These 71 Celebrities Came Out in 2020

It's nice to know SOME good things happened in 2020...

We don't know what it is, but 2020 sure has been a busy year for celebrity coming outs—heck, 18 celebs came out during Pride Month alone—but we're not complaining though! In fact, we love to see it!!!

Here are all the celebrities who decided to publicly live their truths this year! 

Stacy London

The What Not to Wear host rang the new year (and the new decade) in with a January coming out post on Instagram, where she confirmed rumors that she has been dating Cat Yezbak for the past year.

"NOT THAT IT’S ANY OF YOUR BUSINESS BUT…I may as well address all the stuff I hear floating around out there” her post began. London went on to explain that 2019 has been a dark difficult time for her, due to health issues and grief. "But as with most of life, there has been such incredible joy as well and the person most responsible for that is @catyezbak, who is my girlfriend and has been for over a year."

DJ Qualls

Actor DJ Qualls, best known for his roles in the early 2000s comedies Road Trip and The New Guy, came out as gay in January at the age of 41.

"It is 11:20pm. I just came out on stage at a @jimjefferies show in San Diego," he wrote via Twitter. "Yep, I’m gay. Been gay this whole time. Tired of worrying about what people would think of me. Tired of worrying about what it would do to my career."

NikkieTutorials

In January, popular makeup guru and YouTuber Nikkie de Jager—more commonly known by her online username NikkieTutorials—came out as trans in an emotional video that made headlines not just in the beauty community, but all over the world IRL. 

"I want to start the year off with the truth. I want to start the year off by finally revealing a part of my life that has made me who I am," said Nikkie in the video. "When I was younger, I was born in the wrong body, which means I am transgender."

Nikkie then revealed that she was pressured to came out following threats of blackmail.

Jameela Jamil

The Good Place star publicly came out as queer in February on Twitter after her casting as an MC and judge on HBO Max's voguing competition show Legendary sparked controversy.

"Twitter is brutal," Jamil said. "This is why I never officially came out as queer. I added a rainbow to my name a few years ago when I felt ready to a few years ago, as it’s not easy within the south Asian community to be accepted, and I always answered honestly if ever straight-up asked about it on Twitter. But I kept it low because I was scared of the pain of being accused of performative bandwagon-jumping over something that caused me a lot of confusion, fear, and turmoil when I was a kid. I didn’t come from a family with *anyone* openly out. It’s also scary as an actor to openly admit your sexuality, especially when you’re already a brown female in your thirties."

Phillip Schofield

Well-known British TV host Phillip Schofield, who has been married to a woman since 1993, came out as gay in an emotional February Instagram post.

"You never know what’s going on in someone’s seemingly perfect life, what issues they are struggling with, or the state of their wellbeing — and so you won’t know what has been consuming me for the last few years," he wrote. "With the strength and support of my wife and my daughters, I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am gay."

Markus Thormeyer

The Olympic swimmer came out publicly as gay in a February essay published in OutSports.

" Coming out to the team taught me to be comfortable in my own skin regardless of being different or gay," he wrote, recalling the moment he came out to his fellow swimmers. "It gave me the confidence in the pool, which eventually spread to every other part of my life."

Rick Cosnett

The Flash actor come out as gay in a February Instagram video.

"Hi everyone," he said. "Dramatic pause. I’m gay. And I just wanted everyone to know because I’ve made a promise to myself to live my truth everyday."

Niki Albon

The British vlogger (who is most known for making videos with his twin brother, Sammy, under their joint channel Niki and Sammy) came out as gay in a February video posted on YouTube right before his 28th birthday.

"This whole situation has made me feel much more myself than I’ve felt in years. And I feel stronger and more capable than I’ve felt in a long time," he said. "So I’m going to start my 28th year as authentically and honestly as I can, because I think I deserve that. And I owe that to my younger self."

Ricky Dillon

The popular YouTube star publicly came out as gay in a late February video uploaded to his channel.

"This already feels so weird just telling it to a camera," he said in the emotional video. "I’m gay. I am gay...and I am finally okay with it."

He continued: 

"I grew up in a family and in an environment…where being gay is so wrong. I grew up Christian, very religious. I grew up in Alabama, and I was taught that being gay is a horrible sin, it’s so bad, it’s the worst thing you can be. It was drilled into my brain from an early age that being gay is one of the worst things that can happen."

"I’ve been with several guys now, and it’s the most natural and comfortable thing ever. It just clicks. It all makes sense. And it feels right. And I finally felt like I’m myself."

Aaron Schock

Aaron Schock, the former congressman who fell from grace in 2015 amidst controversy about lavish spending habits while he was a member of the House of Representatives and who has a long history of voting against LGBTQ+ causes, publicly came out as gay in March.

"I am gay. For those who know me and for many who only know of me, this will come as no surprise," Schock said in a very lengthy Instagram post about his decision to open up about his sexuality to the public. "For the past year, I have been working through a list of people who I felt should finally hear the news directly from me before I made a public statement. I wanted my mother, my father, my sisters, my brother, and my closest friends to hear it from me first."

