LGBTQ stars who came out in 2023
From Billie Eilish to Adore Delano, 2023 has seen numerous stars publicly join the LGBTQ community
Coming out is an almost universal LGBTQ experience but at the same time it’s also not universal. Each person’s story is different from the next. 2023 has seen a number of LGBTQ people including actors, politicians, and musicians publicly acknowledge and share their sexuality or gender identity.
Sadly in 2023 someone’s ‘coming out’ can still be headline news, we often report on it ourselves. However, there does appear to be a cultural shift to more casual attitudes which we hope to see continue. Perhaps an indication that the world is changing and that LGBTQ identities are more accepted.
Either way, it all adds to a growing level of LGBTQ representation that step by step is paving the way for future generations to live in a more welcoming and accepting world.
Keep reading to find out more about some of the LGBTQ stars who came out in 2023.
Billie Eilish
In November, the ‘bad guy’ singer spoke to Variety for the publication’s Power of Women issue. In the interview she addressed her “deep connections” with women, commenting, “I’m physically attracted to them. But I’m also so intimidated by them and their beauty and their presence.”
Cue social media and news furor around the singer who later blasted the discussion around her sexuality. She also discussed her ‘coming out’ on the red carpet at Variety’s Hitmakers event at the beginning of December. Questioning, “Wasn’t it obvious?” Eilish went on to tell Variety, “I just don’t really believe in [coming out…” She then posed an important question, “Why can’t we just exist?” Indeed. Why can’t we?
Ncuti Gatwa
The Sex Education star first publicly used the word queer (as far as we can tell) to identify himself in an interview with Elle earlier this year. It followed years of speculation and the Doctor Who star refraining from bowing to that speculation to label himself.
Speaking to GQ for their Men of the Year issue the actor clearly stated his opinion on the matter. He told the magazine: “I’ve never been in the closet, you know. I just never talked about it. The work I do is what’s important.”
Gatwa went further to say, “If you think it’s that easy, I’m happy for you. That’s a very privileged position to be in. To think that sexuality is so easy, and talking about sexuality is so easy and existing with one’s sexuality is so easy. I’m so glad that you think it’s that easy, because the world isn’t like that.”
Joe Locke
Despite his starring role as Charlie Spring in Netflix’s Heartstopper, Joe Locke only publicly acknowledged his sexuality in an interview this year. The 20-year-old star, soon to be seen in the upcoming Marvel series Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, told Teen Vogue he identified as gay.
“People have assumed and written it, and I haven’t ever corrected anyone because I haven’t felt the need to,” Locke said in August. “But I’ve never specifically stated my sexuality,” he added. It’s a lesson in assuming that we can all learn from.
Amaury Lorenzo
This Brazilian actor came out as LGBTQ in October. Lorenzo, who plays a closeted cowboy in the popular primetime soap Terra e Paixão (which translates to Land And Passion) told the Extra outlet, “I consider myself an LGBTQIA+ man.”
He went on to say: “It may be that soon I will marry another man, cis or trans, a woman, cis or trans… I know that the public is curious to know about my sexuality. I have no problem with that. The only issue is when the subject comes above my work as an actor.” The actor also explained that he was partly motivated by the deaths of three queer students of his and questioned: “How can I not be in this fight?”
Jakub Jankto
Back in February, the Czech Republic’s Jakub Jankto came out as gay. The 27-year-old said at the time that he no longer wanted to hide. His coming out followed that of Josh Cavallo and Jake Daniels. He is currently the only publicly gay international men’s footballer.
The Czech Republic star currently plays for Club Cagliari in Italy and spent last year on loan at Sparta Prague. He later told the BBC: “If I could do it again, I definitely would, because it helped myself and I think it helped many, many people. It was a huge moment for all footballers, and many professional footballers at many clubs wrote to me, thanking me for it.” Fingers crossed we’re seeing a sea change in football.
Wayne Brady
“I am pansexual. Bisexual — with an open mind!” is how 51-year-old Wayne Brady came out in August. The actor, who’s appeared in How I Met Your Mother and presenter of Let’s Make A Deal told PEOPLE, “For me for right now, that is the proper place.”
He was supported by his ex-wife Mandie Taketa and daughter Maile, 20, in a reassuring show of support. Brady would later say, “Every single person should be able to be whatever your truth is.” Hear hear!
Xavier Espot Zamora
The Prime Minister of Andorra, Xavier Espot Zamora, came out as gay in September. The 43-year-old spoke about his sexuality in an interview with Radio and Television of Andorra, where, like Gatwa, said he had never hid his sexuality.
“Now, if I’m not asked, I don’t have to say it either, in the sense that it doesn’t define the entirety of who I am and even less of my personal politics. But at the same time, I think it shouldn’t be a problem to express it,” he told the broadcaster. A former judge, Zamora previously served as minister for justice. He became the Prime Minister of the European country in 2019.
Adore Delano
In July RuPaul’s Drag Race season 6 icon Adore Delano came out as trans in an empowering statement on social media. She did it to address speculation about her body and gender. The former American Idol contestant was awash with love and support immediately, including from her Drag Race family.
In an exclusive interview with Attitude, Delano shared she wants “To focus on becoming the best version of myself first so I can take that forefront when it’s time,” she said regarding becoming an advocate for trans rights.
Bella Ramsey
The star of The Last of Us addressed their gender identity in an interview with the New York Times in January. They told the publication: “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, who became a household name with the post-apocalyptic thriller series, clarified in October that “It’s impossible to misgender me.” As well as The Last of Us Ramsey has also starred in the BBC Time, Netflix’s Chicken Run sequel, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget this year. They’ve also launched their second collaboration with non-binary fashion brand Both&.
