List of gay icons
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of people and characters described or narrativized as gay icons by contemporary or historical media.
Sappho of Lesbos
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Sappho of Lesbos was an Archaic Greek poet known for composing sentimental lyrics about women. Perceived homoerotism in her poems have led to her becoming a symbol for lesbianism,[4] with her name and home island inspiring the terms sapphic and lesbian respectively. Her sexuality, and the themes in her poetry have been extensively discussed and reinterpreted by scholars.[5]
Saint Sebastian
The 3rd century Christian martyr Saint Sebastian is one of the earliest known gay icons,[2] due to his depiction in artwork as a beautiful, agonised young man.[1] Historian Richard A. Kaye states that "Contemporary gay men have seen in Sebastian at once a stunning advertisement for homosexual desire (indeed, a homoerotic ideal), and a prototypical portrait of a tortured closet case."[3]
In the 1890s, Irish poet Oscar Wilde, himself also called a gay icon,[6] was incarcerated and exiled for his sexuality, and adopted the pseudonym "Sebastian Melmoth" after the saint.[7] Gay playwright Tennessee Williams used the saint's name for the martyred character Sebastian in his 1957 play, Suddenly Last Summer.[8]
Joan of Arc
The 15th century martyr and patron saint of France Joan of Arc has become a queer icon in more recent years[9] due to her cross-dressing,[10] devoted celibacy, and consistent rebuffing of male advances.[11][better source needed][12] She is consistently referenced in modern queer art and culture.[13] She is particularly important to the transmasculine and lesbian communities.[14] Jane Anderson described Joan of Arc as a queer icon and symbol for young women.[15]
Marie Antoinette
Prior to the French Revolution, opponents of the French monarchy regularly circulated pornographic propaganda alleging that Marie Antoinette was engaged in lesbian relationships with the Princesse de Lamballe and the Duchesse de Polignac. While the rumors of Antoinette's sexuality were unfounded, they led to her being interpreted as an early lesbian icon in works by gay authors, such as Radclyffe Hall's The Well of Loneliness (1928) and Jean Genet's The Maids (1947).[16]
Modern celebrities
Judy Garland
Late singer and actress Judy Garland was immensely popular among gay men due to her camp sensibilities, and is considered "the quintessential pre-Stonewall gay icon".[17]
In the 1950s, the phrase "friend of Dorothy" became used as a slang term for homosexuals. This term is attributed both to well-known author and fellow gay icon Dorothy Parker, and to Garland's prominent role as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz.[18]
Cher
Cher has been ranked in diverse listicles of the most prominent gay icons.[19]
Cher's eldest child, Chaz Bono, first came out as a lesbian at age 17, which reportedly caused Cher to feel "guilt, fear and pain". However, she soon came to accept Chaz's sexual orientation, and came to the conclusion that LGBTQ people "didn't have the same rights as everyone else, [and she] thought that was unfair". She was the keynote speaker for the 1997 national Parents, Families, & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) convention, and has since become one of the LGBTQ community's most vocal advocates. In May 1998, she received the GLAAD Vanguard Award for having "made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for lesbians and gay men". On June 11, 2009, Chaz came out as a transgender man, and his transition from female to male was legally finalized on May 6, 2010.
