Celebrating a decades-long career in country music
'Too Hot to Handle' reality TV star Chloe Veitch came out as bisexual in an interview with The Sun. "I realized, 'This is what's bothering you,'" she explained. "'You're bisexual and you haven't told anyone.'" Veitch added that it was a battle navigating her "flings" with girls, "I felt like it was my dirty little secret, so it has taken the weight off my shoulders." Having appeared on other shows like 'The Circle,' 'Eating with My Ex,' and 'Perfect Match,' Veitch said that appearing on straight-centric dating shows was part of the reason she hadn't previously opened up about her sexuality in the past.
Spanish goalkeeper Alberto Lejárraga's team Marbella FC won their match against Real Jaen 1-0 in April and to celebrate the team moving up to the next division, Lejárraga shared several photos on social media, including him kissing his boyfriend. He wrote, in Spanish, "Thank you so much for always being by my side, during the good and the bad. Now it's our turn to live it up."
Comedian and actress Mo'Nique came out as bisexual on her new Netflix comedy special 'My Name Is Mo'Nique,' which aired on April 4. She described coming out to her husband and admitting she wants to be with another woman sexually, "And he looked at me, so beautifully and so patient and so loving, and he said, [b---h], me too!'"
In March, Diplo came out as "not not gay" to Emily Ratajkowski on her podcast 'High Low.' When the host pressed further, Diplo explained that he doesn't "want to define that [he's] gay," and added, "I think the best answer I have is I'm not not gay. There are a couple guys … I could date, life partner-wise." He said he focuses more on vibe than gender.
The 'Real Housewives of Orange County' star Heather Dubrow announced in March that the youngest of her and 'Botched' star Terry Dubrow's four children come out as transgender at age 12. "Our job as parents is to give our kids a safe and supportive environment so they can grow up as healthy, happy, confident, independent humans," she wrote on Instagram. "Since Ace is a 12 year old child, with a long life ahead of him - we will let him tell his own story someday if he chooses to do so. All we can say is Ace, we love you so much and we are proud to be your parents. Your brother and sisters love and support you too."
In a February episode of the 'Zach Sang Show,' the host asked the influencer, who is previously out as gay, if they identify as nonbinary, and Rock replied, "I go by all the pronouns. I don't go strictly by 'they/them.' I go by all of them. Because I also am nonbinary, not because of like—this is the one thing that I'm not for clout about."
During a BuzzFeed 'Celebs Read Thirst Tweets' segment with her husband Dave Franco, the 'Community' star read out a tweet: "Listen I am bisexual for a reason and that reason is strictly to be used in a threesome by Dave Franco and Alison Brie." She then turned to Franco and high-fived him before declaring, "That's also why I'm bisexual." Fans freaked out at her unexpected reveal, especially considering her role in the indie film 'Spin Me Round,' which saw her making out with fellow bisexual Aubrey Plaza.
UFC bantamweight Jeff Molina publicly came out as bisexual in March after being outed online with an alleged intimate video. "Not the way I wanted to do this but the chance to do it when I was ready was taken from me," he wrote, explaining that there is a lot of homophobic culture around MMA. "I wanted to be known for my skills and what I've dedicated the last 11 years of my life to ... not the 'bi ufc fighter' that I'm sure would just be translated to 'gay UFC fighter,'" he wrote. Fortunately he was met with love and acceptance.
In an April interview with Radio Times, the actor, who stars in Netflix's romantic thriller series 'Obsession,' revealed that he came out as LGBTQ+ at age 19 to "anybody who mattered." He explained that professionally he didn't want his sexuality to overshadow his career, and that he was also scared to say his sexuality as something that's fixed. He credited the younger generation with throwing out the concept of defining someone by their partners. "I love the idea that whatever gender, sexuality, the fluidity of who you love, how you identify, is not fixed."
TikTok's chief operating officer, Vanessa Pappas, came out in February as "both a woman and non-binary" and announced that they'll be using both "they/them and she/her" pronouns. They are also pansexual and in a same-sex relationship. "Since representation matters, I recognize the importance of language in identifying and affirming gender differences," Pappas tweeted.
