Some celebrities like to keep their private life out of the public eye, so you might not realize that some of your favorite stars are members of the LGBTQ community. Whether they fear the stigmatization of being gay or just don't feel the need to spread the word, these famous faces all identify as gay or bisexual. Read on to see which ones you recognize and which ones might surprise you...
Bella Thorne
If there's anyone who's open about their sexuality, it's former Disney star, Bella Thorne. She was videotaped kissing a girl on Snapchat, and later confirmed the suspicion that she identified as bisexual. She received positive support online, and responded to fans saying "I love you guys #pride." She has been dating singer Benjamin Mascolo since April of 2019.
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus, also formerly known as Hannah Montana, has had a messy relationship with her public sexuality. She dated celebrity Aussie Liam Hemsworth before breaking up with him to explore her wild side. Then the duo got back together, got engaged, and broke up again. Miley dated a woman shortly after. She told TIME that she came out to her mother at age 14, and later said "I never want to label myself! I am ready to love anyone that loves me for who I am! I am open."
Lauren Jauregui
This Fifth Harmony singer used National Coming Out day to embrace herself and come out of the closet. On November 18th, Lauren identified herself as a bisexual Cuban-American woman. She also penned a letter to Donald Trump supporters in Billboard the same day. Might as well air everything at once!
Colton Haynes
Known for his roles on Teen Wolf and Arrow, this actor came out of the closet after years of speculation. He was worried the news would cost him roles in the field, as industry professionals told him it could jeapordize his career. The repression led to anixiety, drinking, and drug addiction. However after seeking treatment and accepting his sexuality, he says he's "happier than [he's] ever been."
Janelle Monae
In April of 2019, Janelle Monae came out as pansexual in a Rolling Stones interview. Her sexuality had been speculated in the media for years, especially after her longstanding friendship with Tessa Thompson. She had kept quiet on the subject but finally said: "I'm open to learning more about who I am [...] Being a queer black woman in America [...] someone who has been in relationships with both men and women..."
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga has long been praised for her alliance to the LGBTQ community, appearing in pride parades and other events, but she only ever described her relationships with the same sex as "a few dips in the lady pool." Today, she is engaged to Christian Carino, but still considers herself to be queer in some capacity. After all, we were all born this way!
Sarah Paulson
Sarah Paulson has been in shows like American Horror Story and The People vs O.J. Simpson. The star has been publicly dating women since 2004 when she dated actress Cherry Jones for five years. Since 2015, Paulson has been in a relationship with actress Holland Taylor. When asked about her sexuality, she has said: "The situation is fluid for me."
Michael Angelakos
Michael Angelakos from the alternative pop band Passion Pit has identified himself as gay. During his podcast, the singer randomly decided to reveal it to the listeners. "I don't really know what happened, but it's just one of those gut feelings," the singer later said. It came up naturally during a discussion about music, and he felt it was a safe and non-threatening time and place to talk about it.
Jonathan Knight
New Kids on the Block had a bunch of hits and a bunch of members! Danny, Donnie, Joey, and Jordan sang alongside Jonathan, but none of them knew he was secretly in the closet throughout the 80s. The band reconnected on tour in 2017 with special guests TLC and Nelly. The nostalgia was well worth the wait!
Matt Dallas
Once known as Kyle XY, the actor came out as gay in 2013 when he got engaged to his boyfriend. He married Blue Hamilton, a musician, in July of 2015. The couple also announced via YouTube video in 2015 that they had adopted a two-year-old boy named Crow into their family. Dallas played Greg Carlyle in the 2019 Lifetime movie A Daughter's Plan to Kill.
Matt Bomer
Though he was married to publicist Simon Hall during 2011, Bomer didn't come out publicly to the media until 2012 in an acceptance speech in which he thanked his husband and children. He and his husband had three children through a surrogate mother. He was given an Inspiration Award by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in 2012.
