When did you first know you were queer?
Sometimes, that's a complicated question. Maybe there's no one singular moment, but rather a long, meandering path that led you to the life you lead as an LGBTQ+ person today. Maybe it's nebulous, ineffable, and couldn't be pinned down if you tried.
Or maybe you saw Paul Dano in Little Miss Sunshine during your formative years and your type's been emo twinks ever since.
Like many of life's great questions, one X (formerly Twitter) user @nocontextgayy took to the platform to see if others could relate to his moment of "knowing". They asked people to share the moment they "knew", and included a picture of David Henrie as Justin Russo in the Disney Channel show Wizards of Waverly Place. Queer men by the dozens then chimed in, sharing the actors, musicians, and athletes who revealed their previously dormant attraction to men.
Brought to you by those who can pinpoint a singular moment when they knew, here are 30 of the celebrities spanning across the decades that unlocked something deep inside some of us and not just because their performances were memorable.
David Henrie in "Wizards of Waverly Place" (2007-2012)
Walter Emanuel Jones on "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" (1993-1996)
John Schneider in "The Dukes of Hazard" (1979-1985)
Brian Tochi in "Space Academy" (1977-1979)
Kurt Russell in "Overboard" (1987)
Val Kilmer in "Batman Forever" (1995)
Hugh Jackman in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (2009)
Russell Wong in "The Joy Luck Club" (1993)
Burt Reynolds in the iconic Cosmopolitan photo shoot (1972)
Gil Gerard in "Buck Rogers" (1979-1981)
Singer Ricky Martin (circa early '00s)
Harrison Ford in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (1984)
Paul Weller and Mick Talbot, better known as musical duo "The Style Council" (1982-1989)
Hayden Christensen in the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy (1999-2005)
Jackie Chan in "Rush Hour" (1998)
Courtesy of Jeremy Bombaron/GettyImages
"Jackie Chan in Rush hour, he looked so handsome in it akskakak"
Josh Brolin in "The Goonies" (1985)
Chris Evans in "The Fantastic Four" (2005) and Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger in "Brokeback Mountain" (2005)
Chad Everett in "Medical Center" (1969-1976)
Terry Crews in "White Chicks" (2004)
Courtesy of Steve Granitz/GettyImages
Rob Lowe in "St. Elmo's Fire" (1985)
AND Rob Lowe in "Youngblood" (1986)
Ravishing Rick Rude of the World Wrestling Federation (1987-1990)
Rami Malek in "Night at the Museum" (2006)
Courtesy of Jim Spellman/GettyImages