Madonna
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Pop musician Madonna has become a preeminent gay icon.[20][21][22] The Advocate's Steve Gdula commented that "back in the 1980s and even the early 1990s, the release of a new Madonna video or single was akin to a national holiday, at least among her gay fans."[22] Gdula also stated that during this period, concurrent with the rise of the AIDS epidemic, "when other artists tried to distance themselves from the very audience that helped their stars to rise, Madonna only turned the light back on her gay fans and made it burn all the brighter."[22]
Whitney Houston
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During Whitney Houston's early fame, rumors speculated of a romance between Houston and Robyn Crawford, which both denied during a Time magazine interview in 1987.[23] In 2019, Crawford admitted in her memoirs, A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston, that their early relationship included sexual activity but stopped before Houston signed a recording deal.[23]
In addition, Houston became an activist for the fight against HIV and AIDS during the first decade of the AIDS epidemic. The Whitney Houston Foundation for Children, in particular, focused on helping children who suffered from HIV/AIDS, among other issues. In 1990, Whitney took part in Arista Records' 15th anniversary gala, which was an AIDS benefit. A year later, Whitney participated in the Reach Out & Touch Someone AIDS vigil at London in September 1991 while she was finishing her historic ten-date residency at London's Wembley Arena; there, she stressed the importance of AIDS research and addressing HIV stigma.[24][25]
During the middle of her tour to promote the My Love Is Your Love album in June 1999, Whitney gave a surprise performance at the 13th Annual New York City Lesbian & Gay Pride Dance, titled Dance 13: The Last Dance of the Century.[26] According to Instinct magazine, Houston's unannounced performance at the Piers "ushered in a new era that would eventually make high-profile artists performing at LGBTQ events virtually commonplace."[26]
Houston has been celebrated among LGBTQ+ fans for her closeted queer identity that has been explored in documentaries.[4]
Britney Spears
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Britney Spears has been recognized as a gay icon by the public and by academics.[27][28][29] Hits like "...Baby One More Time" and "Toxic" have been embraced as anthems within gay culture. Her performances, notably kissing Madonna at the MTV Video Music Awards 2003, are celebrated as iconic moments in queer pop history.[27] Throughout her career, Spears has been acknowledged for her support of the LGBTQ community.[30] This support has included opposition to anti-gay and anti-trans legislation, raising funds for The Trevor Project, and participating in benefits for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting.[31][30] She received the GLAAD Vanguard Award in 2018.[31]
Spears has expressed gratitude and support for her LGBTQ fans.[32][non-primary source needed] In her memoir “The Woman In Me,” Spears describes her relationship with the LGBTQ+ community as one of unconditional love, noting how she has both been supported by and served as a refuge for queer fans:
My gay friends were always protective of me, maybe because they knew I was that kind of innocent, not dumb, but way too kind. And I think a lot of the gay guys around me took on a supportive role. I could even feel it onstage when they were beside me. If I thought I didn’t do my best performance, I could count on my friends to realise I didn’t feel great about it and still say, “You did so good!” That kind of love means everything to me.[33]
She also writes about her most cherished experiences occurring in gay clubs, describing them as places where she felt truly welcomed and uplifted by the community’s exuberance and acceptance.[34]
The LGBTQ community was an important part of the Free Britney movement.[28][30] LGBTQ fans empathized with loss of control; the movement echoed a broader struggle for queer liberation.[35][28][36]
Kate Bush
Kate Bush has been cited as an influence by respected artists like Elton John, who is openly gay and credits Bush's music with helping him to overcome his alcoholism. Fellow gay icon Cher has also expressed admiration of Bush's work. Her debut single "Wuthering Heights" topped the charts and became a global success. The music video for the song in which she dances in the moors in a red dress has become iconic among the LGBTQ community. One of her less influential albums, Lionheart (1978), featured a song titled "Kashka From Baghdad", which regaled to the listener the tale of a gay couple living together in sin, which was quite revolutionary for its time.[37] Since 2016, Kate Bush fans have gathered in locations all over the world and taken to recreate Bush's "Wuthering Heights" video in an event dubbed The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever. People in attendance to the event don red dresses or red in general and recreate the choreography observed in the video as a tribute. Bush, who has seen a clip of one of the events, described the tribute by her fans as "very touching and sweet".[38]
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue, known for her disco-infused dance music and camp style, is held in high esteem by her gay fans.[39][40][41][42] She remarks that her gay fans have been with her 'through thick and thin', yet was never specifically marketed to a gay audience early in her career. Singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright, who is openly gay, described Minogue as "the gay shorthand for joy". She has performed at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Party in 1994, 1998 and 2012, Palm Springs White Party in 2018, WorldPride 2019 in New York City and headlined the opening ceremony concert at WorldPride 2023 in Sydney.
