to his inner circle since he was 12. In fact, he has not shied away from this topic but only told the public at the height of his career.
In 2022, Platt got engaged to Noah Galvin, and their connection is quite insane. The former star played the titular character in "Dear Evan Hansen" the musical from 2016 to 2017 and then the latter succeeded him for two months after.
Sam Smith
"Stay With Me" hitmaker Sam Smith's orientation was long the topic of conversations in the past but they revealed that they didn't want to put any label on it in 2017. However, two years later, they clarified that they float somewhere in between a man and a woman and therefore identified as nonbinary.
On top of his orientation, Smith, who also released "Too Good At Goodbyes," also talked about the pressure of being a celebrity and how conversations about his weight ignited body image issues.
Jameela Jamil
In 2020, "The Good Place" actress Jameela Jamil unexpected;y came out following the backlash she received when she was announced to be a judge on an HBO Max show. She took to Twitter to reveal that she identified as queer, something that was difficult for her to say because feared she wouldn't be accepted.
Moreover, Jamil, whose parents are Indian and Pakistani, also expressed hesitation in coming out of the closet out of fear that she would be judged by the South Asian community.
Demi Lovato
Since her "Camp Rock" days, Demi Lovato has become braver in revealing the truth about herself, including her journey to her orientation today. In 2021, she told Joe Rogan that she is interested in both men and women.
The "Sorry Not Sorry" hitmaker also noted that she has become so fluid because of how she remained closeted for a long time. Lovato narrated that she first explored the possibility when she saw the movie "Cruel Intentions" in the '90s.
Ariana Grande
When Grammy winner Ariana Grande released the song "Monopoly," which bore the lyrics "I like women and men," she came under fire and was accused of queer baiting. However, the singer explained that she had not labeled herself and wasn't ready to do so as well at the time.
Since then, Grande has become one of the staunchest allies of the LGBTQ community, even writing a love letter for them during Pride Month. In 2019, she also defended them after a person held a discriminatory sign during her concert.
Lana and Lilly Wachowski
"The Matrix" wouldn't have hit the theaters if it weren't for the brilliant Wachowski siblings. But as much as they were the brains behind the franchise, they admitted that not everyone figured out the meaning behind the films.
Lilly revealed that it was an allegro for transgender but they didn't reveal the truth in the late '90s because they believed that the market wasn't ready for it. She came out as trans in 2016 but not by her own will. Her sister, Lana, revealed the truth four years earlier.
Evan Rachel Wood
"Westworld" actress Evan Rachel Wood revealed her orientation on Twitter in 2012, and while she had been married to a man, she has also been drawn to women. Her awakening started when she was just 12, and as she has always thought of girls as beautiful, she didn't think anything deeper into her emotions.
In her teenage years, Wood tried to bury her feelings because of the hate speech that surrounded her. She detailed her journey, along with the violence she experienced, in a YouTube video.
Luke Evans
Bad news for ladies who are crushing hard on Gaston from the live action movie "Beauty and the Beast," Luke Evans, the actor who played the part, prefers men. While some stars have qualms about gay celebrities portraying straight characters, the hunk doesn't think that way, admitting that he wouldn't have had a prolific career if this was the case.
Evans has been leading his life as an openly gay since his teens but then had to come out of the closet again when he entered show business in his 30s.
Cara Delevingne
Being a celebrity can be tough, especially because some aspects of their lives are difficult to share with the public. Model Cara Delevingne, for instance, took a while to come out of her hiding because she was afraid of what people would say to her and about the people she had dated.
Delevingne admitted that she did not easily come to terms with her queerness as a child and even though her siblings were there to support her, she felt that it was a journey that she had to understand on her own.
Laverne Cox
This list will never be complete without "Inventing Anna" star Laverne Cox, who is a champion of the LGBTQ community. That's because she has been breaking history, just like when she became the first trans woman to have been Emmy nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for the show "Orange Is The New Black."
That's not all, she also became the first trans woman to have ever inspired her own Barbie toy! The activist also helped fight for the trans rights movement.
BD Wong
Fans of the police drama "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" will recognize this face as psychologist George Huang. However, not many know that he is also a stage actor who has a Tony Award under his belt.
More than this, he is also proud to be gay, and die-hard supporters probably know this from the start of his career. Apart from a successful run in Hollywood, Wong is also happily married to Richert Schnorr, who he had been dating for eight years before tying the knot.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson
What's not to love about Broadway star Jesse Tyler Ferguson? His character in "Modern Family" is a fan favorite. The actor himself boasts a sizable number of followers, perhaps because he tries to be his most authentic.
For instance, Ferguson came out to his parents in a hilarious and unexpected manner when he was just in high school. And even though his father wasn't as accepting of the fact at first, the patriarch eventually became happy for his son, even dancing during the boy's wedding day.
Ellen DeGeneres
Syndicated TV show host Ellen DeGeneres has one of the most unforgettable coming out stories. At the height of the TV program she was starring in during the '90s, the comedian graced the cover of Time magazine to announce that "Yep, I'm Gay."
Unfortunately, society was tough and unforgiving, and sponsors pulled out of her show that used to rake in millions of viewers. But while not everyone loved that DeGeneres' character announced that she was gay, it certainly catapulted her to greater heights.
Elton John
As one of the biggest musicians in the world, Elton John has been admirably open about his orientation for the longest time. In 1976, the "Rocketman" hitmaker announced that he was attracted to both men and women before saying he was "comfortable being gay" more than a decade later.
John has since been an LGBTQ advocate. In 2019, he encouraged struggling kids from the spectrum, to be proud of who they are. At the same time, the Grammy winner acknowledged that he was privileged when he came out to the industry.
Troye Sivan
Even before Troye Sivan became famous, it was already clear that he wasn't straight. At 15, he told his family that he was a member of the LGBTQ community and three years later., he told his followers on YouTube through a video titled "Coming Out."
For him, it was crucial that he came out of the closet on his own terms. Growing up with less representation on TV, Sivan said that he didn't want to live in fear so he became in charge of how he announced his orientation prior to his career launch.
Raven-Symoné
Die-hard fans of the Disney show "That's So Raven" will remember Raven-Symoné as the psychic student who was in love with Devon. However, in real life, the actress wasn't interested in dating men, a fact that she already knew when she was just barely a teen.
Raven hid her emotions for so long but since she came out, she has become one of the most vocal when it comes to LGBTQ rights. Still, she decided not to let her iconic character become gay in the spin-off "Raven's Home" because she said she let the role get her moment.
Neil Patrick Harris
It is very ironic that Neil Patrick Harris plays a ladies' man named Barney Stinson in the iconic show "How I Met Your Mother" but he is far from the character in real life. At the height of his success, the actor announced that he was gay in 2006.
Harris has since been a gay icon, even though he refused the title. He is happily married to David Burtka, whom he met in 2004 on a street. They publicized their relationship three years later and welcomed their twins in 2010.