The industry has also witnessed several celebrities and actors openly come out, discuss their gender identity, sexual orientation and the significance of nuanced representation in the media. Here are 10 Hollywood icons who are out and proud
(L to R) Neil Patrick Harris, Laverne Cox and Cynthia Nixon
In the last few decades, Hollywood has come a long way from stereotyping and misrepresenting the LGBTQIA+ community to developing and depicting queer narratives with realism, authenticity and compassion. The industry has also witnessed several celebrities and actors openly come out, discuss their gender identity, sexual orientation and the significance of nuanced representation in the media. Here are 10 Hollywood icons who are out and proud -
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Elliot Page
Elliot Page is one of the most outspoken trans activists and queer rights advocates in Hollywood. The ‘Umbrella Academy’ and ‘X-Men’ star was born female and lived as Oscar-winning actress Ellen Page but came out as a trans man in December 2020.
Page, previously married to actress Emma Portner, clarified his new name and pronouns in a heartfelt letter on Twitter.
"Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot. I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. I can't begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self."
Elliot Page credited the trans community for their support and has actively denounced state officials who continue to deny trans people access to rights and healthcare. Page recently shared that he feels much more liberated in this identity and also finds dating more fun than ever! He reiterated that he wanted to play queer characters that reflect his life and authentic queer lived experiences.
Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris publicly confirmed his identity as a gay man in an exclusive interview with People's magazine in 2006. In the interview, The How I Met Your Mother star said, "I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest."
Harris is known for his comic timing and spectacular hosting abilities. He is also known for films such as Batman: Under the Red Hood, The Smurfs, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Gone Girl, Downsizing, Dads, and The Matrix Resurrection.
Stephanie Beatriz
Stephanie Beatriz is known for playing the bisexual renegade detective Rosa Diaz on Brooklyn Nine Nine as well as for voicing Mirabel’s character in Alexander Hamilton’s Encanto. The actress is also bisexual and proud in real life and has used her stature in the entertainment industry for promoting bi visibility.
Beatriz was called out when she married a heterosexual man a few years ago. She has been candid about experiencing biphobia and bi-erasure and has spoken about how bisexual people are often stereotyped as either promiscuous or ‘not queer enough,’ both of which lead to invisibilization within the community. She has also stood her ground on how marrying a man doesn’t make her any less bi.
The actress has repeatedly lobbied for queer representation and authenticity, and how coming out is not just one big ‘talk’ with the world, but a series of tiny moments of fear, grief, joy, acceptance and defiance to oneself as well as the world.
Laverne Cox
Laverne Cox is one of the most recognizable trans actors in history. Bullied for appearing feminine and effeminate while growing up, Cox eventually came out as trans when in NYC and took up acting. Since then, she has emerged as a tireless advocate and leader for the trans and queer community worldwide.
In 2015, Cox gave a speech titled “Ain’t I a Woman,” echoing the speech of the same title given by activist Sojourner Truth in 1851. In the speech, Cox told her audience to have “difficult conversations” to educate others, raise awareness and combat presumptions and prejudices about the transgender community.
She also played the fierce Sophia Burset on Orange Is The New Black, a groundbreaking show that introduced queer women/and of colour on-screen and behind the camera. For Cox, ‘Ain’t I A Woman,’ is not a question, it is a defiant queer acceptance of her identity.
Jim Parsons
Jim Parsons publicly came out as gay in a 2012 New York Times feature, which delved into his role as a young gay activist onstage in "The Normal Heart," a Broadway show that primarily explored queer activism for AIDS and how the disease has repeatedly been blamed on the queer, and especially gay community.
Parsons has said, although his sexual orientation has somewhat impacted his professional life, as prejudices, myths and ignorance about the queer community are still rampant within the cis-het (cisgender-heterosexual world), he could never have anticipated the happiness and satisfaction that arises from leading an openly authentic life. The Big Bang Theory star has taken it upon himself to choose characters and roles that allow him to amplify lived experiences of the real gay community.
Tessa Thompson
Westworld and Thor: Ragnarok star Tessa Thompson has opened up about being bisexual and her close relationship with speculated partner, Janelle Monáe. She said that being open about her bisexuality has helped many others come out too. On speaking about representation of queerness on the big screen, Thompson also talked to Variety on how part of normalizing LGBTQIA+ characters is allowing them to just be, and exist, and not always necessarily associate queerness with an explicit romantic/sexual relationship.
Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monae has also expressed her identity as a queer black woman with candour. In A Rolling Stone cover story, the artist said that she first came out as bisexual, but then inclined more towards pansexuality as she informed herself more on the orientation. “I'm open to learning more about who I am," she added.
Jodie Foster
American actress Jodie Foster came out as a lesbian while receiving the Cecil B. Demille Award for lifetime achievement at the 70th Golden Globe awards. Foster had already subtly hinted about her sexual orientation even previously in 2007, when she had paid tribute to her then-partner Cydney Bernard. In a slightly eccentric yet elegant acceptance speech at the awards, she declared, "I'm gay!" quickly followed by an "I am single. Yes I am. I am single.”
Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch played self-assured cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester on Glee, but the real-life actress wasn’t always as confident about accepting her sexuality. In the webseries, ‘It Got Better,’ Lynch says that she felt differently from other people a long time before she realized she was a lesbian; and opened up more about the long but courageous journey one has to traverse for gaining some measure of self-acceptance. She hopes others can learn from her experience as well.
Cynthia Nixon
Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon has opened up about how she chooses to identify herself over the years. Nixon has been eloquent in how labels can be anchors but need not always be publicly disclosed when she said ‘queer’ is the umbrella term that fits her best. Nixon, whose son is trans has also been an active advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights.
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