Curdin Orlik

The Swiss wrestler made history in March after becoming Switzerland's first out gay male professional athlete. 

"For far too long I have pushed out who I really am," he said in a coming-out interview with The Magazine. "I always knew that I was gay, for sure since I was 12. But I thought: this is wrong, it cannot be. I heard things on the school building square [like] 'you gay pig,' 'you faggot.' Or in soccer, 'such a gay pass!' Even when [wrestling]. Sure nobody really meant that, but if you’re like that yourself, you think, 'Shit, that’s not a good thing.'"

He continued: 

"I thought: I don’t want to be gay. But it’s me. Now it’s out."

Witold Sadowy

For his 100th birthday, Polish actor Witold Sadowy publicly came out in a March interview with TVP Kultura. 

"For me, the most important thing is the survival of the truth," he said. "I’m proud of being an honest person. I didn’t get married, and I had no children, something I regret. But I was born different. I’m gay. Now I have said it all, like in confession."

Sebastián Vega

Sebastián Vega became Argentina's first openly gay professional basketball player when he publicly came out in a March Instagram post.

"When I started to feel attracted to a man, I had a very bad time," he said. "I felt shame, guilt, a lot of rejection, but at the same time the desire to be with someone."

He continued:

"The most beautiful thing of all is that nothing has changed — on the contrary, it has changed for the better."

"If I had [come out] five or six years ago, I don’t know if society would have been ready. People are becoming more aware."

Da Brat

Iconic rapper Da Brat came out and confirmed her relationship in an emotional Instagram post in March after she was given a gorgeous a pricey and gorgeous Bentley as a b-day gift from her girlfriend Jesseca Dupart.

"Needless to say...I’ve always been a kind of private person until I met my heart’s match who handles some things differently than I do," she wrote on Insta. "Thank you baby @darealbbjudy for far more than this incredibly birthday gift. I have never experienced this feeling. It’s so overwhelming that often I find myself in a daze hoping to never get pinched to see if it’s real so I can live in this dream forever."

Dominique Provost-Chalkley

On her 30th birthday in March, Wynonna Earp star Dominique Provost-Chalkley publicly came out as queer in a heartfelt essay for Start the Wave.

"There is no perfect final destination, but a series of wonderful milestones we collect along the way," Provost-Chalkley wrote of her coming-out journey. "For me, these milestones appear when I take the time to observe what does and does not bring me happiness, and then have the courage to make changes in my life to align that which isn’t working. It takes a great deal of introspection, whilst staying open to evolution and change. I have to periodically check in with my values, my morals, my passions, my creativity and ultimately make sure that I’m living in alignment with my true authentic self. It certainly isn’t a walk in the park...but when I’ve had the fortune of meeting others who live from that place, I find they sparkle so very bright – like these shining stars, illuminating the way to a better, happier place and I’m drawn to join them."

She continued:

"I am queer. I am into ALL humans. I guess maybe I am just really into love? Who knows? But finally...I am OUT."

Jacqueline Wilson

74-year-old children’s author Jacqueline Wilson (who authored popular youth titles like the Tracy Beaker and Hetty Feather series) come out publicly in April after living with her partner for 18 years.

"I’ve never really been in any kind of closet," Wilson told The Guardian. "It would be such old news for anybody that has ever known anything much about me. Even the vaguest acquaintance knows perfectly well that we are a couple."

Gigi Goode

Season 12 RuPaul's Drag Race contestant Gigi Goode opened up their gender identity in an April episode of the show, becoming the first person to come out as gender fluid on the popular reality drag competition.

"Growing up, I’ve always been interested in feminine things," she said, opening up during a confessional. "I wanted to wear dresses to school. I’ve always thought there was no point to putting a label on anything in regards to gender. I don’t think I’ve ever said this out loud, but I think I’m fluid. Sometimes I identify as more male and sometimes I identify as more feminine. I think that I’m both...and I’m neither."

Rebecca Black

In an April appearance on the Dating Straight podcast, YouTube personality and viral "Friday" singer Rebecca Black opened up about her sexuality, confirming that she identifies as queer.

"It's like the f*/cking quarantine, every day is different," she replied when asked about how she ID's now. "It's something that over the past few years I've obviously been having a lot of conversations with myself. I think to me the word queer feels really nice."

She continued:

"I've dated a lot of different types of people, and I don't really know what the future holds. Some days I feel a little more on the gay side than others."

J. August Richards

Known mostly for his role as Charles Gunn in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff Angel and as Mike Peterson in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., actor J. August Richards publicly came out as gay in an April interview that he posted to his Instagram account.

"I knew how important it is to other people out there like me who would need to see that role model," Richards, who plays a married, openly gay character on the new TV series Council of Dads, said about the importance of opening up publicly about his sexuality.

Auli’i Cravalho

In an April TikTok video, the Moana and The Little Mermaid Live! star opened up and publicly confirmed her bisexuality.

