They don't call it 20GAYteen for nothing! While this year feels like it dragged on and on and on, there have been quite a few notable people who have decided to publicly live their truths! Here are 40 notable celebrities who made 2018 the year they came out!
The American Honey actress came out as gay in late January while discussing her sexuality at a press junket at Sundance for her latest film The Miseducation of Cameron Post.
"The story really hit home for me, coming from a household where my brother’s gay and I’m gay," she said. "I liked Jane, who has a free spirit and her own way of thinking. She grew up in a community where everyone was free and lived life in a certain way. Then her mother brought her into a community that was very conservative and unaccepting of her. But both those communities were boxes. I could relate to that because, regardless of how free I am in spirit, I grew up in Texas and that is kind of like a box."
The fashion model and popular social media influencer came out as bisexual in February during an interview with Gay Times.
"I realised that whatever I said, it became a distraction," he explained. "Anything I did or posted online, people would just ask about who I’m interested in, so I just built up this defence of saying 'that’s not important.'"
"It really isn’t important, so now I just say 'yeah, I am bisexual.'"
The DJ behind the 2015 hit "Cheerleader," came out as bisexual in February.
"Sometimes I was more interested in girls, sometimes more interested in boys," he explained to the weekly German newspaper Die Zeit. "As a teenager, that influences you. And when you realise that you also find guys attractive, that can make you unsure."
Although he wasn't happy about being asked about his sexuality in an interview with W Magazine, the Pushing Daisies star came out in March.
The 23 year old American Crime and Love, Simon actor publicly came out as gay in March during an interview with The Advocate where he recounted how he's been out to his family and friends since he was 18.
"I think all my friends and family knew on some level. I think maybe two people were shocked," he said. "My mom knew. She laid hints for me everywhere."
"The only part that was difficult was me coming out to myself. And I think that is the most difficult coming out."
In a late March essay written for Teen Vogue, the 24-year-old actress, singer, and dancer (best known for her roles in Step Up and Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, and appearances in rapper Missy Elliott's music videos) talked about embracing her sexuality and came out about how she is attracted to people of every gender identity and expression.
"I, Alyson, am attracted to men, women, and people who identify in other ways," she wrote. "I can love people of every gender identity and expression. It is the soul that captivates me. It is the love we can build and the goodness we can contribute to the world by supporting each other’s best journeys."
Pictured with her Broad City co-star Ilana Glazer (left), actress Abbi Jacobson (right) came out as bisexual in an April Vanity Fair profile where she opened up about her attraction to multiple genders.
"I kind of go both ways; I date men and women," she told VF. "They have to be funny, doing something they love. I don’t know—I’ve never really been interviewed about this before."
The investigative journalist who helped spark the #MeToo movement with his reporting for The New Yorker uncovering film producer Harvey Weinstein's many sexual abuse allegations publicly came out in April after being honored with the Point Foundation's Courage Award during their annual awards ceremony.
About Farrow, The Advocate writes:
Farrow, who's been tightlipped about his sexual orientation since a 2013 report by Vice attempted to out him, used his acceptance speech as an opportunity to make something clear.
After being presented the Point Courage award by fellow Point Foundation honoree and former MSNBC colleague Thomas Roberts, Farrow said, "Being a part of the LGBT community, which recognized that reporting I was doing early on and elevated it, and has been such a stalwart source of support through the sexual assault reporting I did involving survivors who felt equally invisible — that has been an incredible source of strength for me."
The Miss America 2005 title-holder (left) came out after marrying her longtime girlfriend Abbott Jones (right) in an April ceremony in Birmingham, Alabama, reports People.
"Saying our vows in front of our family and friends and making that commitment to the love of my life was the most meaningful part of the day for me," said Downs Gunn in a statement about her big day.
The British model and actor came out as gay in April after posting a video to his YouTube channel where he talked about his sexuality.
"This is something that I thought was important to do for my own growth, for myself, to be unashamed, to connect to others, to connect to you more," Zander said.
He continued:
"I wanted to tell everyone that I am gay, and although that doesn't change anything for me, and hopefully not for you, I just thought it was a really important thing to share with everyone."
After hinting at his relationship with actor/singer Austin McKenzie (right), Glee actor Kevin McHale (left) officially confirmed his sexuality on Twitter after pop queen Ariana Grande's new single "No Tears Left to Cry" dropped in April.
"#NoTearsLeftToCry is gayer than me and I ACCEPT. Ty @ArianaGrande," McHale tweeted.
