Coming out is celebrated now more than ever. While we still live in a world where being LGBTQIA+ can be dangerous, the bravery of celebs like these help normalize and encourage acceptance.
Here are some of the most notable members of the community from 2019, brought to you by your friendly neighborhood bisexual (aka me, duh).
Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X defined the year with his seemingly infinite remixes of “Old Town Road.”
He also defined his sexuality: he’s gay, and he truly doesn’t care who knows it. King.
Willow Smith
The daughter of Will and Jada said her ideal relationship is with a man and a woman.
“I love men and women equally and so I would definitely want one man, one woman. I feel like I could be polyfidelitous with those two people,” she said .
Lilly Singh
The host of A Little Late with Lilly Singh came out as bi in February.
Lilly is a mega-star YouTuber who successfully crossed over to mainstream media with her late night show on NBC. She is also a queen.
Eugene Lee Yang
Eugene Lee Yang decided to use his platform as a big time YouTuber to tell his story, and it’s a beautiful one .
His coming out video is a fundraiser for the Trevor Project, which you can contribute to here .
Tess Holliday
Tess accidentally came out in a hilarious way.
“I said, ‘Thank you so much for asking. I’ve been thinking a lot about my relationship to my own queerness, and I think the word pansexual speaks to me more than bi does.
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“He said, ‘Thank you for telling me about that, but actually, I said, ‘Are you buying?'”
Dan Howell
YouTuber Dan Howell, one half of of the duo Dan and Phil, came out as gay in June in the most YouTuber way possible: he uploaded a video titled, “Basically I’m Gay.”
Yup, that’ll do it!
Phil Lester
Not ones to do anything apart, Phil uploaded his own video two weeks later revealing that he too was gay.
Together, Dan and Phil’s coming out videos have over 13 million views!
Bella Thorne
Actress Bella Thorn came out as pansexual this year.
“You like beings. You like what you like. Doesn’t have to be a girl, or a guy, or a he, a she, a they, or this or that. It’s literally, you like personality, you just like a being.”
Jonathan Van Ness
Already out as gay, Jonathan came out as non-binary (he still uses he/him pronouns) this year. As a child, he was shamed for dressing in a “feminine” way.
“As an adult, I really busted out of that… but I didn’t really put that together with ‘gender nonconforming’ or ‘nonbinary’ or owning that as an identity until recent[ly].”
Tyler Blackburn
Roswell: New Mexico and Pretty Little Liars star Tyler Blackburn came out to The Advocate .
“I’m queer,” he said, proudly. “I’ve identified as bisexual since a teenager.”
We have to stan. Forever.
Ben Platt
Broadway and Pitch Perfect ‘s Ben Platt came out in the most Ben Platt way possible: in a music video.
“I’ve been out since I was 12 years old to my family and anyone in my life.
“I’ve never sort of hidden that or been ashamed by it. It’s just part of me,” he said .
Julianne Hough
Julianne came out to her husband, Brooks Laich.
“I told him, ‘You know I’m not straight, right?’ And he was like, ‘I’m sorry, what?’ I was like, ‘I’m not. But I choose to be with you.'”
Valentina
The RuPaul’s Drag Race star came out as non-binary.
“I identify as nonbinary,” they said. “I don’t completely feel like a man, I don’t completely feel like a woman. I feel like a goddess. I feel like I’m my own gender.”
Sam Smith
Sam Smith came out as non-binary and genderqueer in an interview with actress Jameela Jamil.
“I am not male or female. I think I float somewhere in between — somewhat on the spectrum.”