Minogue encourages her gay icon status with comments including "I am not a traditional gay icon. There's been no tragedy in my life, only tragic outfits" and "My gay audience has been with me from the beginning ... they kind of adopted me." Her status as a gay icon has been attributed to her music, fashion sense and career longevity. Author Constantine Chatzipapatheodoridis wrote about Minogue's appeal to gay men in Strike a Pose, Forever: The Legacy of Vogue... and observed that she "frequently incorporates camp-inflected themes in her extravaganzas, drawing mainly from the disco scene, the S/M culture, and the burlesque stage." In Beautiful Things in Popular Culture (2007), Marc Brennan stated that Minogue's work "provides a gorgeous form of escapism". Minogue has explained that she first became aware of her gay audience in 1988, when several drag queens performed to her music at a Sydney pub, and she later saw a similar show in Melbourne. She said that she felt "very touched" to have such an "appreciative crowd", and this encouraged her to perform at gay venues throughout the world, as well as headlining the 1994 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Minogue has one of the largest gay followings in the world.
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey has demonstrated allyship since the early beginnings of her career. She has shown her love for her LGBTQ+ fans numerous times, including a 2003 performance at G-A-Y in London,[43] as well as headlining Los Angeles Pride in 2023 and Brighton Pride in 2025.[44][45] Furthermore, Carey also won a GLAAD award for Allyship.[46]
The Golden Girls
Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty - the four main stars of The Golden Girls - each had a long and rich history of working with and for LGBTQ causes and each was an outspoken supporter whenever asked in interviews. The show itself also featured a number of gay-centric episodes, each portraying the queer character with kindness and compassion. The majority of these episodes were almost never made due to hesitation on the part of the network, NBC, to produce episodes focusing on homosexuality, with the four actresses often fighting the network to see them produced.
Bea Arthur had previously worked on her own television show, Maude which featured multiple gay-themed episodes. After her death in 2009, Arthur bequeathed $300,000 to the Ali Forney Center, a New York City organization that provides housing for homeless LGBTQ+ youths.[47][48]
Meanwhile, as a supporter and advocate of LGBTQ rights, Betty White said in 2010, "If a couple has been together all that time – and there are gay relationships that are more solid than some heterosexual ones – I think it's fine if they want to get married. I don't know how people can get so anti-something. Mind your own business, take care of your affairs, and don't worry about other people so much." In a 2011 interview, she revealed that she always knew her close friend Liberace was gay and that she sometimes accompanied him to premieres to help him hide it.
Rue McClanahan was also a supporter of gay rights, including advocating for same-sex marriage in the United States. In January 2009, she appeared in the star-studded Defying Inequality: The Broadway Concert—A Celebrity Benefit for Equal Rights.[49]
Estelle Getty was said by friends Harvey Fierstein and Rosie O'Donnell, both notable members of the LGBTQ community, to have been heavily involved in HIV/AIDS activism and had lost close friends and family to the disease, among them her nephew Steven Scher (1962–1992), whom she cared for after he was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, and her Torch Song Trilogy co-star Court Miller (1952–1986).[50] She later helped to open a hospice for AIDS patients in Greensboro, North Carolina, her nephew's hometown, in 1996, called Beacon Place, which was still in operation as of 2023.[51]
Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson garnered a substantial LGBTQ following during the 1990s with her sixth studio album The Velvet Rope (1997).[52][53][54] The album was honored by the National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum and received the award for Outstanding Music Album at the 9th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in 1998 for its songs that dealt with sexual orientation and homophobia.[55] On 26 April 2008, she received the Vanguard Award—a media award from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation—to honor her work in the entertainment industry in promoting equality for LGBTQ people.[55]
GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano commented, "Ms. Jackson has a tremendous following inside the LGBT community and out, and having her stand with us against the defamation that LGBT people still face in our country is extremely significant."[55][56]
Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera has been recognized as a gay icon.[57][58][59] She became known for incorporating themes such as feminism, sexuality, LGBTQ culture and the sex-positive movement into her work.[60][61][62] Her 2002 song "Beautiful" has been called an anthem for the LGBTQ community, with UK LGBTQ rights charity Stonewall naming it the most empowering song of the decade for lesbian, gay and bisexual people and for having "inspired millions of young people around the world".[63] In the video for "Beautiful" (2002), the highlight scene of a gay kiss has been considered an important moment for LGBTQ culture.[64]
Aguilera was lauded for calling out myths around HIV/AIDS, in addition to raising awareness about the virus and raising funds for the Mac AIDS Fund and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.[65][66] In 2008, she advocated for same-sex marriage and spoke out against Proposition 8. In June 2016, Aguilera release single "Change", which was aimed to raise proceeds to the victim's families and survivors of the Orlando nightclub shooting.[67] During The X Tour (2019), Aguilera visited Russia and "blessed" a gay marriage proposal in the backstage, contrary to the country's laws against "gay propaganda".
