This year has been hugely significant for queer representation, both on and off-screen. From Lil Nas X’s pathbreaking music video for Montero to Elliot Page coming out as transgender, pop culture experienced some milestone moments. Many Gen-Z icons have taken to social media, interviews or even their on-screen projects this year to talk about their sexuality or discuss the stigma around it. Here’s a list of some of the most famous names who came out as LGBTQ+ this year:
Demi Lovato
The singer came out as pansexual in March and announced they’re gender non-binary. This May Demi Lovato announced on social media that their preferred pronouns are they/them. During an interview on The Joe Rogan Experience. Lovato talked about their sexuality
"I also don't know if I'm going to end up with a guy, so I can't really see myself getting pregnant. I'm so fluid now — and a part of the reason why I am so fluid is because I was super closed off,” she revealed.
Jojo Siwa
JoJo Siwa, YouTuber and Dance Moms star, posted a video of herself dancing to Lady Gaga's Born This Way on TikTok in late January and followed it up with a photo on Twitter in which she was wearing a T-shirt that read, "Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever.” Siwa who identifies as pansexual, has revealed that her partner, Kylie Prew, inspired her to officially come out to her fans.
"I like queer. Technically I would say that I am pansexual because that's how I have always been my whole life is just like, my human is my human,” she said in an interview recently.
Joshua Bassett
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star Joshua Bassett, who is best known for being the subject of Olivia Rodrigo's breakout hit Driver's License, revealed a few months back that he’s attracted to Harry Styles. "I guess this is also my coming out video," he said. The star later said in a statement that he’s still figuring out his sexuality.
Emma Corrin
The Crown star Emma Corrin seemingly came out as gay in an Instagram post, where she shared a photoshoot with the caption “ur fave queer bride.” Though she hasn’t talked about her private life as of yet, her fans consider the post a declaration about her sexuality
Kehlani
The singer came out as gay this year in April. “You wanna know what's new about me? I finally know I'm a lesbian," she said on a friend’s Instagram live.
In another interview Kehlani talked about how coming out is difficult for artists "I have a lot of privilege. I think a lot of artists who we talk about and say, 'Oh, they had to come out or they had to do this,' a lot of them can't hide it. A lot of it is very [much] in how they present. It's tougher for trans artists. It's tougher for Black gay men. It's tougher for Black masculine gay woman,” she said
Sophie Turner
Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner who’s married to Joe Jonas shared a cryptic caption on Pride Month, which led fans to believe she was coming out as bisexual. On an Instagrm story, she posted a picture of the sky along with several Pride-themed stickers, including "Bi Pride," "Gay Pride," "Move, I'm gay," and captioned it, "Time isn't straight and neither am I.”
Dove Cameron
The Powerpuff Girls actor Dove Cameron revealed this year that she’s queer. The star revealed she’s hinted about her sexuality for years but was finally able to talk about it in public. “I went on Instagram Live and said 'Guys, I really needed to explain something to you. Maybe I haven't said it, but I'm super queer. This is something I want to represent through my music because it's who I am,” she said in an interview this year in April