Sophie McKinna, the six-time UK national shot put champion and 2024 Olympic hopeful, came out as a lesbian in April after being out with family and friends for years. In an interview with Sky Sports News, McKenna said, "It's about time I wasn't just supported in this environment, but by the wider community," adding that she hopes by getting this out in the open she can focus on her skill. "It has been a bit of a battle," she said. "Part of me is of the mindset, 'I don't want this to overshadow my sporting career.' I don't want it to become, 'Gay shot putter does this; gay shot putter does that'. I still want to be Sophie."
The Norwegian voice actor came out publicly for the very first time in a February interview with Gayming Magazine. "It's strange to say this, but I've never officially come out as queer," he said. "If you follow me on social media, it's pretty damn easy to see, but I've never had the opportunity to answer that specific question in a public manner before."
Curtis Hamilton, the 'Insecure' alum, came out alongside the January announcement that he would be starring in the reality series 'The Real Friends of WeHo.' "I was super scared [to come out]," the actor tells us. "I hadn't told people in close proximity in my life … For me to go on a reality show and open up to the world with something I've just been telling the people that know me the most about, it was really scary. But I just felt it was time. I'm still scared."
YouTube star and CBBC's 'Saturday Mash-Up Live!' presenter Joe Tasker opened up about his sexuality in February, saying in a video, "I'm gay. So there we go. That's the first bit done," and going on to discuss the internal dilemma of coming out as a kind of spectacle. He also introduced his boyfriend!
Speaking to The New York Times, the 'Last of Us' star revealed in January, "I guess my gender has always been very fluid. Someone would call me 'she' or 'her' and I wouldn't think about it, but I knew that if someone called me 'he' it was a bit exciting." Ramsey added that in terms of pronouns, they "really couldn't care less," but if given the option regarding gender they choose "nonbinary."
Sources: (Outsports) (Go Mag) (Pride) (Queerty) (Gay Times)
See also: The best LGBTQ athletes around the world
Czech soccer player Jakub Jankto became the first active international men's player to come out as gay. "Like everybody else, I also want to live my life in freedom without fears, without prejudice, without violence, but with love. I am homosexual, and I no longer want to hide myself," the athlete said in a video released on February 13. His team, AC Sparta Prague, shared a statement of support saying that Jankto had already came out to his club, coach, and teammates "some time ago" and added, "No further comments. No more questions. You have our support. Live your life, Jakub. Nothing else matters."
The 'Emmerdale' actor came out because of an Instagram exchange about his role in the 2021 queer film 'In From the Side,' when a commenter wrote "I loved the movie and its actors are still very handsome but I still think that the actors are posing as gay but they are not." Lincoln responded, "Thanks so much – really appreciate it!!!! And no, I'm not straight." He later clarified to Attitude magazine, "I think the bottom line of what I want to convey is: I've been with women and I've been with men, and I don't prescribe to a label because I've never felt that that definition has offered me any clarity. And to be honest, I'm not sure any clarity is necessary."
The 'Stranger Things' star, who plays the closeted gay teenager Will Byers, shared a video on TikTok in January with the words, "When I finally told my friends and family I was gay after being scared in the closet for 18 years and all they said was 'we know'" over Schnapp lip-syncing to an audio clip that says, "You know what it never was? That serious. It was never that serious." In the caption, Schnapp wrote, "I guess I'm more similar to Will than I thought."
Miss Benny, the 24-year-old breakout star from the Netflix series 'Glamorous,' has penned a touching essay for Time Magazine coming out as a transgender woman. She got candid about her experiences first growing up in a restrictive, conservative community in Texas that was extremely religious and not queer-friendly, where she would pray nightly for a different body. "Over time I became highly aware of how unwelcome LGBT topics would be in my hometown. And so I kept my head down and looked for an immediate escape.”