In 2019, she was awarded by the Human Rights Campaign for using her "platform to share a message of hope and inspiration to those who have been marginalized [...] bringing greater visibility to the LGBTQ community".[68] In 2023, Aguilera was honored for her LGBTQ allyship and for advocating for the queer community at the Stonewall National Monument.[69][70]
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga, who herself is bisexual, fought as an LGBTQ rights activist from the beginning of her career and has a large LGBTQ following.[71] She has fought against LGBT-related phobia and for marriage and adoption equality, the repeal of the Don't Ask Don't Tell law, and the protection of transgender people.[71][72][73][74][75]
Diana, Princess of Wales
Highly regarded by the LGBTQ community due to her work with gay men suffering from AIDS,[76][77] Diana, Princess of Wales, is considered to be a gay icon.[78][79] The hardships she faced during her life within the British royal family and her struggles with bulimia have been cited as factors to which members of the LGBTQ community can mostly connect.[80][81] Writing for Them, David Levesley described Diana as "a symbol of the familial oppression many queer people know all too well," and added that "[queer people] admire her for how long she lasted in the face of a shitty situation. Is there anything more queer than a fabulous woman trapped in a bleak household?"[80] James Greig from Vice also held a similar viewpoint, stating that "her status as a tragic diva aside, it's undeniable that Diana made real, material changes to the lives of LGBT people – particularly through the work she did around AIDS."[81] In an article for Newsweek, Desmond O'Connor wrote that Diana's work with dying HIV+ gay men was crucial for reminding "the people of Great Britain that their 'untouchable' sons deserved to be loved."[82]
In 2009, a panel including Sir Ian McKellen and Alan Hollinghurst chose Diana's portrait to be shown in the Gay Icons exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, London.[76] In October 2017, the Attitude magazine honoured Diana with its Legacy Award for her HIV/AIDS work. Prince Harry accepted the award on behalf of his mother.[83][84]
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, famously known as Elton John, is perhaps one of the most famous, publicly queer musicians of all time. During 1976, he announced publicly that he was bisexual and remained open about his sexuality to present day, happily married to his husband David Furnish since 2014. Aside from his musical career, he is also the founder of the Elton John AIDS Foundation which was created to give support and aide to those in need as well as to "prevent infections, fight stigma and provide treatment with love, compassion and dignity for the most vulnerable groups affected by HIV around the world".[85]
Lea Salonga
In 2011, The Advocate called Lea Salonga a "major gay icon" for being "very vocal in her support for LGBT equality, both here [the U.S.] and in her native Philippines."[86]
The song "Reflection," which she sang in Disney's Mulan (1998), has become viewed as an anthem for queer audiences.[87] On October 12, 2009, during a benefit concert for victims of Typhoon Ondoy, Salonga referenced the National Equality March in Washington, D.C., and firmly stated, "I believe that every single human being has the fundamental right to marry whoever they want."[88] In February 2016, Salonga publicly criticized Filipino politician and former professional boxer Manny Pacquiao for his views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage.[89] Over the course of decades, Salonga has spoken and performed at several fundraising events for HIV/AIDS.[citation needed][90]
Others (non-inclusive list)
Other people referred to as queer icons include Barbra Streisand,[91] Liza Minnelli,[92] Beverly Glenn-Copeland,[93] James Baldwin,[94] Lana Del Rey,[95] Florence Welch,[96] Beyoncé,[97] Rihanna,[98] Miley Cyrus,[99] FKA Twigs,[100] Judith Butler,[101] Troye Sivan,[102] Charli XCX,[103] Dolly Parton,[104] Jennifer Coolidge,[105] Chappell Roan,[106] Megan Hilty,[107] Ariana Grande,[108] Ina Garten,[109] Billie Eilish,[110] Tilda Swinton,[111] Diana Ross,[112] Sophie,[113] Stevie Nicks,[114] George Michael,[115] Adam Lambert,[116] Boy George,[117] Freddie Mercury,[118] Keith Haring,[119] Lil Nas X,[120][121] Hayley Kiyoko,[122][123] Sinéad O'Connor,[124] Prince,[125][126][127] and more.