Daniel Newman
Known for his roles in The Vampire Diaries, Heroes, and One Tree Hill, this Walking Dead star came out on Twitter in April 2017. He was once at an LGBTQ youth shelter where a young girl thanked him for being a straight ally. When he said he was gay, she asked why he wouldn't be more public about that. "It hit me like a gut punch," he later said, "It felt like someone had knocked the wind out of me. I realized how important it is in this day and age to be visible; have people know who you are."
Charlie Carver
Teen Wolf star Charlie Carver came out on Instagram in five posts, each with an individual sentiment and message about his and other's journeys. The post detailed that he had always known he was gay from a young age, describing himself then as just "different from other boys in [his] grade." However, he clarified that "Over time, this abstract 'knowing' grew [...] ending in a climax of saying three words out loud: 'I am gay.'"
Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart dated Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson for a while, but it was only a few years after their dramatic breakup that the star revealed, rather abstractly, that she was gay. She was interviewed by Nylon Magazine and asked about her relationship with rumored girlfriend Alicia Cargile. "Google me, I'm not hiding," she said. She's been out and proud ever since!
Vanessa Carlton
The celebrity who wrote "A Thousand Miles" has been married to John McCauley since 2013, but identifies her sexuality as bisexual. She announced it at a Nashville pride event back in 2011. There was an audience of 18,000 fans there to show her support. She and her husband have one daughter, Sidney, who was born in 2014.
Jim Parsons
Known for portraying the awkward and aloof protagonist, Sheldon Cooper, on The Big Bang Theory, Jim Parsons is a proud and out gay man. He had been with his partner, Todd Spiewak, for over a decade. Parsons once described their partnership as "an act of love, coffee in the morning, going to work, washing the clothes, taking the dogs out—a regular life, boring love." They married in 2017 in New York.
Jess Glynne
You might not know the name, but you know her work. Jess Glynne has featured on songs like "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit and "My Love" by Route 94. Her debut solo album was written after her breakup with her girlfriend at the time. However, the singer doesn't identify as a lesbian, saying she doesn't prefer to put a label on her sexuality and shouldn't feel pressured to.
Keke Palmer
Keke doesn't identify as L, G, B, T or Q. The singer and actress simply lives outside of labeling herself. "Am I gay? Am I straight? Am I bi?' I'm making the rules for myself, and I don't have to be stuck down to one label." She says she's living outside of the traditional woman's representation and is eager to explore that. You go girl!
Chely Wright
Chely doesn't just identify as gay, she fights for it. "I hear the word 'tolerance' -- that some people are trying to teach people to be tolerant of gays. I'm not satisfied with that word. I am gay, and I am not seeking to be 'tolerated,'" said the actress in one interview "One tolerates a toothache, rush-hour traffic, an annoying neighbor with a cluttered yard. I am not negative to be tolerated."
Rostam Batmanglij
In Out magazine in 2010, Rostam spoke publicly about his sexuality for the first time ever. The Vampire Weekend guitarist has been out and proud ever since. The most rock and roll thing you can do is respect and love your bandmates' lifestyle.
Zachary Quinto
He's been on American Horror Story for years, as well as Star Trek. He came out in October 2011 after the suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer, a gay teenager. He realized that by not making his sexuality public, it was "not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality." Before this revealation though, he had supported LGBT causes like The Trevor Project.
Sean Maher
Formerly an actor on The Playboy Club, Sean Maher came out with his partner Paul in 2011. The couple has two kids and has been together for several years. He's also known for his role as Simon Tam in the sci-fi television series Firefly and the sequel, Serenity.
David Hyde Pierce
After winning 4 Emmy Awards for his role on the NBC sitcom Fraiser as Dr. Niles Crane, the on-screen star made his relationship public. In 2007, he came out as gay with longtime boyfriend Brian Hargrove. They married a year later in California. They've been together ever since!
Michael Stipe
When it comes to LGBTQ, Michael Stipe considers himself as Q. He repeatedly identifies himself as a queer artist but hasn't said explicitly if he is gay, bisexual, or straight. Stipe is best known for his work in the band R.E.M. I guess he's the only one who knows for sure how he identifies!