When a fan on Twitter asked her directly about whether or not she likes girls, Auli’i simply directed the fan to go check out her official TikTok account. On her account, Auli’i posted a video where she lipsynced the words to rapper Eminem's "Those Kinda Nights" track. "Seriously though, how are you doing? You straight?" she mouths. "No I'm bi."

Brock Weston

Marion University hockey player Brock Weston recounted his emotional coming out story to his teammates in an April 2020 essay for OutSports.

"This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do," he said in a tearful speech to teammates. "I don’t know what to expect and I’m scared. I’ll get it out of the way early and tell you all…I’m gay." 

Tatiana Ringsby

Model and social media star Tatiana Ringsby came out as bisexual in May during a viral video posted to her TikTok.

The Hawaii-based content creator, known for her YouTube and TikTok videos, documented the moment in which she offered her parents a cake with the words "Surprise I’m bi" spelled out in icing.

Dennis Del Valle

Professional, Swiss volleyball player Dennis Del Valle publicly came out as gay in a May interview with the French language news outlet 24 Heures.

"While I thought I was doing something nice and special for myself," Del Valle wrote in a Facebook post following his coming out. "I didn’t realize how much more I was doing for others like me."

Guillaume Cizeron

The French ice dancer and Olympic silver medalist publicly came out as gay in May after sharing a cute photo of him with his boyfriend on Instagram. 

"It was quite funny, the reaction of people following this photo," he told French LGBTQ+ magazine Têtu about the Insta pic. "I would not consider myself in the closet before...so I don’t really consider it coming out. Even though I have never spoken publicly about my sexual orientation, I am one of those who think that it is not something that community members should have to do."

Lili Reinhart

The 23-year-old actress, known mostly for starring in The CW's teen drama series Riverdale and in 2019's critically-acclaimed J.Lo and Constance Wu-led film Hustlers, publicly came out as bisexual at the beginning of June while publicly voicing her support for the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement.

"Although I’ve never announced it publicly before, I am a proud bisexual woman," the 23-year-old said in a statement on her Instagram stories, sharing a flyer for the peaceful 'LGTBQ+ for #BlackLivesMatter' protest that was held in West Hollywood, Calif. at the start of Pride Month. "And I will be joining this protest today. Come join."

Cara Delevingne

During an interview with Variety for their "Power of Pride" issue, the supermodel turned actress opened up about how she identifies on the LGBTQ+ spectrum.

"I always will remain, I think, pansexual," the Carnival Row and Suicide Squad star said about what label she finds fits her sexuality the most. "However one defines themselves, whether it’s 'they' or 'he' or 'she,' I fall in love with the person—and that’s that. I’m attracted to the person."

Cara, who previously came out as bisexual in 2015 and who also identifies as gender-fluid, also talked to the trade mag about the internalized queerphobia she had while growing up. 

"I grew up in an old-fashioned, repressed English family," she said. "And I used the word 'gay' to describe things which were s— all the time: 'That’s so f—ing gay of you, man.' Everyone used to talk about 'Oh, my God, imagine going down on a woman.' I’d be like, 'That’s disgusting.' I think that came from the fact that I just didn’t want to admit who I was. I didn’t want to upset my family. I was deeply unhappy and depressed. When you don’t accept a part of yourself or love yourself, it’s like you’re not there, almost."

Trevi Moran

YouTube personality and former X Factor contestant Trevi Moran publicly opened up about her gender identity in early June, coming out as a trans woman.

"I’ve been trying to gather the thoughts for what to say for the past few months but there’s just too much to say," the 21-year-old content creator and singer captioned a selfie she posted to her Instagram account. "I am so proud of the person I gave have become today. I am strong. My name is Trevi & I am a transgender woman. Happy Pride Month everyone."

She then took to her popular YouTube channel (Trevi has 1.4 million subscribers at the time of reporting) to talk more about her journey in an emotional video. 

"I've dealt with this feeling my entire life, and I know that I'm a woman deep down,"  said Trevi, who first came out as gay in 2015, and in 2017, started to question her gender identity. "It's just a feeling. You know."

She continued: 

"I hit a rock in my journey in 2017 when I thought I wasn’t transgender because I thought that people were pushing me to be transgender. No, I just had a lot of demons back then. A lot of eating disorder stuff, self-confidence issues. It wasn’t the time for me to come out back then. But now I'm here, and I'm transgender."

Chyler Leigh

Though she didn't specifically label herself or her sexuality, in a recent post on the Create Change website (an organization she helped co-found that serves as "your go-to source for encouragement and inspiration to help you become the change you want to see in the world"), actress Chyler Leigh opened up about how the journey and coming out story of her openly-lesbian Supergirl character Alex Danvers helped her start to realize her own path.

"When I was told that my character was to come out in season 2, a flurry of thoughts and emotions flew through and around me because of the responsibility I personally felt to authentically represent Alex’s journey," she wrote. "What I didn’t realize was how the scene where she finally confessed her truth would leap off the pages of the script and genuinely become a variation of my own. IRL. My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest each take we filmed, every time presenting another opportunity to get those honest words out of my mouth. Though they don’t exactly match my personal dialogue, the heart behind it surely did. From the director, the press, the media, the cast, and the fans, I’m still told that it was the most realistic coming out scene they’d ever witnessed. And to steal from Alex’s words, that’s because there’s some truth to what she said about me."