The popular singer and actress (Moonlight, Hidden Figures) came out as queer in an April interview with Rolling Stone and, as Vulture points out, identifies with aspects of pansexuality and bisexuality.
"Being a queer black woman in America—someone who has been in relationships with both men and women—I consider myself to be a free-ass motherfucker," she told Rolling Stone.
YouTuber Cassandra Bankson came out as gay in late April to her 800,000+ subscribers in a video entitled "Surprise!! I'm Gay!"
"I am who I've always been, and I feel so liberated expressing that fully," she said in the description of the video. "I can't thank my friends, family, and YOU for accepting and loving me for exactly who and what I am, even during the times I couldn't. Life is a journey, and I feel so free being able to openly share these other dimensions of myself I've previously hidden."
Cardi B's cool AF little sister Hennessy Carolina talked about her girlfriend and her bisexuality in a June Instagram post celebrating Pride Month.
"If you can’t accept the B in LGBTQ, (L)lesbian(G)ay(B)BISEXUAL(T)ransexual(Q)ueer, then please don’t speak up for the community if you can’t fully understand ALL of us!" she wrote.
She continued:
"A bisexual girl expressing that she sometimes likes to kiss and hook up with girls especially when she gets a little loose when she drinks wine, Sounds human and normal to me! I don’t have a problem with that!! Whether you want to go out, have some drinks and hook up with the same gender for one night or whether you decide to be in a relationship with him/her, it should be no one's concern or business or even PLACE to tell you how to complete your sexual desire unless you're a pedophile! You can STILL consider yourself LGBTQ if you to choose too! Bisexual means you're attracted to both genders. No matter what’s the status of the relationship or what you chose to do with that person ... If a woman like to be in a relationship with a man but like to enjoy her sexual desire with a woman from time to time she can still considers herself to be a BISEXUAL! same goes for men..... and please if your still in your confused stage, please don’t talk for the whole community until you can fully comprehend ALL of us! We don’t like to be the judge or to be labeled! We just want be excepted for who we are... Love is love! That being said HAPPY GAY PRIDE MONTH FROM ME AND MY WIFE."
Major League Soccer player Collin Martin came out as gay in late June during the Minnesota United soccer team's annual Pride Night.
"June is Pride Month, and I am proud to be playing for Pride, and to be playing as an out gay man," he wrote in a statement on Twitter.
The 19-year-old YouTuber shared a coming out video in late June to her 1.5 million subscribers. The ad proceeds will benefit the Trevor Project, a nonprofit that provides a lifeline to LGBT youth.
The Hate U Give star came out as gay in mid-June in an interview with Wonderland Magazine.
"So happy to say the words 'Yep, I’m Gay' in official print," the 19 year-old wrote on an Instagram post, quoting an excerpt from the magazine interview which was conducted by Stenberg’s friend and queer recording artist King Princess.
The Creed and Thor: Ragnarok star rounded out Pride Month by coming out as bisexual in an interview with Net-a-Porter.
"I’m attracted to men and also to women. If I bring a woman home, [or] a man, [in my family] we don’t even have to have the discussion," Thompson told Net-a-Porter.
In a July interview with Paper Magazine, Panic! at the Disco frontman Brendon Urie claimed the pansexual label.
"I’m married to a woman and I’m very much in love with her, but I’m not opposed to a man because to me, I like a person," Urie said. "Yeah, I guess you could qualify me as pansexual because I really don’t care."
He previously discussed being sexually fluid in a 2017 interview with PEOPLE.
The Steven Universe creator talked to NPR in July about how her non-binary gender identity influnced themes in the show.
"One of the things that’s really important to me about the show is that the Gems are all non-binary women," she said. "They’re coded female which is very important. I was really excited because I felt like I had not seen this. To make a show about a young boy who was looking up to these female-coded characters—they appear to be female, but they’re a little more representative of nonbinary women. They wouldn’t think of themselves as women, but they’re fine with being interpreted that way amongst humans. And I am also a non-binary woman which is been really great to express myself through these characters because it’s very much how I have felt throughout my life."
The Instragram model came out as gay in a cover story with the UK's Gay Times magazine in July, but after racist comments he made about Beyoncé's hair in 2016 resurfaced, internet users pointed out that the influencer—who used to go by the name Derek Binsack online—has already been out and has been talking about his sexuality online for years. (He even made a now deleted YouTube video about when he knew he was gay.)
The 23-year-old actor, who has roles in shows like Arrow, Scream, and Voltron: Legendary Defender, came out in July as trans non-binary via a heartfelt Twitter post.