Miss Benny
The American YouTuber, actor, and singer came out as trans in an emotional essay back in June. The 24-year-old wrote in Time that she has been “privately living” as a transgender woman “for the last few years.”
Having grown up in Texas, Miss Benny moved to Los Angeles to work on her career as well as to establish her identity. Since then she’s gone on to star and lead in Netflix’s Glamorous opposite Sex and the City icon, Kim Cattrall. Sadly, the series was short-lived as it was axed by the streamer in November. In playing the non-binary character, Marco Mejia, Miss Benny was able to mirror her trans journey with her character.
Josh Kiszka
The lead singer of Greta Van Fleet announced that he was a member of the LGBTQ+ community in June. He also confirmed that he had been a part of a same-sex relationship for 8 years. Josh wrote on Instagram that he felt compelled to speak after anti-LGBTQ+ laws were passed in his home state of Tennessee. “It’s imperative that I speak my truth for not only myself, but in hopes to change hearts, minds, and laws in Tennessee and beyond,” he said.
In a touching moment during a concert by the band in Manchester in November, the stage was lit up in rainbow colours to show solidarity with Kiszka and the LGBTQ community.
Lauv
The ‘I Like Me Better’ singer appeared to come out as bisexual in June on TikTok. He captioned the post “When ur dating a girl but ur also a lil bit into men.” The man who also has credits on the Charli XCX song ‘Boys’ also said: “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 don’t. :)”
Mo’Nique
The comedian and actor came out during her Netflix special, My Name is Mo’Nique, which debuted in April. The 56-year-old shared when she came out to her dad as well as her advocacy for the entire community. She also stated that she is not “all the way” a lesbian.
Shinjiro Atae
The Japanese singer-songwriter and actor said he was gay during a fan event in Tokyo in July. “For years, I struggled to accept a part of myself… But now after all I have been through, I finally have the courage to open up to you about something. I am a gay man.”
His announcement was warmly welcomed, which is notable given Japan doesn’t recognise full LGBTQ equality. We hope Atae’s story goes somewhat to changing hearts and minds in the still traditional country. Atae performed for 15 years in the hugely popular group AAA before it went on a hiatus in 2020
Richard Armitage
The Hobbit star came out casually as LGBTQ in an interview with The Radio Times. “I was always waiting for that question to punch me in the face, and it never did. I thought, ‘Are people being polite, or is it that they don’t want to know?’”
Understandably Armitage was concerned about his personal life taking more focus than his work and also said that he was reluctant to put himself in a box. The 52-year-old actor has also appeared in Netflix’s Obsession and The Stranger.
Alexander Lincoln
The Emmerdale actor simply replied to a comment about his gay indie film, In From the Side, in January and sparked a small fenzy. A fan had questioned whether the actors from the rugby drama were gay themselves, like their characters. “I’m not straight,” Lincoln wrote along with a heart emoji.
Speaking exclusively to Attitude about it later in the year the actor, 29, seemed baffled by the response his comment generated. “I don’t like to make people think I’m presenting myself in a way I shouldn’t be,” he said. “So, I felt this obligation to say something about it. Which I don’t regret. But [suddenly] it’s everywhere.”
Away from In From The Side, Lincoln has also starred in Inland and the romantic comedy series Everything I Know About Love.
Karan Brar
This Disney star revealed his bisexuality in an emotional essay in November. Writing for Teen Vogue the young actor, 24, discussed his personal life including his coming out to best friends and housemates best friends Cameron Boyce and Sophie Reynolds.
Brar also shared that when he did come out he was met with nothing but love from his friends and that his announcement had changed nothing between friends. Brar is known for his roles in Jessie, BUNK’D, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Noah Schnapp
2023 could be the year of the casual coming out. The Stranger Things actor addressed his sexuality publicly for the first time in a TikTok. In a brief clip the actor, 19, mouthed the words, “You know what it never was? That serious. It was never that serious” under a caption that read: “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.’”
Noah’s story mirrors that of his Stranger Things character, Will, who was also confirmed to be gay in 2022.
Alison Brie
Continuing the shift to casually addressing one’s sexuality, we have Alison Brie. The Five Year Engagement actress appeared in a Buzzfeed thirst tweets video with her husband, Dave Franco, in February. Reading one 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,” the latter shared “that’s also why I’m bisexual!”
You’ll also recognise Brie from Community, GLOW, and Promising Young Woman.
Jeff Molina
UFC fighter Jeff Molina camera out as bisexual in March. At the time he indicated that he had been forced into this position by someone or something else, essentially meaning he was going to be outed.
Still, Molina took control of the narrative which is the least we should be able to expect as queer people when it comes to sharing this part of our identities.
Sufjan Stevens
The singer-songwriter, Sufjan Stevens, acknowledged his LGBTQ identity when he dedicated his latest album, Javelin, to his late “beloved partner.” In October the singer posted an image of Evans Richardson, who he described as “the light of my life, my beloved partner and best friend.” Richardson sadly passed away last April.
It appeared to have been the first time Stevens has addressed his sexuality.
Jade Jolie
The drag icon came out as trans in October telling everyone she was “Deciding to choose myself and move forward with my transition.”
The Drag Race season five queen and Taylor Swift impersonator was met with love and support from the LGBTQ community. Jolie also starred in Swift’s music video for ‘You Better Calm Down’. She was memorably presented with Taylor’s Video of The Year award at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2019 by a confused John Travolta.