Justice Smith

The Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Pokémon Detective Pikachu star publicly came out as queer in an eloquent June Instagram post calling for more people to support the Black Lives Matter movement and to make the movement more inclusive of Black queer and trans voices.

"I want to reiterate this sentiment: if your revolution does not include Black Queer voices, it is anti-Black," he said in the post, where he also publicly shouted-out his boyfriend Nicholas Ashe. "If your revolution is okay with letting Black trans people like #TonyMcDade slip through the cracks in order to solely liberate Black cishet men, it is anti-Black."

He continued:

"You are trying to push yourself through the door of a system designed against you, and then shut the door behind you. It is in our conditioning to get as close to whiteness, straightness, maleness as we can because that’s where the power is. And if we appeal to it, maybe it’ll give us a slice."

Raymix

"So many dreams do not fit in a damn closet. I'm officially saying it to the universe: I am Edmundo and I am gay," Electrocumbia singer and record producer Raymix (whose real name is Edmundo Gómez Moreno and who burst one the music scene back in 2015 with his hit "Oye Mujer") said in the Instagram post where he publicly declared his sexuality to the world.

He also took to YouTube to talk more about his decision to come out and some of the challenges he faced to get to where he is—including people in the music industry who told him that he should still stay in the closet and keep his queerness under wraps.

"Can you believe that in 2020, there are people in the industry who told me not to do this video? That I should stay quiet and pretend to be the person I am not because I wouldn't be successful," he said in his YouTube vlog. "They told me that the audience is not ready for an artist who sings cumbia or regional Mexican music [to come out as gay]. With so much pride today, I want to tell you that I'm gay. And if you ask me what will change after this message, the answer is: nothing."

Tana Mongeau

The social media star, who previously dated fellow pan celebrity Bella Thorne, opened up about her sexuality in a Pride Month Instagram post about how she now identifies as pansexual.

"I never thought I’d be brave enough to publicly share my sexuality in the way I do now," Mongeau (who dated Bella Thorne for two years from 2017-2019) captioned a picture of her holding hands with Noah Cyrus. "I still struggle with it. I hate the boxes, I hate people telling me I’m straight or discrediting my relationship if I’m with a girl. But I’m proud to be not only a member, but an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community and I’m proud to say I will live my life based on loving people, not for their gender, but their soul."

Pablo Alborán

In an emotional video message posted to his Instagram account, Grammy-nominated, Spanish singer-songwriter Pablo Alborán publicly opened about his sexuality, and how he is coming out as a proud gay man. 

"We need to reconsider our lives, careers, what does and doesn’t make us happy," he says in the beginning of his Instagram video, reflecting on the solemn state of the world and current affairs. "I think that we often forget about the love that unites us and makes us stronger."

He continued: 

"Today, I want my voice to be louder and for it to have more value and weight. I’m here to tell you that I am homosexual and it’s okay. Life goes on, everything will remain the same, but I’m going to be a little happier than I already am."

Daniel Arcos

"I waited for this day for a long time, a personal challenge with new [rainbow] colors on my shirt, colors that before I looked with shame and that today I decide to wear with pride," Chilean basketball player Daniel Arcos wrote in a coming-out post on his Instagram account.

"I know that this message might generate ridicule, discomfort and even hate, but I have the privilege of having my family and friends on my team," he continued. "Everyone has their experiences and they experience them in their own way, but the important thing is to live as we want as long as we are happy."

Madison Bailey

One of the stars of Netflix's popular teen drama series Outer Banks, Bailey opened up about her sexuality, and how freeing it was to finally come out as pansexual.

During an Instagram Live Q&A with her friend Lacy Hartselle about mental health, Madison talked about what her experience was like coming out, and how although she knows a lot of queer people don't have the best time, she was fortunate enough to have a good coming out experience and feels better for doing so. 

"I feel zero shame, and I don’t feel that way because nobody’s ever really shamed me for it and I know a lot of people have had lot of hate and lack of support. I know so many, countless stories of queer people that did not have support," Bailey said. "But if you’re asking me personally, that’s just my experience with it. It was worth it. I feel lighter, I feel happier that I can just be so open and honest. It feels nice."

Thomas Beattie

The former professional soccer player publicly came out as gay in an interview with ESPN, making him the third male professional player in British sports history to come out after Justin Fashanu in 1990 and Robbie Rogers in 2013. 

"I never thought about coming out whilst playing," he told The Advocate. "I literally felt like I had to sacrifice one of the two: who I am, or the sport I loved before I could remember. I used football as a form of escapism and in many ways it saved me, until I reached the point in life where there was some personal growth. I was standing still on that front. Society [told] me masculinity is linked to sexuality and so being an athlete playing a physical sport felt like a huge contradiction." 

Tanner Pendleton

In a June interview with Torment, snowboarder and filmmaker Tanner Pendleton opened up about his sexuality and revealed that he is gay.