Gus Kenworthy
This Olympic athlete told ESPN magazine that he was deeply ashamed of his sexuality for several years before coming out. "I was insecure and ashamed. Being gay has never been looked at as being cool," he told the publication "And I wanted to be cool." He outed himself in a shared Facebook post during the Sochi Olympic Games.
Jodie Foster
Jodie Foster was married to Alexandra Hedison during April of 2014. Together, the couple has two sons named Charlie and Christopher. She hasn't spoken too much on the topic of her sexuality, as she has said she "values privacy against all else."
Sam Sparro
Things didn't come easy for Sam Sparro growing up, as he was from a very religious family. His father was a gospel minister and recording artist. He first starated singing in a Church choir, which made coming out difficult on himself and his family. These days he's stated that "I'm a spiritual person, but ... not into any religion. I was always kind of a non-denominational Christian."
Andrew Rannells
Before he was a voice on Big Mouth and Elder Price in 2011's Book of Mormon on Broadway, Andrew Rannells was just a regular kid from Omaha, Nebraska. Rannells attests that he had known he was gay from at least high school, and came out to his parents when he was just 18. He also says that they had already known before he came out. He also outed himself to close theater friends, but stayed closeted at his all-boys high school.
Tila Tequila
A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila will show viewers that Tila is open to everyone. She has stated that she doesn't identify as lesbian or bisexual but pretended to be for the cameras. However, she has made conflicting reports. She now has two children and believes the earth is flat.
Lady Sovereign
When Lady Sovereign dropped her debut single in 2010, everyone was speculating about the singer's sexuality. She officially came out as gay in a 2010 edition of Diva magazine. She also announced it on Celebrity Big Brother, but the declaration was cut from the final broadcast. The singer hasn't made new music since the first album.
Billie Joe Armstrong
In a 1995, Billie Joe Armstrong had an inteview with The Advocate about his bisecuality. "I think I've always been bisexual. I mean, it's something that I've always been interested in," said the punk-rock frontman, "They say it's taboo. It's ingrained in our heads that it's bad, when it's not bad at all. It's a very beautiful thing." He's been married to Adrienne Nesser since 1994 and they have two sons.
Ty Herndon
After producing his debut country albums What Mattered Most and Living in a Moment, Ty Herndon did some serious thinking about his public life. He came out of the closet in 2014 in an interview with People magazine. He had two ex-wives by this point, both of whom allegedly knew of his secret. He later changed his previous love songs to have he/him pronouns.
Amber Heard
Previosuly married to actor Johnny Depp, Amber Heard came out in 2010 at a GLADD anniversary event. "I don't label myself one way or another—I have had successful relationships with men and now a woman. I love who I love; it's the person that matters," said the starlet. After her divorce, she started dating Elon Musk for a short time while suing Depp for abuse.
Mika
This pop music star has performed with Ariana, Zendaya, Tyga and more, but the music didn't come as easily as coming out. "I've never ever labelled myself. But having said that, I've never limited my life, I've never limited who I sleep with ... Call me whatever you want. Call me bisexual, if you need a term for me," said the singer in one interview. Later on, the singer said he identifies as strictly gay.
Jonathan Bennett
Though Damian was the Mean Girls star who was "almost too gay to function" it was Jonathan Bennett who played Aaron Samuels that was in the closet. He came out in October of 2017 and revealed he was in a relationship with Celebrity Page host Jaymes Vaughan. He also reprised his role as Aaron Samuels in Ariana Grande's Mean Girls themed "thank u, next" video.
Bob Harper
Bob Harper has been a trainer on The Biggest Loser since 2004, but he's only been out of the closet since the show's fifteenth season. He was helping a contestant come out to his family, and Harper said he had come out to his parents at age 17. This was his first public decalration about his sexuality. It aired on November 28, 2013. His relationships have been private.