The Say Anything lead singer wrote a heartfel open letter to his fans in August and addressed, among many things like his band's hiatus, his sexuality. According to NewNowNext, Bemis identifies as "bi-ish or queer or a straight guy who can also like boys."
"I always talked or joked about it with my friends and found it to be blatantly clear I was," he wrote. "I was bullied for it and called a ‘fag’ (without irony). This is, sadly, common. I’m not special. I even went so far as to tell people I was also attracted to guys repeatedly. They chalked it up to my bipolar shit, which was hurtful."
Champions star Josie Totah, formerly known as JJ, came out as transgender in a heartfelt essay published for TIME Magazine in August.
"In the past, I’ve halfway corrected people by telling them I identify as LGBTQ. I wasn’t ready to be more specific. I was afraid I wouldn’t be accepted, that I would be embarrassed, that the fans who knew me from the time when I acted in a Disney show would be confused," she writes, recalling how was hesitant to specifically identify. "But I realized over the past few years that hiding my true self is not healthy. I know now, more than ever, that I’m finally ready to take this step toward becoming myself. I’m ready to be free. So, listen up y’all: You can jump on or jump off. Either way this is where I’m heading. My pronouns are she, her and hers. I identify as female, specifically as a transgender female. And my name is Josie Totah."
The Teen Beach Movie and King Cobra actor opened up about his same-sex relationship (and his upcoming role in the film Reach, where he plays a bullied gay teen) in an August Instagram post.
He wrote:
"When I read the script for REACH, I immediately knew it was a film I had to be a part of. I have personally dealt with suicide within my own family, intense bullying in high school, and - on top of it all - myself and the man I’ve been in a relationship with for a long time (@hrhblakeknight) have both experienced shootings within our hometown school systems, and have witnessed the heartache that takes place in affected communities after such tragic events. These topics - not always easy to discuss- are all close to my heart, and, knowing how serious they are, I wanted to share this with you all. This film has come from the perspectives of people who care deeply about these issues, and if watching it helps even one person... then it was all worth it."
The 27-year-old came out as gay in a heartfelt Instagram post in September, becoming the first professional golfter to openly come out.
"So...I'm gay," Fujikawa wrote on his Instagram account. "Many of you may have already known that. I don't expect everyone to understand or accept me. But please be gracious enough to not push your beliefs on me or anyone in the LGBTQ community. My hope is this post will inspire each and every one of you to be more empathetic and loving towards one another."
The Atpyical star came out as queer during an interview with The Advocate in September.
"I've been able to use what I've learned as a young adult woman who has found her strength in Casey, and in turn, Casey has brought this youthful vigor and confidence back in my life," the 25-year-old actress said, opening up about her own coming out experience. "I come from a very queer family. I think it was just like a teary phone call to my mom when I had my first girlfriend. And then after that it was kinda like, 'Oh, I don't have to really tell anybody else. I just date who I want and not have to put up with it.'"
The star of ABC's sitcom Single Parents came out as sexually fluid in a late September interview with Very Good Light while reflecting on Front Cover, the 2015 film he starred in where he played a closeted fashion stylist—a role that he says was "transformative."
"Ever since I was young, all the images you saw around you, or at least for me, was catered towards heterosexuals. Very cis, very heterosexual. I was an athlete. When you’re an athlete everything is hypermasculine and hetero. That’s where you think you’re supposed to be and everything else is abnormal and you’re not supposed to do that."
"When I shot the movie I identified as straight – that’s how I was conditioned," said Choi. "Now, I identify as fluid."
The singer-songwriter (who was the voice behind The Chainsmokers' 2016 single "Don't Let Me Down") publicly came out as bisexual after taking to Instagram in October to post about #NationalComingOutDay.
"i’m proud to be a bisexual member of the LGBTQ community with a girl i love who makes me feel more like me every day," she wrote. "the support has been beyond and though it wasn’t always easy i also recognize how privileged i am to have had so much of it, so i especially wanna be there for those of u who aren’t surrounded by the most accepting family/friends/communities. stay authentic, talk thru it with people u trust, know you’re loved and that i’m thinking of u. thats my long post of the month love yall be gay be free be wild n love lots xo"
The NCAA champion Stanford University swimmer came out publicly in a September interview with Swimming World Magazine.
"I’m a gay athlete. There aren’t too many of us, so when I came out to my college team, that was a really tough time for me," DeVine said.
"Growing up gay in any sport is definitely tough," he continued. "There’s a culture that is created in a lot of sports where being gay is an insult. It’s something that gets tossed around and makes you not want to go to practice or not want to hang out with the team or be a part of the team."
The pop singer took to Instagram in October and opened up about how she has dated both men and women in the past.