"The narrative in action sports tends to be, 'It’s okay to be queer as long as you rip and present as masculine,'" Pendleton, is believed to be the first male in the snowboarding industry to come out, told Out about why he wanted to publicy share his identity with the world. "The more stories we hear, the closer that moves to, 'It’s okay to be queer, because it’s okay to be queer.' I wanted to share my story to move our community in that direction."

Nikki Blonsky

The 31-year-old Hairspray star and Golden Globe nominee took to TikTok over Pride Weekend to open up about her sexuality in an adorable video where she can be seen lipsyncing and dancing to Diana Ross' seminal queer anthem "I'm Coming Out." 

"Hi, it’s Nikki Blonsky from the movie," she said. "I’m Gay!"

Taylor Schilling

The Emmy-nominated actress, best known for her main role as protagonist Piper Chapman in Orange Is the New Black, Netflix's critically-acclaimed comedy-drama about life in a women's prison, confirmed her sexuality and her relationship with girlfriend Emily Ritz during Pride Weekend.

Schilling took to her Instagram stories, resharing a post from Emily's IG story where the two can be seen embracing each other on a foggy cliff. 

"I couldn't be more proud to be by your side @taylorschilling," Ritz captioned the sweet AF post. "Happy Pride!"

Ben Aldridge

The 34-year-old heartthrob, who had a recurring role in Phoebe Waller-Bridge's critically-acclaimed comedy Fleabag as "Arsehole Guy" and who played Batman/Bruce Wayne's father Thomas Wayne in the Pennyworth TV series, publicly opened up about his sexuality in an Instagram post celebrating Pride Weekend.

"The journey to pride was a long one for me," Aldridge wrote in the caption of an Insta pic depicting an LGBTQ+ rights protest from yesteryear. Though he didn't specifically label himself, he did mention his love for the queer community—and claimed himself as a part of it.

"I love the LGBTQ+ community and am incredibly proud and thankful to be a part of it," he continued. "So much won. So much more to fight for."

Pearl Mackie

The 33-year-old film, TV, and stage actor—who played lesbian character Bill Potts on the long-running sci-fi show Doctor Who's 10th season back in 2017—took to Instagram to come out to the world as a bisexual woman.

"Proud to be bisexual. Proud to be Black. Proud of all my LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters and everyone in between," Mackie wrote. "We matter. You matter. Big love and nuff respect. Happy Pride everyone!"

Låpsley

The British singer-songwriter came out in an Instagram post, commemorating the end of Pride Month.

"My sexuality is something I have struggled with understanding and accepting since I was a teenager and through a mixture of teenage trauma, the local culture and moments of bullying I associated anything to do with my sexual behaviour and sexual identity as being shameful," she opened up about her past struggles with her identity and sexuality. "So although my close friends and some family have been aware. I come out to the world, now, with pride, as a bisexual womxn."

Spencer Brown

The DJ and music producer came out as gay in a heartfelt, emotional essay for Billboard.

“I am gay," he wrote. "It’s so much easier to say today than it was even a few years ago. While I have never publicly denied this part of me, I have also never spoken out about it. I will no longer live in fear."

Jill Perkins

"My sexuality falls short of a definition," snowboarder Jill Perkins, who didn't specifically define her sexuality, told Torment in June. "It’s not one way or the other. I enjoy getting to know and love people."

She continued:

"I feel like I just recently started to accept myself and my feelings. I wasn’t necessarily fighting them; I just never fully embraced them. That being said, it took time for sure. But that’s important. Nobody should feel forced into situations or feel like they need to express themselves in ways they aren’t ready to."

Kennedi Deck

"I knew I was gay when I was 13," Kennedi Deck recalled, telling Torment during an interview in June. "I never really knew anything about gay people, and I sort of just thought everyone liked everyone. I was mistaken. The first person I ever told was my childhood best friend. Swinging on the swing at our elementary school I blurted out the words, 'I’M GAY.' To my surprise, he didn’t care at all. He even thought it was cool, ‘cause we had one more thing in common: girls."

Jake Kuzyk

"I always wondered what this moment in my life would look like," Jake Kuzyk wrote on Instagram in June. "I guess it looks like this! I’m very proud to be gay!"

"It seemed so difficult to be openly gay and have this career, these friends, and all the interests that came along with that. I felt like if I started to show this part of myself—that becomes really scary because you just don’t know what’s gonna happen," he told Torment about the sometimes difficult journey in recognizing and accepting his sexuality. "When you’re alone thinking about this shit all the time, you develop really wild ideas of what it might look like and what could happen. My career has always moved in this positive forward direction. So I was afraid to risk damaging that. I didn’t want to sacrifice what I already had."

Nicholas Petricca

The Walk the Moon frontman best known for singing the lead vocals of their hit "Shut Up and Dance" came out as bisexual on the last day of Pride Month in June in an emotional and revelatory Instagram post. 

"I am Bisexual," he declared. "Today is the last day of Pride Month here in the year 2020, and I think it’s time I said that."