Nathan Lane
Nathan Lane appeared in Broadway productions of The Bird Cage, Guys and Dolls, The Lion King, and many famous films. He's received three Tony awards for his performances. He came out at 21 to his mom, who responded "I would rather you were dead." Nathan replied "I knew you'd understand."
Raven-Symoné
The controversial Disney star turned talk show host has had some hard opinions over the years, but one we can all agree on is her take on her sexuality. She doesn't want to be labeled as anything specific and just wants to love who she loves. Raven is best known for her Disney Channel show, That's So Raven, popularized in the early 2000s era.
Billy Gillman
Starting as a young country singer, the Billboard Top 100 hit maker came out as gay in 2014. He put out a YouTube video titled "My Story by Billy Gillman" only a few hours after learning that Ty Herndon had come out as well. Herndon's public declaration inspired the young singer to do the same. He also came out on a show the day after Ty Herndon did on the same show.
Fergie
In May of 2009, Fergie told The Sun that she was bisexual. She was married to actor Josh Duhamel for a decade, and they had one son together. Fergie also suffered in her early life from an addiction to crystal meth, and has been working in recovery ever since. She is a big advocate for hypnotherapy in her recovery.
Jonsi
The lead singer of Sigur Rós has been with his business and life partner, Alex Somers for years. They perform toegther in a group known as Jonsi & Alex. They've been dating for several years and wrote a book together in 2006. The hardcover copy was limited to only 1,000 copies. They also made an album titled Riceboy Sleeps together in 2009.
Frenchie Davis
After appearing on American Idol and later The Voice, Frenchie told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that she was in a relationship with a woman. She has identified herself as bisexual since 2012 and is an advocate for bisexual representation. She also champions LGBTQ youth and LGBTQ people of color. "It is important that you see people in the public eye who are not ashamed of who they are," she said, "It is ok to be true to you."
Jillian Michaels
Celebrity fitness trainer Jillian Michaels has been with her partner Heidi Rhodes for several years. The couple has two children together. "Let's just say I believe in healthy love. If I fall in love with a woman, that's awesome. If I fall in love with a man, that's awesome." However, she separated from her wife in 2018.
Nyle DiMarco
Formerly on America's Next Top Model, the deaf heartthrob revealed his orientation on Twitter when responding to a fan in the most casual way. "Nyle you have so many gays fans! Tell us, boys or girls?" one user asked. Nyle responded by saying "fluid" confirming that he feels very lax about his sexuality. He also attached an article about fluid sexuality for those with questions.
Connor Franta
Though he denied it on his popular YouTube channel for years, Connor Franta finally admitted he was gay in 2014. He stated that he had accepted who had always been and felt "happy with that person."The video was six minutes long and reached over 12 million views and 949,000 lines. It became his second most viewed video on the channel as of summer 2018.
Troye Sivan
Troye Sivan is an actor turned Youtuber turned singer. He came out via YouTube video on Augst 7th, 2013. He had come out to his family three years prior. The video went extremely viral and received widespread support from viewers. Today, he lived in Hollywood with boyfriend and model Jacob Bixenman. He appeared in Boy Erased in 2018, a film about gay conversion therapy.
Jake Zyrus
In the Philippines during 2013, Jake Zyrus, formerly Charice, came out in an interview with The Buzz. They admitted to having relationships with women in the music industry. They later came out as transgender and have since transitioned. In speaking about Charice, Zyrus has stated "I am always thankful for the life of Charice that I experienced and the music that I shared, but that obviously belongs to her, it's not for me. I'm letting her go and be free."
Holland Taylor
Currently, in a relationship with actress Sarah Paulson, Holland lives unapologetically gay. She claims to have never come out of the closet, saying "I haven't come out because I am out. I live out." She said she has only ever been interested in women as long as she can remember. She's been with Paulson since early 2015. She's also an advocate for AIDS survivors and frequently fundraises for the cause.
