It is finally the loudest, proudest, queerest month of the year: pride month! Hopefully, this list of 25 queer celebrities can help inspire some queer joy throughout your month and year-round.
Willow Smith - Willow Smith is the first celebrity on this list and has a solid career. The queer musician is the daughter of actor Will Smith, but that doesn’t stop her from pursuing a solid music career. The artist has six albums and collaborated with everyone from Avril Lavigne to Machine Gun Kelly.
Bowen Yang - If you’re a Saturday Night Live fan like me, you’ve heard of Bowen Yang. The NYU graduate is the first Chinese American cast member on SNL and is subsequently the first openly gay Chinese American cast member. He isn't only on SNL; you can find him in the 2022 movie Bros and the upcoming Wicked movie starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
Elliot Page - The actor announced that he was transitioning in 2019 and, ever since, has been very open to posting about his journey. The Umbrella Academy actor has amassed more of a following than ever before. Now the 36-year-old BAFTA winner has recently released a memoir titled Pageboy, detailing his struggles throughout his life.
Sarah Paulson - American actress Sarah Paulson is most recognized for her performances in American Horror Story. The queer actor has been with her partner, actor and playwright, Holland, since 2015. More recently, Paulson has been seen frequently with fellow actor and friend of three decades, Pedro Pascal. The actress has always been out and proud and has played queer characters a handful of times.
Janelle Monae - Glass Onion star Janelle Monae has been discussed since her career began. The eight-time Grammy-nominated performer came out as pansexual in 2018 and frequently used her platform to discuss queer issues. The nonbinary actor explained that their pronouns are “free-ass motherf— and they/them, her/she.”
Billy Eichner - The writer, producer, and star of Bros is the first openly gay actor to write and co-star in his major studio film. But the writer didn’t start this way. Eichner has done everything. From hosting his show, Billy on the Street, to appearing in Parks and Recreation and even voicing a recurring character on Bob’s Burgers.
Kate McKinnon - Kate McKinnon is the second SNL cast member on this list, but she was the first openly gay cast member on the show. Even though she no longer works on Saturday Night Live, Kate has continued her career as an actress and comedian and will be in the 2023 Barbie movie.
Sara Ramirez - The nonbinary and queer actor is most famous for their work on the tv show Grey's Anatomy. Besides being notable for their Grey's Anatomy character Callie Torres, Sara Ramirez has a phenomenal stage presence. The actor was on Broadway for a while and has even won a Tony for their performance in the musical Spamalot.
Miley Cyrus - Miley Cyrus has been a bit of a wild child to the public eye since her Disney career ended, allowing her to be open and express herself however she wanted. Most notably, Miley has never held her tongue when letting the world know she is pansexual. Because she was in a heterosexual relationship for a few years, it was especially remarkable that the artist continued to speak out on LGBTQ+ issues and was always true to herself.
Fletcher - Fletcher is an up-and-coming queer artist. Writing about everything from having a crush on her ex-girlfriend's new girl to the queer experience in general. Her 2019 single “Undrunk'' was her first popular hit and landed her on the Billboard Hot 100. Now the artist has four albums; we can’t wait to hear more!
Aubrey Plaza - Aubrey Plaza is currently one of Gen Z’s favorite queer actresses. Recently, returning to the spotlight after her role in White Lotus got her into the public eye again. Besides this, though, Aubrey has been working on quite a few projects. Starring in the film Emily, the Criminal and getting early fame on the tv show Parks and Recreation, this actress has always let her fans know that she falls in love with men and women all the same.
Lil Nas X - Lil Nas X is another of Gen Z’s favorites. The Montero singer is famous for his music, humor, and Met Gala looks. The 24-year-old Grammy-winning artist has quite the following on Twitter, and it’s no surprise why. After his four-month hiatus from the app in 2021 into 2022, the singer tweeted, “I’m so happy I’m back on the internet. I missed me so much.”
Andrew Rannells - Andrew Rannells is a Broadway star, singer, and actor. His talents aren’t limited to the stage, though. The gay actor has been a part of multiple on-screen projects, and not all were live-action. Rannells voiced Matthew on the show Big Mouth and was featured in Girls. He also had roles in the movies A Simple Favor and Welcome to Chippendales, among other projects he’s done.