"I believe that sexuality is a spectrum, and I believe that most people probably live somewhere in between these far ends, heteronormative ends of this spectrum," Petricca continued in his Insta caption. "And I believe that you can be an LGBTQ+ person whether you have had a particular type of experience with someone yet, or ever, in your life."

Chad Unger

"It's a good day to be gay," deaf snowboarder Chad Unger said in a July Instagram post about the coming out interviews he and his peers did with Torment. (Chad did his interview in sign language via a video). "I hope our stories will help others to come out and be free sooner. I also want to recognize that there are BIPOC out there who need us more than ever. Despite being deaf and gay, I’ve lived an incredibly privileged life. So, I ask you to come and fight for their rights like how they fought with us for ours."

Haylie McCleney

The Olympic softball star publicly came out in July for a story with TeamUSA.org where she revealed she is engaged to her fiancé Kylee Hanson.

"I completely blacked out," she recalled. "I don’t remember anything I said. But whatever I said worked because she said yes."

Avery Wilson

The singer and The Voice season 3 alum came out as bisexual on his 25th birthday in late July.

"I've always personally faced but publicly never answered one HUGE question about myself—all because I wanted my privacy and I felt like my business is just that—MY business," he wrote in an Instagram post. "Well, things just don't work that way when [you're] known on a big social scale."

He continued: 

"Today, all questions and speculations of the past, now have a present definitive answer! To finally answer the question...yes, I'm a bisexual man who's in love with LOVE. I am who I am and I love who I love. Always have and always will."

Tegan Nox

WWE NXT star Tegan Nox came out as gay in a July interview with Newsweek where she publicly revealed she is in a relationship with her girlfriend Sierra St. Pierre. 

"My life has always been a "don't ask, don't tell" situation, but I felt like it was the right time, especially when you've found the right one you're in love with. It was the right time to do that," she said.

Luke Strong

The five-time British trampoline gymnastics champion came out as bisexual in July on the BBC's LGBT Sport Podcast where he made it clear he doesn’t care much for what critics think of him.

"It doesn’t bother me," he said. "I feel sorry for people like that who are close-minded and still think it’s offensive to be called gay—because it’s not."

Darin

Popular Swedish pop singer Darin publicly addressed his sexuality and came out as gay in an early August Instagram post.

"Everyone in the world should be able to be proud and accepted for who they are," the 33-year-old began his caption on his most recent Insta post.

He continued:

"I know how difficult it can be. Took me a while, but I am proud to be gay. Happy pride!"

Sara Ramirez

Grey's Anatomy star Sara Ramirez opened up about their gender identity and publicly confirmed that they are nonbinary in August on Instagram!

Although Ramirez has already had she/they pronouns listed on their Instagram and other social media bios (the estimation is around a year or so), they recently added their nonbinary human identity to their profile as well. They also just posted a brand new pic where they directly address their gender for the first time since then!

"New profile pic," Ramirez wrote in their caption, alongside hearts that make up the colors of the nonbinary flag. "In me is the capacity to be Girlish boy, Boyish girl, Boyish boy, Girlish girl, All, Neither." 

Tinashe

Though this isn't the first time the "Save Room For Us" singer has opened up about being a part of the LGBTQ+ community, Tinashe opened up about her bisexuality in an August Interview with the Gay Times where she talked about how although she didn't assign herself a label when it came to her own sexuality in the past (mostly because of other people and their lack of knowledge when it comes to bisexuality), she is comfortable enough now to call herself bi.

"It’s not that I don’t like putting a label on it, but when you say you’re bisexual, a lot of people think...they just have a lack of understanding about what it is. And I tend to shy away from terms (I guess this is the theme of my life!) that make people want to categorize me or put me in a box," she told the mag. "I don’t like that shit. But — but — I can still give you a general sense of yeah, I’m bisexual. I’m somewhere on the spectrum. You know?"

Becky Albertalli

The YA author, most known for penning Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, the book that served as the basis for beloved gay teen rom-com Love, Simon, came out as bisexual in an August essay. 

"I’m bi," she wrote in her piece, entitled I know I'm late. "Sorry it took me so long to get here. But then again, at least the little red coming out book I needed was already on my shelf (in about thirty different languages). I think I finally know why I wrote it."

Niecy Nash

Though she had never publicly addressed her sexuality before, beloved actress Niecy Nash confirmed her queerness when she revealed her marriage to her new wife Jessica Betts in August! 

Nash, whose real name is Carol Denise, announced the nuptials with a photo posted to her social media accounts from the ceremony captioned "Mrs. Carol Denise Betts," followed by #LoveWins and a rainbow emoji. 

Rebecca Quinn

The World Cup soccer player (who is a member of the Canadian Women’s National Team and a 2016 Olympic Bronze Medalist) shared their story in a September Instagram post where they publicly came out as transgender. 

"Coming out is HARD ( and kinda bs)," Quinn, who uses they/them pronouns wrote. "I know for me it’s something I’ll be doing over again for the rest of my life. As I’ve lived as an openly trans person with the people I love most for many years, I did always wonder when I’d come out publicly."

