21 Inspiring LGBTQ+ Celebrities Who Came Out in 2023

Billie Eilish

In a recent interview with Variety, Billie Eilish opened up about her sexuality and her gender. “I love [women] so much. I love them as people. I’m attracted to them as people. I’m attracted to them for real,” the “Bad Guy” singer revealed. “I have deep connections with women in my life, the friends in my life, the family in my life,” she added. “I’m physically attracted to them. But I’m also so intimidated by them and their beauty and their presence.”

As for her gender, Eilish revealed she’s never felt too connected with her femininity. “I’ve never felt like a woman, to be honest with you,” she told the outlet. “I’ve never felt desirable. I’ve never felt feminine. I have to convince myself that I’m, like, a pretty girl. I identify as ‘she/her’ and things like that, but I’ve never really felt like a girl.”

Sufjan Stevens

Singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens came out in October when he dedicated his new album, Javelin, to his late partner Evans Richardson, who tragically passed away in April.

“He was an absolute gem of a person, full of life, love, laughter, curiosity, integrity, and joy. He was one of those rare and beautiful ones you find only once in a lifetime—precious, impeccable, and absolutely exceptional in every way,” the typically private “Visions of Gideon” singer wrote on Instagram.

Taylor Armstrong

Taylor Armstrong, a star on The Real Housewives of Orange County and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, came out as bisexual in a June episode of RHOC, revealing she was in a five-year relationship with a woman before she married her first husband Russell Armstrong.

“Most people are surprised to find out that I’m bisexual probably just because of stereotypes,” she explained, per Out. “I mean, it’s not something I broadcast, but I’m open to all people who have great souls that you can love.”

Ncuti Gatwa

The Sex Education actor talked openly about his sexuality for the first time in an August Elle UK interview.

“I remember being at Manchester Pride, going through the streets with all my boys, shaking my cha-chas, living it up when I saw this woman who looked exactly like my auntie,” Gatwa said. “We were holding hands, and she said to me, ‘I don’t really know why I’m here. I’m just here.’ I told her, ‘Honey, you don’t need to know. You absolutely. Do not. Need. To. Know. You’re here. Be proud of who you are.’”

“I had never met another queer Rwandan person before,” Gatwa continued. “I thought I was the only one in the world.”

Joe Locke

Heartstopper actor Joe Locke labeled himself as gay for the first time in an August interview with Teen Vogue.

“People have assumed and written it, and I haven’t ever corrected anyone because I haven’t felt the need to. But I’ve never specifically stated my sexuality,” he said. “I have been openly gay since I was, like, 12.”

Wayne Brady

Let’s Make a Deal host Wayne Brady recently opened up about identifying as pansexual. “In doing my research, both with myself and just with the world, I couldn’t say if I was bisexual, because I had to really see what that was, especially because I really have not gotten a chance to act on anything,” he told People. “So, I came to pansexual because — and I know that I’m completely messing up the dictionary meaning — but to me, pan means being able to be attracted to anyone who identifies as gay, straight, bi, transsexual or non-binary. Being able to be attracted across the board. And, I think, at least for me for right now, that is the proper place. I took pan to mean that not only can I be attracted to any of these people or types physically, but I could be attracted to the person that is there.”

Gabby Windley

After co-headling The Bachelorette alongside Rachel Recchia in 2022, Windey revealed during an August 2, 2023 appearance on The View that she is now dating a woman. Windley left the show engaged to Erich Schwer, but they split by November 2022.

“I always just want to live my truth, and my story,” said Windey, 32, of her coming out, per People. “And I have been seeing someone for a couple months, and I’ve been keeping it a little more private because it is a bigger story and a bigger conversation, because I’m dating a girl!”

Noah Schnapp

Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp came out publicly in a TikTok video in January. “When I finally told my friends and family I was gay after being scared in the closet for 18 years and all they said was ‘we know,'” he wrote over the video of him doing a voiceover. 

“I guess I’m more similar to Will than I thought,” he wrote in the caption, referring to his Stranger Things character who is also gay. 

Bella Ramsey

The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey came out as non-binary and gender fluid earlier this year. “I guess my gender has always been very fluid,” the actor told The New York Times. “Someone would call me ‘she’ or ‘her,’ and I wouldn’t think about it, but I knew that if someone called me ‘he,’ it was a bit exciting.” They continued, “I’m very much just a person. Being gendered isn’t something that I particularly like, but in terms of pronouns, I really couldn’t care less.”