Renee Rapp - This singer and actress has been very open about her sexuality and struggles to accept herself. The Sex Lives of College Girls actress has not only been on Broadway but recently released her first EP titled “Everything to Everyone.” Though only 23 years old, Renee Rapp is already starting to make her mark as someone who can do it all.
Hayley Kiyoko - Hayley Kiyoko is a former Disney Channel star, musician, and “lesbian Jesus.” The artist has been very open about her queer identity, and a lot of music revolves around this aspect of her life. She is most famous for the song “Girls Like Girls,” an LGBTQ+ anthem that states, “Girls like girls like boys do, nothing new.” The artist is currently on tour for her newest album Panorama.
Boygenius - This musical trio has been famous recently, trending on Tiktok constantly. Their sophomore album, “the record,” has taken the pop indie sad girl sphere by storm. The group comprises Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker. All three women are queer and amazingly talented. Even though the supergroup makes music together, each artist has a solo career worth checking out.
Frank Ocean - Frank Ocean is a bisexual musician who has always sung openly about his sexuality. With lyrics like “My guys pretty like a girl…” and full songs dedicated to his queerness, it’s not surprising he is a favorite in queer circles. The artist has been releasing music since 2011. Even though he only has three full-length albums, the artist is still well-known and loved for his music and talent.
Dove Cameron - Dove Cameron is a former Disney Channel star and a current musician and actress. The bisexual artist nearly broke the queer sides of the internet with her song “Boyfriend,” which is all about how she could be a better boyfriend to a woman than any man. She got her start in the Disney show Liv and Maddie, playing both Liv and Maddie and recently has been a part of the Apple TV show Schmigadoon. The artist has broken away from her Disney bubble, and fans everywhere are excited to see what she does next.
Stephanie Beatriz - Stephanie Beatriz is an actress most famous for her work in the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and, more recently, the Disney global sensation Encanto. The bisexual actor is very proud of who she is, even incorporating her sexuality into her character in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Rosa Diaz.
Ariana DeBose - The West Side Story and Schmigadoon actress a seemingly unstoppable force of talent. She is staying booked and busy. Besides her many skills in performing, she is also openly queer and has been with her partner Sue Makoo since 2017. The actress has always spoken about queer issues through her performances and social media presence.
Kehlani - Kehlani is a musician with seven released albums and has been creating music since 2016. The artist has been more open with her journey with her sexuality in recent years, telling the story of her self-discovery in 2021 on Tiktok. The artist used to identify as queer, then bisexual, and now is out as a lesbian. Kehlani is proof that labels can change and that it is okay that sexuality is fluid. The artist has been with her partner Kiara Russel since late 2022 and shares photos and videos of them frequently on her many social platforms.
Hunter Schafer - Hunter Schafer is a trans model and actress who got most of her fame from the HBO show Euphoria. Hunter refuses to let her career stop there, remaining booked and busy and continuing to model actively. The actress will be seen as Tigris in the November 2023 movie The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Hunter has always been vocal about her place in the LGBTQ+ spheres, and her character in Euphoria had a storyline revolving around her trans and queer identities.
Tyler, the Creator - The “Dogtooth” singer has quite the coming out story. Originally coming out on Twitter, and then years later, he addressed his coming out by stating, “I tried to come out of the closet like four days ago, and no one cared.” The musician has multiple lyrics alluding to his identity throughout his discography but Flower Boy, a character he created for the album of the same name, being someone that “makes out with guys” is most notable in this discussion.
Dylan Mulvaney - Dylan Mulvaney is an openly trans content creator and influencer whose primary goal is to spread positivity and inform others of her journey. Her name has been in the news recently, making waves with specific advertising campaigns, but Dylan's brand and commitment to kindness have remained strong. The creator is most famous for her “Days of Girlhood” series that she did on Tiktok. This series allowed followers to see the highs and lows of her day-to-day life and gave them a better idea of what transitioning can be like.
Billy Porter - Billy Porter is a Carnegie Mellon graduate who has extensively used his education. Actors and public figures have always made waves by being out and proud. He has attended The Met Gala several times and starred in everything from the 2021 Cinderella to Ryan Murphy's Pose. The 53-year-old has been working, creating, and performing nonstop since he began his career. In 2021, the performer revealed that he is HIV positive, but this diagnosis has never changed his passion and sparkle that people worldwide love him for.
Written by Lucy Anderson