Fictional characters
Wonder Woman
Wolverine
Although Wolverine has primarily been depicted as straight in mainstream Marvel continuity,[128] his relationships with male characters like Cyclops and Nightcrawler have been highlighted for homoerotic elements.[129][130][128] An alternate version of Wolverine featured in X-Treme X-Men (2012 – 2013) was depicted as gay and in a relationship with Hercules, two characters sharing an on-panel kiss in issue #10.[131][132] The character has proven popular with queer fans,[133] and has been described as a gay icon.[134][135]
He-Man
Since his creation, He-Man's homoeroticism, implied homosexuality, and adherence to multiple gay stereotypes has resulted in the character and show drawing a queer audience when the cartoon first aired,[136] with the character being viewed as a gay icon.[137][138]
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena has enjoyed a particular cult status in the lesbian community. Some of the lesbian fan base see Xena and Gabrielle as a couple and have embraced them as role models and lesbian icons.[139][140] Xena's popularity was successfully utilized by Subaru when trying to establish a healthy base of lesbian customers: one ad had a car with the license plate "XENA LVR" (Xena lover).[141]
A subject of much interest and debate among viewers is the question of whether Xena and Gabrielle are lovers.[142][143] The issue is left deliberately ambiguous by the writers. Jokes, innuendo, and other subtle evidence of a romantic relationship between Xena and Gabrielle is referred to as "lesbian subtext" or simply "subtext" by fans.[140][143] The issue of the true nature of the Xena/Gabrielle relationship caused intense "shipping" debates in Xena fandom, which turned especially impassioned due to spillover from real-life debates about same-sex sexuality and gay rights.[142]
Many fans felt that the sexual nature of Xena and Gabrielle's relationship was cemented by an interview given by Lucy Lawless to Lesbian News magazine in 2003. Lawless stated that after the series finale, where Gabrielle revives Xena with a mouth-to-mouth water transfer filmed to look like a full kiss, she had come to believe that Xena and Gabrielle's relationship was "definitely gay". "There was always a, 'Well, she might be or she might not be' but when there was that drip of water passing between their lips in the very final scene, that cemented it for me. Now it wasn't just that Xena was bisexual and kinda liked her gal pal and they kind of fooled around sometimes, it was 'Nope, they're married, man'."[144]
Utena Tenjou
Utena Tenjou, the protagonist of Revolutionary Girl Utena, has earned cult status as an icon in the lesbian anime community for her breaking of gender norms and her relationship with Anthy Himemiya.[145] Tenjou and Himemiya had a lasting impact on queer representation in anime.[146] The anime itself was considered ahead of its time tackling themes of misogyny, internalized homophobia, and self-identity, leading to its queer cult status.[147][148]
The Babadook
The Babadook's status as a gay icon is due mostly to a clerical mistake made by Netflix. In 2016, the 2014 horror movie was accidentally added to Netflix's LGBTQ movie section. This quickly became an in-joke in the online queer community. The discussion around the Babadook being queer quickly gained steam with people suggesting that hunting a white suburban family is a radical act and that "it seeks to break down the borders of acceptability and establishment",[149] and that these radical acts are seen as inherently queer. Others have suggested that the Babadook and the movie are queer representation because "the movie deals with themes of isolation, depression, and an inability to be oneself".[150]
Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon impacted the gay community due to its queer representation, positive themes of love and acceptance, and the "found family" dynamic of its main characters.[citation needed] The explicit and positive depiction of the lesbian relationship between Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune, along with other gender-fluid and queer characters, resonated with LGBTQ+ audiences, particularly during the 1990s when such representation was rare.[151]
References
- 1 2 "Arrows of desire: How did St Sebastian become an enduring, homo-erotic". The Independent. 23 October 2011. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- 1 2 "Subjects of the Visual Arts: St. Sebastian". glbtq.com. 2002. Archived from the original on 1 September 2007. Retrieved 1 August 2007.