Ellen Degeneres
Ellen has been with Portia de Rossi since 2004. She first came out on her 1997 sitcom, Ellen, to widespread criticism. The confession barred her from the industry for serveral years and left her in a "mirred depression." Today, she is the 15th highest paid entertainer in the world. Despite her advocacy for LGBTQ causes, she has been criticized for her friendship with George Bush, who had opposed same-sex marriage in the past.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Best known for his role as Mitchell on Modern Family, Jesse Tyler Furguson had to come out to his family three times. First at age 17, then age 19, then age 21, before they finally accepted the fact. ""It's a coming out process for them as well," he said, "and takes time." He has been married to lawyer Justin Mikita since 2013. The wedding was officiated by screenwriter Tony Kushner.
Sam Smith
Sam Smith had long identified as gay but recently came out as genderqueer. "I feel just as much a woman as I am a man," the artist said in an interview. The singer now uses they/them pronouns, saying "After a lifetime of being at war with my gender I’ve decided to embrace myself for who I am, inside and out." Smith is currently single, but most recently dated actor Brandon Flynn.
Lil Nas X
The rapper behind the famous hit "Old Town Road" came out as gay shortly after his song went viral in 2019. He felt he was being signaled by the universe and didn't care much whether fans would stick by him. He tweeted out on the last day of Pride, saying "Some of y'all already know, some of y'all don't care, some of y'all not gonna care no more, but before this month ends I want y'all to listen closely to C7osure." The song referenced in the tweet is about his coming out.
Frank Ocean
Frank came out as gay in a post on Tumblr in July of 2012. He detailed his first love with a man at age 19 and ended the blog by saying "I don't know what happens now, and that's alright. I don't have any secrets I need to be kept anymore...I feel like a free man." The post garnered a lot of supporters from celebrities and fans alike, Beyonce and Jay-Z included. It is hailed as being a big moment in hip-hop, which had been previously considered anti-LGBT.
Kevin Abstract
Known for forming and performing in the boyband Brockhampton, Abstract came out in 2016. He's been very open about his sexual orientation and prides himself on being a voice for LGBT members of the hip-hop community. He said he'll rap about being gay "as long as he can imagine a fan in need of a voice." IN his music, he raps about a love interest using he/him pronouns.
Brendon Urie
The man behind Panic! At the Disco has always been open about his bisexuality. He stated in 2013 that he was probably straight, but had experimented with men. He's been married to Sarah Orzechowski since 2013, but clarified in 2018 that he's pansexual. He said in an interview that "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..."
Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz married Christina Carano in 2015 but has identified his sexual orientation as bisexual. He said that while dating Carano, he explored his orientation with men. He told the New York Post that although he loves his wife, he does also feel attracted to men. He is an advocate for LGBT rights and in 2012 was featured on the cover of Instinct magazine, a gay lifestyle publication.
Kevin McHale
Best known for his role on Glee as Artie, Kevin McHale came out as gay in April 2018. He quickly started dating actor Austin McKenzie. He released a tribute video following the shooting at the gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida in 2016. He joined other famous celebrities telling the stories of people who had been killed in the attack. Fifty three people had perished in the attacks.
Lucas Hedges
Hedges has been pretty under wraps about his sexuality, but when asked about it, he said he believes he is "on that spectrum: Not totally straight, but also not gay and not necessarily bisexual." He has spoken about his sexuality being pretty fluid. He starred in the 2018 movie about gay conversion therapy, Boy Erased.
Ronan Farrow
Son of Mia Farrow and Woody Allen, the famous journalist Ronan Farrow has identified himself as a gay man. He is engaged to speechwriter and podcast host Jon Lovett. He also is allegedly a child of Frank Sinatra but has refused to talk about the matter any more. As he said, Woody Allen was "legally, ethically, personally was absolutely a father in our family." However, the pair are now estranged.
Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch is best known for her roles on Glee and Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but this celebrity has been out and proud for several years. She's an advocate for LGBT works and was named one of the "10 Amazing Lesbian Women in Show Business" in 2005. She married girlfriend and child psychologist in Lara Embry in 2010. The couple divorced in 2014.