"Not that I should have to justify myself to you or anyone, but I have been in relationships with both men and women," Betty said in response to a fan questioning whether or not she belongs in the LGBT community. "I have been deeply, earth shatteringly in love with both men and women. Just because I happen to be engaged to a man doesn’t mean that I haven’t found a home within the gay community."
After winning the award for the Best Acting in a Drama category for her YouTube premium show Youth & Consequences in October, Anna Akana casually came out during her acceptance speech, letting the crowd know that she is a proud queer woman of color (while also informing everyone of the importance of voting!).
"People need us more than ever!' she said. "Marginalized groups need us more than ever. I’m not only a woman of color, but I’m also a queer woman. Please get out to the polls and vote."
Actor Jake Borelli publicly came out in November in a moving Instagram post after his character, surgical intern Levi Schmitt, shared a kiss with Dr. Kim (played by Alex Landi).
"As a gay guy myself, tonight's episode was so special to me," he wrote. "This is exactly the kind of story I craved as a young gay kid growing up in Ohio, and it blows my mind that I'm able to bring life to Dr. Levi Schmitt as he begins to grapple with his own sexuality this season on Grey’s Anatomy. His vulnerability and courage inspire me every day, and I hope he can do the same for you."
Jaden Smith broke the internet and made headlines in November when he announced that rapper Tyler, the Creator was his boyfriend on stage at the Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival music festival in Los Angeles. "I wanna tell you, Tyler doesn’t want to say, but Tyler’s my mother f***ing boyfriend and he’s been my mother f***ing boyfriend my whole f***ing life!" he said.
Fans weren't sure if the two were dating or if Jaden and Tyler were just trolling. And after Smith deleted a tweet to Tyler that read, "I Told Everyone You Can’t Deny It Now," many were convinced that it was all just jokes.
But on Apple Music's Beats 1 Radio, Smith actually confirmed that he is indeed dating Tyler.
"I recently said that Tyler, The Creator is my boyfriend and that’s true," he said. "So, just so you know."
The Dexter and Six Feet Under star opened up about his fluid sexuality in a personal interview with The Daily Beast in November.
"I think there’s a spectrum. I am on it," he said. "I’m heterosexual. But if there was a percentage, I would say I was not all the way heterosexual. I think playing the emcee required me to fling a bunch of doors wide open because that character I imagined as pansexual."
Hall went on, "Yeah, like I made out with Michael Stuhlbarg every night doing that show. I think I have always leaned into any fluidity in terms of my sexuality."
The bestselling, Korean-American author behind the dark coming-of-age novel The Incendiaries came out as bisexual in November. She took to Twitter to write:
"Hi, all, I’m bisexual. Haven’t really talked publicly about it, I think in part because I married my first boyfriend, & in part because this could be hard on my parents & family. But there aren’t many publicly queer Korean American writers, & I just want to say hi, we’re here."
After the controversy surrounding her single "Girls," British pop singer Rita Ora responded on Twitter in May, apologizing for any unintended harm she caused and how she herself has dated both men and women in the past.
"'Girls' was written to represent my truth and is an accurate account of a very real and honest experience in my life," she wrote. "I have had romantic relationships with women and men throughout my life and this is my personal journey."
In a November interview with Shortlist, The 1975 frontman talked about his sexuality, and how he has been attracted to men in the past (although not in a necessarily sexual way).
"Yes, but not in a carnal, sexual way," Healy said when asked about if he is attracted to men. "The other sex is still attractive, it’s just that sex is weird, isn’t it? Do you know what I mean? It’s, like, Do I want to do blowjobs with a guy? No. Do I want to kiss a guy? Yeah, kind of..."
Although he caused some controvery for appropriating the term "Two-Spirit," the singer-songwriter opened up about his sexuality in July to Billboard Magazine.
"I’ve had experiences with men," Mraz told Billboard. "Even while I was dating the woman who became my wife."
The Oscar-nominated actor came out as "not totally straight" in a September interview with Vulture while promoting his latest project, the conversion therapy film Boy Erased.
"In the early stages of my life, some of the people I was most infatuated with were my closest male friends," he said. That was the case through high school, and I think I was always aware that while for the most part I was attracted to women, I existed on a spectrum."
Hedges went on to recall his sixth-grade teacher discussing the broad range of sexuality. "I felt ashamed that I wasn’t 100 percent, because it was clear that one side of sexuality presents issues, and the other doesn’t as much. I recognize myself as existing on that spectrum: Not totally straight, but also not gay and not necessarily bisexual."
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