"I want to be visible to queer folx who don’t see people like them on their feed. I know it saved my life years ago. I want to challenge cis folks (if you don’t know what cis means, that’s probably you!!!) to be better allies," they continued, offering tips for others on how to be a better ally for the trans community. "1) put your pronouns in your bio. 2) follow/ listen to other trans/nb voices. 3) practice using gender-neutral pronouns with friends/in a mirror. 4) vote. 5) start to catch yourself making assumptions about people in public/bathrooms/any space."

Andrew Gillum

The former Democratic Florida gubernatorial candidate and Tallahassee mayor come out as bisexual in a September interview with journalist Tamron Hall on the season premiere of her self-titled talk show.

"To be very honest with you, when you didn't ask the question, you put it out there is whether or not I identify as gay. And the answer is I don't identify as gay, but I do identify as bisexual, and that is something that I have never shared publicly before," Gillum told Hall during their conversation.

Levi Davis

In a September interview with the Daily Mail, the 22-year-old rugby star (who used to play for the Bath team and who made an appearance as a contestant on Celebrity X Factor) revealed that he came out as bisexual to his teammates via a group text thread in WhatsApp, making history as the first professional union rugby player to come out as bisexual.  

"I had hidden it well but I couldn’t keep it secret any longer," he said about the decision to come out to his teammates. "I had to tell them, all of them, not just a few. I didn’t want it to turn into Chinese whispers. So, on the spur of the moment, I put it on our WhatsApp group."

François Arnaud

The Canadian actor, who starred in The Borgias and had a memorable guest role on Schitt's Creek, came out as bisexual during Bi Week 2020 in September! 

"Last week, I was chatting with work friends, and as I bought up a trip I’d taken with an ex-girlfriend, I asked myself — for the ten-thousandth time — how to tell such a story without making it seem like that was the whole story of me," he wrote in a series of posts on his Instagram story. "I’m sure many bisexual guys feel the same and end up doing as I did: letting other people’s assumptions of straightness stand uncorrected."

He continued: 

"But here’s the thing. Silence has the perverse effect of perpetuating those stereotypes, making bi guys invisible, and leading people to doubt that we even exist. No wonder it’s still a chore to acknowledge bisexuality without getting into lengthy explanations. So yes, labels are frustrating and words, imperfect. But I’ve always considered myself bisexual. Not confused or trying to look edgy. Not disloyal. Not ashamed."

Donald Glover

Though he didn't specifically assign himself a label, in a September conversation with I May Destroy You creator and star Michael Coel for British GQ, the multi-hyphenate entertainer talked to the critically-acclaimed screenwriter and actress about a variety of topics, the likes of which included how terminology and language change between generations and how younger people seem to be fascinated (and "stuck") when it comes to the use of labels to help find others who are like them.

"Millennials – and your show does a good job of this – [are] showing how we’re kind of stuck, in a weird way," Donald told Coel. "Why do people online get stuck in that narrative? Because it’s safe. And you know what you’re going to get if you follow in the steps somebody else took. There is security to being identified." 

Opening up about his own sexuality, he continued:

"'I’m a straight white male' or 'I’m a gay Asian dancer' – you can find community easily and safely. Instead of being like, 'Man, I really don’t know...' most of my college years were me being like, 'I don’t know what I like.' I had friends who asked, 'Are you gay?' And I’d be like, 'I sort of feel like I am because I love this community.' You know? But maybe I’m not? And I always was trying to figure out 'Am I weird for not wanting to label it?'"

Kwon Do-woon

In celebration of the 10-year anniversary of his official debut, the singer (know mostly for singing "trot" music, a genre popular in South Korea) released an official statement in October via his label, Trust Entertainment, where he confirmed his sexuality and that he is a part of the LGBTQ+ community. 

"I wanted to speak up as a representative voice of sexual minorities and wanted to open up the prospect of coming out more widely in the entertainment industry," Kwon Do-woon wrote in his statement. 

He continued:

"I hope to continue representing the LGBTQ community in my role."

Franchesca Ramsey

Taking part in all of the online #NationalComingOutDay festivities in October, the MTV Decoded host, TV writer, actress, and activist took to Twitter and talked about how even though she's always had a fluid understanding of sexuality, because she was in a long-term relationship with a man, she thought couldn't claim her own bisexuality, which is a phenomenon many bi people have struggled with in their coming-out journeys.

"I've always believed that sexuality is fluid but I fell into the trap of thinking being in a long term hetero relationship meant I had no claim to my bisexual identity which is completely untrue," Franchesca wrote. 

Speaking about why she decided to proudly and publicly open up about being bi, she continued: 

"That said, I didn't feel any real pressure to come out, my personal life is my personal business BUT I don't take my visibility for granted & I know how important and affirming it is to see someone like you out in the world being and loving who they are. So hi!"