That escape was LA at the age of 14. By the age of 19 she received the call for a role in 'Glamorous' as Marco Mejia, a young, non-binary makeup artist who is recruited as an assistant to makeup mogul Madolyn Addison, played by Kim Cattrall. Miss Benny said she "arrived as a diet version of myself" but the crew encouraged her femininity. It took time for the show to be picked up by Netflix, however, and Benny had “privately transitioned in my day-to-day life," so it was difficult to go backwards in a sense and play Marco. Fortunately Benny met with the show’s creator, Jordon Nardino, and executive producer Kameron Tarlow, and everyone was supportive in melding Benny’s personal transition with Marcos' for an ”authentic” storyline, which viewers can now see on Netflix. Though it was a scary move for Benny, she said, "If someone like me is out there feeling the weight of being othered, I want them to have a place they can see someone like us thrive and be celebrated.”
Brazilian music legend Gilberto Gil came out at the age of 80 in an interview on June 2. The former Minister of Culture, who has been married to four different women, revealed that he has also had relationships with men. He expressed the belief that we are all bisexual to some degree, but that the degree and the way it expresses itself can vary infinitely.
Olympic gymnast Tomás González came out as gay in his 2023 autobiography 'Champion.' “I guess it’s not a topic anymore, but yes, I’m gay,” he said in an interview with the Spanish website El Desconcierto. “If it’s about making it public, I prefer to do it in this book.” The 36-year-old Chilean athlete competed in the last three Olympic games and took home nine medals.
Pop star Lauv casually came out in a cheeky TikTok video, which included the text "when ur dating a girl but ur also a lil bit into men." He wrote in the caption, "Does it have to be that big of a deal? i havent done much aside from kiss so tbh don’t wannna jump the gun but tbh i feel things and i dont wanna pretend i dont."
Longtime 'Real Housewives of Orange County' star Taylor Armstrong came out as bisexual in a July 28 episode of the show.
Japanese pop star Shinjiro Atae came out as gay live on stage during a fan event on July 26. His brave admission was met with a moment of silence followed by a roar of applause. In conservative Japan, Atae was scared that coming out would end his career, but said, "I don’t want people to struggle like me."
Former 'RuPaul's Drage Race' contestant Adore Delano came out as trans in an Instagram video on July 26. The fan-favorite explained that she wanted to keep her transition private in the early stages, but said, "I’ve found that it’s been very enlightening, and has made me probably the happiest I’ve ever been in my adult life.”
Gabby Windey came out on an episode of 'The View' on August 2. "I have been seeing someone for a couple months, and I’ve been keeping it a little more private because it is a bigger story and a bigger conversation, because I’m dating a girl!” Windey starred in season 19 of 'The Bachelorette' and got engaged to contestant Erich Schwer, but they announced their split in November 2022.
Greta Van Fleet singer Josh Kiszka decided to come out on June 20 in response to the anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-drag legislation rolling out across his home state of Tennessee. “These issues are especially close to my heart as I’ve been in a loving, same-sex relationship with my partner for the past 8 years,” Kiszka shared. “Those close to me are well aware, but it’s important to me to share publicly.”
'Sex Education,' 'Barbie,' and 'Doctor Who' star Ncuti Gatwa came out in an August 31 interview with Elle UK. The 30-year-old has ignored speculation about his sexuality for the past few years until he casually identified himself as queer while chatting with the magazine about his meteoric rise to success.
'Let’s Make a Deal' host Wayne Brady came out as pansexual in an August 7 interview with People. "I am pansexual," he declared. "Bisexual—with an open mind!" He went on to explain his journey to understanding his sexuality. "In doing my research, both with myself and just with the world, I couldn't say if I was bisexual, because I had to really see what that was, especially because I really have not gotten a chance to act on anything," the 51-year-old revealed. "So, I came to pansexual because—and I know that I'm completely messing up the dictionary meaning—but to me, pan means being able to be attracted to anyone who identifies as gay, straight, bi, transsexual or non-binary."
'The Challenge: USA' star Paulie Calafiore came out as bisexual following his emotional elimination from the show. He made reference to his sexuality during his time on the reality show and later confirmed to GLAAD that he identifies as bisexual. He revealed that his background in sports made it difficult to accept himself. "I came through athletics, so that forced me to repress who I was, sexually," he confessed. "I didn't know if I was attracted to women, attracted to men, or if it was just like an energy thing. I'd be like, ‘I need to prove that I'm the most alpha human in the world.’"