- 1 2 Kaye, Richard A. (1996). "Losing His Religion: Saint Sebastian as Contemporary Gay Martyr". Outlooks: Lesbian and Gay Sexualities and Visual Cultures. Peter Horne and Reina Lewis, Eds. 86. New York: Routledge: 105. doi:10.4324/9780203432433_chapter_five.
- 1 2 Rayor, Diane; Lardinois, André (2014). Sappho: A New Translation of the Complete Works. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 2–9. ISBN 978-1-107-02359-8.
- ↑ Mendelsohn, Daniel (8 March 2015). "How Gay Was Sappho?". The New Yorker. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ↑ AnOther (2 September 2016). "How Oscar Wilde Paved the Way for Gay Rights in the Arts". AnOther. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- ↑ Wilde, Oscar (2000). The complete letters of Oscar Wilde. Holland, Merlin., Hart-Davis, Rupert, 1907-1999. (1st ed.). New York: Henry Holt. ISBN 0-8050-5915-6. OCLC 45172929.
- ↑ "Tiny Rep presents Suddenly, Last Summer" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 1 August 2007.
- ↑ Dorwart, Laura (2017-12-07). "Dystopias are for Girls: Lidia Yuknavitch's The Book of Joan". Dilettante Army. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
The story of Joan of Arc ... has been reinterpreted in every era, and to suit every philosophy. .... In more contemporary iterations of her story, she's been narrativized as a queer icon and protofeminist pioneer.
- ↑ Harris, Susan K. (2019). "Whohoo!!! Joan of Arc!!!!!". American Literary Realism. 51 (2): 136–153. doi:10.5406/amerlitereal.51.2.0136. ISSN 1940-5103. S2CID 239310783. Archived from the original on 2024-06-08. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
Joan's penchant for wearing male clothes speaks to today's queer readers (as it did, years ago, to Vita Sackville-West).
- ↑ "From Sword Lesbian to Shield Sapphic: The Quest to Relate the Very Queer Legacy of Joan of Arc to a Modern Incarnation of theVery Queer Legacy of Joan of Arc to a Modern Incarnation of the Warrior Woman". Bard Digital Commons. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ↑ Historian Amy Cools writes that "Joan of Arc is a queer icon. She was a cross-dresser who disdained sex with men." Cools, Amy (2017-05-30). "Remembering Joan of Arc". Ordinary Philosophy. Archived from the original on 2023-09-03. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
- ↑ Seale, Yvonne (2020-09-10). "How Joan of Arc Inspired Women's Suffragists". The Public Medievalist. Archived from the original on 2024-07-18. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
- ↑ Cherry, Kittredge (2023-05-30). "Joan of Arc: Cross-dressing warrior-saint and LGBTQ role model". Q Spirit. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
- ↑ Voss, Brandon (2 November 2018). "Why Joan of Arc, Queer or Not, Still Had to Come Out to Her Mom". LogoTV. Archived from the original on 2023-09-03. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
I did a lot of research, and many thoughtful essays talk about her as a queer icon or symbol for young women. There's the appeal of her cross-dressing in armor and other fabulous guy's clothing, but her story is also about being independent, leaving home, and doing outrageous, brave, important things.
- ↑ Fraser, Antonia (2001). Marie Antoinette: The Journey. New York: Anchor. p. 449. ISBN 0-385-48949-8.
- ↑ Bronski, Michael (1984). Culture Clash: The Making of Gay Sensibility. South End Press. p. 104. ISBN 0-89608-217-2.
- ↑ Cage, Ken; Evans, Moyra (2003). Gayle: The Language of Kinks and Queens, A History and Dictionary of Gay Language in South Africa. Jacana Media. p. 10. ISBN 1-919931-49-X.
