Gay Celebrities

Gay Celebrities Pushed Out of the Closet

Ellen DeGeneres

Probably one of the first and most notorious celebrity outings is that of the dashing Rock Hudson. Hudson was known as a ladies' man during his 30-year career, but when he came down with AIDs in the early 80's, he was treated like a walking plague while he searched the world for a cure. After his death, his life partner Marc Christian successfully sued the estate and brought to head speculations that Hudson was a gay celebrity.

While Rock Hudson may have been one of the earliest celebrities to be outed, he certainly wasn't the last. Pop rocker George Michael found himself abruptly shoved to the forefront in 1998 when he was arrested for engaging in lewd acts in a Beverly Hills public restroom. Since the arrest, he has openly admitted that he is a homosexual and has even incorporated his views on the subject into his music. In 2005, he announced his impending marriage to long-time partner Kenny Goss.

Others who have been forced into the limelight include comedian Ellen DeGeneres (Finding Nemo) and Anne Heche, whose long-term relationship was spread across tabloid pages in the late 1990's, culminating in their highly publicized break up in 2000. Heche has since blamed her homosexuality on mental illness and is now "cured", while DeGeneres has moved on to a new lesbian relationship.

Gay Pride

RuPaul

While some gay celebrities may still feel their sexual preference is their own business, other superstars have screamed it from the rooftops. Take for instance the dynamic RuPaul, who has became a pop icon as a drag queen. She has made a name for herself as a personality, a pop singer, and an actress. She is considered the first transvestite supermodel, and anyone who has seen her will never forget her. Male, female, or alien, you've got to give her credit for developing a charismatic personality and a traffic-stopping sense of style that few can successfully pull off.

Elton John came out as a bisexual in the 1970's and as gay later, and he is a staunch supporter of gay rights. In The Observer, he urged the UK government, which he credits as successfully having protected gay rights in the UK, to work with other nations to make gay rights a global issue.

Other celebrities have not been quite so flamboyant about their sexual preference, and yet it is not a secret that they are more than just adamant supporters of the Gay and Lesbian Rights Movement. For example:

• Rosie O'Donnell admitted she was a lesbian after rumors hit the tabloids. She used this heightened publicity to increase awareness in the fight for the rights of gay couples who want to become adoptive parents.
• K.D. Lang is a country music singer whose appearance put off many fans and critics as being too ambiguous. In 1992, she cleared up any questions people might have had about her stance on homosexuality when she came out in an interview for The Advocate.

Also Out

Other "out" gay celebrities include:

• Actor T.R. Knight (Grey's Anatomy)
• Actor Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother, Doogie Howser, M.D.)
• Singer Lance Bass
• Singer Melissa Etheridge
• Singer k.d. lang

Gay or Straight

Gay, straight, or bi, the issue of a celebrity's sexual preference may seem like a moot issue. After all, fans pay to see them perform, not to peer into their bedrooms. Even so, a number of celebrities have made a point of clarifying their heterosexual status. Included in this growing list of straight-and-proud-of-it are:

• Tom Cruise
• Oprah
• Ricky Martin
• Richard Gere
• John Travolta
• Alicia Keys

In Conclusion

While being a gay celebrity may make it more difficult for the informed audience to accept a leading man or woman in a heterosexual love scene, it does not have to mean the end of a career. Many well-known entertainers have made the leap into the homosexual spotlight and found they still have fans, or have created a new group of fans. These stars can, in fact, make a huge difference in the acceptance of gays by the general populace on an international scale.