American gay idon
People with a History: Lesbian, Gay, Pansexual, and Trans* History Sourcebook
Lesbian and Male lover Icons
Editor: Paul Halsall
Contents:
IntroductionLesbian and gay cultures in the twentieth century have established a number of figures as "icons". These figures, drawn from popular culture, contain functioned within queer woman and gay customs in a number of ways: first they have been fantasy figures in which lesbians and gay men contain seen aspects of their own lives; second, they acquire provided the basis for a ordinary subcultural knowledge.
Although, for gay men, it is female stars who predominate, just to be a female celebrity will not generate a figure an "icon" - Ingrid Bergman for instance was never a specifically gay star. And, although some icons had lgbtq+ links, e.g. Joan Crawford's reputed homosexual woman relationship, Liza Minelli's gay husband, homosexuality as such is not really an issue in a star achieving iconic status.
[Note 2023: This part of People with a History has never really been satisfactory. And at this stage, 25 years after it began, the editor is too old to even recognise which stars after 2005 even count. I deliberate Shakira counts, but I could not id
CHER: THE SINGLE GREATEST Queer ICON OF ALL TIME
Cher is the single greatest gay icon of all time. Don’t get me wrong as I passion all superstar female vocalists and pop stars and many of them possess icon status in the LGBT community. Judy Garland was the first and original gay icon. I have seen almost all of them live in concert, met a scant of them and I am very familiar with their careers. So I know iconography very adequately and fascinated with it. In fact, I hosted a show on Public RadioKPFK’s LGBT Day during LA Pride, titled, “Icons & Idols”. My guests and I discussed the biggest gay icons of the last one-hundred years.
Although there are several stars who are much loved, admired and idolized by the LGBT community, Cher stands out as the biggest gay icon of all time. I won’t bother to chronicle Cher’s illustrious career in this piece as that would take a year’s worth of research and interviews, a feat others possess accomplished successfully in the past. I will simply highlight relevant bullet-points that I believe make Cher the Ultimate Gay Representative of All Time.
1946: Cherilyn Sarkisian is born in El Centro, CA on May 20th.
1962: Cher was sixteen years ol
Queerty
25 fabulous women who’ve earned their “gay icon” status
By Jude Cramer
June 30, 2023
We’re quick to throw around the word “iconic” these days — talk to any gay person under the age of 25, and you’re sure to hear it in every other sentence. But what does it actually receive to be an star, let alone a gay icon? These Women Have Earned Their “Gay Icon” Status. As these ladies prove, it takes a mix of talent, advocacy, and a genuine love for the queer community.
A true queer icon has to act more than just be a diva (though that certainly doesn’t hurt). All of the women on this list have created legendary pieces of gender non-conforming media, from camp classic films to fashion-forward looks to enduring hits in the club. But it’s their support for the queer community outside of their work that sets them apart and makes them worthy of legend status.
Now, prepare to bend down and take a look at these 25 gay icons who’ve earned their title…
Lady Gaga
What has Gaga not done for queer folks? She’s been a noisy and proud advocate in both her music and her activism, from her iconic gay anthem “Born This Way” to her rallying against the U.S. militar
Top 20 Famous Gay Actors of Hollywood 2024 [LGBTQ+ Icons]
Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen is an acclaimed actor famous for his versatile performances on stage and screen. Beyond his acting prowess, McKellen is also known for his activism, particularly in LGBTQIA+ rights. His career did not experience post-coming out. Instead, it flourished, with McKellen taking on a range of more emotionally resonant roles that resonated with audiences worldwide. McKellen came out during a BBC radio broadcast in 1988 as an act of march against Section 28, a proposed law in the UK that sought to prohibit the "promotion of homosexuality." His spontaneous truth was a bold relocate during a time when gay rights faced significant legal and societal challenges. Reflecting on the impact of his coming out, McKellen noted that it changed his life "for the better," enhancing his relationships, personal satisfaction, and even his approach to acting, allowing him to embody characters with greater authenticity.
Ian McKellen's contributions to LGBTQIA+ culture and history extend far beyond his personal coming out story. He co-founded Stonewall, a UK-based LGBTQIA+ rights organiz
10 female feature and TV characters who are now gay icons
Up until very recently, it was incredibly scarce to see openly gay characters in films and on television. Even if you did observe a gay traits somewhere, they were usually dying or suffering. It’s straightforward to see why so many same-sex attracted viewers found themselves drawn to powerful, funny female characters, who got to live the lives they wanted to live and not suffer as much for it.
Women contain historically been disenfranchised and have needed to fight to gain power in society. This is something very relatable for LGBTQ people, and without actual queer characters to root for, women became the de facto stars of the gay collective. Thanks to their fierce humor, amazing strength, determination to own their sexuality, and in some cases, some incredibly obvious queer coding, these 10 female characters resonated with LGBTQ viewers and became gay icons.
Samantha Jones (Sex and the City)
“I am harsh. I’m also demanding, stubborn, self-sufficient, and always right. In bed, at the office, and everywhere else.” With lines like this, it’s no surprise that Samantha from Sex and the City was a hit with the gay community