- ↑ Lacroix, Marion Raynaud (11 October 2018). "what we can take away from gay icons". i-D. Archived from the original on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ↑ Cross, Mary (2004). Madonna: A Biography. Canongate U.S. ISBN 0-313-33811-6.
- ↑ Bowman, Edith (26 May 2007). "BBC World Visionaries: Madonna Vs. Mozart". BBC News. Archived from the original on 25 May 2008. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
In 2000, Guinness World Records listed Madonna as the most successful female recording artist of all time.
- 1 2 3 Gdula, Steve (11 November 2005). "Happy Madonna day!". Archived from the original on 19 November 2006. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
- 1 2 Corliss, Richard (July 13, 1987). "The Prom Queen of Soul". Time. Archived from the original on November 5, 2024. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
- ↑ "Songs That Soundtracked the AIDS Epidemic: Whitney's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)"". March 23, 2021. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ↑ The Incredible Night Whitney Befriended Me And I Saw She Was Doomed by Peter Tatchell, Mail on Sunday, February 19, 2012
- 1 2 "Whitney Houston's 1999 Epic NYC Pride Appearance Is Released". July 16, 2022. Archived from the original on November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- 1 2 Guilbert, Georges-Claude (2018). Gay icons: the (mostly) female entertainers gay men love. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. pp. 153–160. ISBN 978-1-4766-3301-5.
- 1 2 3 Staples, Louis (2021-11-10). "For LGBTQ+ Fans, Free Britney Is Personal and Pivotal". Vogue. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
- ↑ Lee, Gavin (2018). "Queer desire is not gay, gender is a fantasy: Ways of loving Britney". Rethinking Difference in Gender, Sexuality, and Popular Music (1st ed.). Routledge. p. 18. doi:10.4324/9781315660455-9. ISBN 9781315660455.
- 1 2 3 Eugenios, Jillian (21 February 2021). "'Framing Britney Spears' and an examination of the movement's queer voices". NBC News. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
- 1 2 "Britney Spears to be Honored at 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards". GLAAD. 2018-02-12. Archived from the original on February 11, 2025. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
- ↑ Spears, Britney (2017-06-01). "Britney Spears: Love Letter to the LGBTQ Community". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
- ↑ Spears, Britney (2023). The woman in me. London: Gallery Books Uk. ISBN 978-1-3985-2252-7.
- ↑ Damshenas, Sam (2023-10-27). "The Woman In Me: 13 jaw-dropping revelations from Britney's new memoir". Gay Times. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
- ↑ Hopkins, Susan (2022-07-03). "Free Britney, b**ch!: femininity, fandom and #FreeBritney activism". Celebrity Studies. 13 (3): 475–478. doi:10.1080/19392397.2022.2037354. ISSN 1939-2397.
- ↑ Rosa, Christopher (2023-10-23). "Why Britney Spears' Freedom Means So Much to Queer Fans". Them. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
- ↑ Kelleher, Patrick (30 July 2021). "Kate Bush was singing about anal sex and 'vaseline' in the 70s – the BBC wasn't having any of it". Pink News. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ↑ "'In conversation with Kate Bush". Macleans. 28 November 2016. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ↑ "Kylie: Becoming a Gay Icon". National Film and Sound Archive. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
- ↑ "Kylie Minogue Finally Settles the Debate on the Definitive Gay Anthem: Here's Her Pick". Billboard.
- ↑ "GLAAD Blog". Glaad. Archived from the original on 2023-02-13. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
- ↑ Stroude, Will (January 7, 2019). "The enduring gay appeal of Kylie Minogue". Attitude. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ↑ "Mariah at G-A-Y club". Archived from the original on 2023-02-13. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
- ↑ "Mariah Carey's performance at LA Pride included screenshots from Grindr and social media is loving it". Business Insider. June 11, 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ↑ "She'll be there: Mariah Carey announced as Brighton Pride Festival headliner". Independent.co.uk. 13 February 2025. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ↑ "Mariah Carey". 21 April 2016. Archived from the original on 13 February 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ↑ Garcia, Michelle (October 27, 2009). "Bea Leaves $300K to Homeless Youths". The Advocate. Archived from the original on February 14, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
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