In early October, award-winning singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens released his new album 'Javelin.' He revealed that the album was dedicated to his boyfriend, Evan Richardson, who tragically passed away in April. Speculation about Stevens' sexuality has circulated for years as fans tried to dissect his intricate lyrics.
Actress Sophia Bush was once married to her 'One Tree Hill' co-star Chad Michael Murray, and in 2023, she filed for divorce from her second husband, Grant Hughes. Bush is now reportedly dating American soccer star Ashlyn Harris, who has also just divorced from her wife, fellow soccer player Ali Krieger.
Drag performer Jade Jolie is known for her appearances on shows like 'RuPaul’s Drag Race' and 'The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula.' In October, Jolie came out as trans on social media with a post that read, "Deciding to choose myself and move forward with my transition."
Actor, writer, and filmmaker Sarah Ann Masse came out as bisexual in a heartfelt essay published by GLAAD. Masse was one of the first survivors to speak out against Harvey Weinstein in 2017 and continues to be a fearless advocate for survivors of sexual abuse in Hollywood.
Billie Eilish opened up about her sexuality in a November interview with Variety. While the star posted on Instagram saying "I love girls" in 2021, this was the first time she elaborated and confirmed that she is attracted to women. “I’ve never really felt like I could relate to girls very well,” Eilish told Variety, explaining that she has never felt very feminine. “I love them so much. I love them as people. I’m attracted to them as people. I’m attracted to them for real.” She continued, "I’m physically attracted to them. But I’m also so intimidated by them and their beauty and their presence.” Eilish also clarified her gender identity, stating, “I identify as ‘she/her’ and things like that, but I’ve never really felt like a girl."
Che Flores came out as the NBA's first nonbinary and transgender referee in an interview with GQ published on October 23. On coming out publicly, they said, “I just think of having younger queer kids look at somebody who’s on a high-profile stage and not using it. And I’m not using the league to an advantage in any way. This is just to let young kids know that we can exist, we can be successful in all different ways.”
Disney star Karan Brar, known for his appearances in the TV show 'Jessie' and the movie 'Diary of A Wimpy Kid,' came out as bisexual in an intimate essay he wrote for Teen Vogue. “There was public Karan and private Karan,” he says in the essay. “Both were real, but trying to hold them in one body was proving to be too much.”
As the years progress and younger generations grow louder voices, the public discourse on gender and sexuality simultaneously broadens and ushers in entirely new societal standards. How one identifies in terms of gender and sexual orientation has become much more fluid, and much less subject to judgment and mistreatment. Of course, we still have miles to go before we achieve actual equality, but that's why it's so important that stars with huge public platforms continue to come out to their fans.
With this in mind, click through to see the other stars in the LGBTQ+ class of 2023!
The 76-year-old actress was sitting in the second row at a play by trans activist and playwright Renata Carvalho, who reportedly asked members of the audience to raise their hands if they were bisexual. Sorrah pointedly raised her hand, and the internet went wild. "Bisexuals now own mathematics," one Twitter user wrote. "The bisexual representation we deserve," wrote another.
In Brazil, actress Renata Sorrah is best known for playing the villainous Nazaré Tedesco in the telenovela 'Senhora do Destino.' The rest of the world knows her as 'confused math lady' from the ubiquitous meme that shows her perplexed face surrounded by various mathematic equations and symbols.
Jessika Power, who appeared on 'Married At First Sight Australia' in 2021, casually came out as bisexual in an AMA with fans in September.
All the major stars who came out as LGBTQ+ in 2023
Celebrities like Billie Eilish, Gilberto Gil, and Richard Armitage came out this year
CELEBRITY Coming out
As the years progress and younger generations grow louder voices, the public discourse on gender and sexuality simultaneously broadens and ushers in entirely new societal standards. How one identifies in terms of gender and sexual orientation has become much more fluid, and much less subject to judgment and mistreatment. Of course, we still have miles to go before we achieve actual equality, but that's why it's so important that stars with huge public platforms continue to come out to their fans.
With this in mind, click through to see the other stars in the LGBTQ+ class of 2023!