10 Openly LGBTQ+ Public Figures
1. Ellen DeGeneres
Field: Talk show host/comedian
Achievement: Host of the well-known American talk show "The Ellen Show", publicly revealed through Time magazine in 1997, becoming one of the earliest mainstream television celebrities to publicly identify as gay, and has long been a voice for LGBTQ+rights.
2. Kate McKinnon
Field: Actor/Comedian
Achievements: She became popular because she imitated Hillary Clinton and other characters in SNL. In 2016, she openly admitted her relationship with female partners and teased her sexual orientation in the program for many times.
3. Sue Bird&Megan Rapinoe
Field: Professional athletes (basketball/soccer)
Achievements:
Sue Bird: WNBA legendary player, four time Olympic gold medalist, publicly involved with footballer Megan Rapino for many years, engaged in 2020.
Megan Rapino: US Women's World Cup champion, openly came out in 2012, actively promoting equal pay for equal work and gender equality.
4. Lily Tomlin
Field: Actor/Comedian
Achievement: Starred in the classic comedy "Rosanna", accompanied by screenwriter Jane Wagner for over 50 years, officially married in 2013, and has long supported LGBTQ+equality.
5. Cynthia Nixon
Field: Actor/Political Activist
Achievement: Known for her role as Miranda in Sex and the City, she publicly announced her relationship with her female partner Christine Marinoni in 2004, got married in 2012, and later ran for governor of New York to promote progressive policies.
6. Tegan&Sara Quin
Field: Musicians
Achievements: Canadian Twin sisters Independent Music Group, which came out in the early 2000s, created several LGBTQ+theme songs, and established a foundation to support gender equality and adolescent mental health.
7. Sarah Paulson
Field: Actor
Achievement: Due to the popularity of TV series such as "American Horror Story" and "Ratchet", he publicly announced his relationship with actor Holland Taylor in 2015. The age difference between the two sparked public discussion but persisted in breaking prejudices.
8. Jane Lynch
Field: Actor/Host
Achievement: Known for her role as "Teacher Su" in "Glee", she publicly came out in 2010 and married her therapist partner Lara Embry (later divorced). She is active in LGBTQ+charity activities.
9. Abby Wambach
Field: Football Players
Achievements: Former captain of the United States women's football team, two time Olympic gold medalist, openly came out in 2013, married writer Glennon Doyle, advocated for women's sports and LGBTQ+rights.
10. Laverne Cox
Field: Actor/Transgender Rights Activist
Achievement: The first openly transgender woman nominated for an Emmy Award ("Women's Prison"), although transgender, is often included in the broader LGBTQ+celebrity representation, emphasizing the intersection and differences between transgender women and the lesbian community.