Lil Nas X

Although Lil Nas X has already come out as gay and been embraced by the LGBTQ+ community back in 2019, the singer come out to his fans once again earlier this year. “be fr would y’all be mad at me if i thought i was a little bisexual,” he tweeted. 

Diplo

In March, Diplo revealed he’s sexually fluid, telling Emily Ratajkowski on an episode of her High Low podcast that he isn’t “aroused by men that much,” but, “I’m sure I’ve gotten a blow job from a guy before.”

He added, “I think the best answer I have is I’m not not gay. There are a couple guys … I could date, life partner-wise.”

Alison Brie

Actress Alison Brie casually came out while chatting with her husband Dave Franco in a YouTube video for BuzzFeed. At one point in the video, Brie read a tweet from a fan thirsting for both of them. “Listen, I am bisexual for a reason, and that reason is strictly to be used in a threesome by Dave Franco and Alison Brie,” she read, before high-fiving Franco.

She then added, “That’s also why I’m bisexual.”

Mo’Nique

Actress and comedian Mo’Nique came out during her latest Netflix comedy special My Name Is Mo’Nique. At one point in the show, she remembered telling her husband, Sidney Hicks, that she wanted to be with “another woman, sexually.” “And he looked at me, so beautifully and so patient and so loving, and said, ‘B—, me too!'” she remembered. “He said, ‘You find that b— and we will fuck that b— together!'”

Chloe Veitch

Too Hot to Handle star Chloe Veitch opened up about being bisexual during an episode of The Big Celebrity Detox. “Doing breath work forced me to dig deeper,” she said. “I realized, ‘This is what’s bothering you — you’re bisexual and you haven’t told anyone.'”

“I’ve definitely been battling it, to be honest,” she continued. “I mean, being in and out of little flings with girls, I felt like it was my dirty little secret so it has taken the weight off my shoulders. Because I’ve been on heterosexual dating shows, I’m just a bit anxious of public opinion, but at the end of the day, if I’m happy, that’s all that matters. I’m itching to go out there and date both guys and girls. It’s really exciting.”

Curtis Hamilton

Insecure star Curtis Hamilton came out during an episode of The Real Friends of WeHo. “For me to go on a reality show and open up to the world with something I’ve just been telling the people that know me the most about, it was really scary,” the actor told TV Insider. “But I just felt it was time. I’m still scared.””

Alex Lincoln

Alex Lincoln, who stars in the 2022 drama In from the Side, come out to the public for the first time in his Instagram comments, Pride reports. “I loved the movie and its actors are still very handsome but I still think that the actors are posing as gay but they are not,” one user commented. Lincoln then replied, “Thanks so much – really appreciate it!!!! And no, I’m not straight.”

Yung Miami

Rapper Yung Miami came out during an appearance at The Jason Lee Show earlier this year. “I really do like girls, [but] I won’t be in a relationship with a girl,” she said. “Sexually, I have been with a woman before, I love it.”

Richard Armitage

Actor Richard Armitage also came out super casually in a conversation with The Standard. He announced it while talking about an sex scene with a co-star, something he of course told his “male partner” about. “I reassured him that it was all going to be fine, and we were being well looked after,” he said.

Jeff Molina

UFC fighter Jeff Molina come out as bisexual in March after a sex tape of him with a man reached the internet. “TLDR: I’m bi,” he began his statement on Twitter. “At the end of the day I know my character, morals, and who I am as a person,” he said at the end of the statement. “As much as I’m getting hated/s— on I’m getting an equal amount of support & it means a f— ton.”

Jakub Jankto

Czech football player Jakub Jankto came out in an emotional video on Twitter back in February. “Like everybody else, I also want to live my life in freedom without fears, without prejudice, without violence, but with love,” he said. “I am homosexual, and I no longer want to hide myself.”

“This is not entertainment,” he added at the end of the video. “The purpose of this video is to encourage others.”

Bretman Rock

Style and makeup influencer Bretman Rock opened up in February about identifying as nonbinary. “I go by all the pronouns,” they said at the Zach Sang Show. “I don’t go strictly by ‘they/them.’ I go by all of them. This is the one thing that I’m not for clout about.”