Hugh Sheridan

In a heartfelt personal essay for Stellar Magazine that was published in October, the 35-year-old, Aussie hunk and Packed to the Rafters star revealed he has had relationships with both men and women, and although he doesn't feel the need to label his sexuality, he wanted to publicly talk about it so that his openness can possibly help other generations of closeted queer people live their lives. 

"In many ways, I wish I didn’t have to write this, but I feel a responsibility to others who may come after me," he wrote. "By sharing my story now, and becoming more transparent, maybe I can help to give others who are private a break. We might live and let them live as they wish. I believe labels are for clothes, not for people."

Carole Baskin

During an Octonber interview with PinkNews, the infamous Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness star and CEO of Big Cat Rescue talked openly and honestly about her place in the LGBTQ+ community. 

"I have always considered myself to be bisexual, even though I’ve never had a wife. I could just as easily have a wife as a husband, as far as the way I feel about us," Baskin said. "I think we are all one, and we are all — I just don’t see us as being different genders or different colors or different anything."

Danell Leyva

Olympic gymnast Danell Leyva (who said he identifies as bisexual/pansexual, although he says he's still figuring his exact label out) publicly opened up about his sexuality in an October interview with the Olympic Channel. The athlete and heartthrob, who wowed fans back in 2016 with a steamy, shirtless routine during the summer Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, spoke about how he hopes his journey to figuring out his sexuality helps normalize things for future generations of queer folks.

"I always knew," Danell told the Olympic Channel about when he knew he was part of the LGBTQ+ community. "It was always just very rejected, internally rejected because of the way that we’re all raised. And especially coming from a Hispanic family, it’s very much rejected. As I was growing up, I would always somewhat reject it. But then, the more I accepted myself...I started realizing more and more things. I started realizing how normal it is."

Braunwyn Windham-Burke

In a December interview with GLAAD, the Real Housewives of Orange County star opened up about her sexuality and her journey to self-acceptance, publicly coming out as a lesbian. 

"I’m still getting used to it...I knew I was attracted to women. I always have been...I got married very young and I never thought about it. So to be 42...I’m just now starting to feel like I’m becoming the woman I was supposed to be," Braunwyn, who joined the long-running reality TV franchise during its 14th season back in 2019 and who has seven kids with husband Sean Burke, said. "So for me to be living completely authentically and say, 'I’m a lesbian. That was who I have always been.' This isn’t something that is new 'cause that I think is what a lot of people will think. 'Oh, suddenly you’re one.' No, I’ve always known it. But it took me personally 42 years to be comfortable enough in my own skin to say that."

Braunwyn also told GLAAD that although she will still be married to her husband and raise their kids together, she is happily in a relationship with another woman.

Zach Rance

The Big Brother season 16 cast member publicly came out as bisexual in December during a virtual mental health event with the With Love, Alexa YouTube channel. The reality TV personality opened up about his sexuality, his palpable chemistry with fellow contestant, YouTuber, and Ariana Grande's older brother Frankie Grande, and how the two even had a fling after he "fell in love with" Frankie. 

"I’ve been straight my entire life, I’ve only liked women," Zach said, as reported by Us Weekly. "But on Big Brother, Frankie and I got super, super close. I fell in love with who he was as a person. Super funny, super smart. Good looking guy. As time went on, we got so close that I wasn’t really sure if I had feelings for him or not. You know, I’ve always been straight so it was never a thing [for me] to like guys."

He continued: 

"He [Frankie] was the first guy that I ever hooked up with. After that night, I was very unsure about the direction of my sexuality because I like women. And after we hooked up, I was very uncertain about what was my next move."

Hig Roberts

In a December interview with Out, former World Cup alpine ski racer and U.S. National team member Hig Roberts publicly came out as gay.

"[Being in the closet] took away a lot of the experience and the joy I could have experienced during this life and that’s a shame," Roberts told Out. "I had moments of standing on the podium with national titles and still feeling depressed. I was almost in a daze because of the mental anguish I would feel. I had sleepless nights. I had anxiety attacks. I had big bouts of depression. I had to closet all of that from my teammates and my coaches."

"I'm a firm believer that my journey happened the way it was supposed to have happened, to go through all this turmoil and struggle to arrive at the destination," he continued. "I've had to embrace that this is the way my story was supposed to play out. When I came out, it was truly time. I was ready in all facets of my life."

(Photography courtesy of Kacey Cole.)

Izzy Wouters

The Below Deck star and Bravolebrity publicly came out as a lesbian in a December Instagram post.

"Hello, my name is Izzy and I am out and proud," the Australian stewardess wrote in her post. She later took to her IG stories to describe herself as "a very lanky lesbian."

Elliot Page

Oscar-nominated actor Elliot Page, who we know and love from titles like The Umbrella Academy, X-Men, and Juno, publicly opened up about his gender identity and came out as transgender in a December letter posted on his social media accounts. 

"Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot," Page wrote in his letter, sharing his name and pronouns to his fans and followers. "I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life. I feel overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have supported me along this journey. I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self. I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community. Thank you for your courage, your generosity and ceaselessly working to make this world a more inclusive and compassionate place. I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society." 

He continued: 

"I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive. To all the trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better."