Openly LGBTQ+ musicians and influencers are important to people in the community, especially youth. A good example of this is Ellen DeGeneres. She came out as a lesbian in 1997 when people were much less accepting of LGBTQ+ people, therefore, taking a huge risk career-wise. But she is now known as a “pioneer” for the LGBTQ+ community for everything she has done. It’s important for LGBTQ+ people to see other people like them who are successful and positive role models in places of power because it shows that they can do what these influencers are doing too, being successful and happy while openly being themselves. It’s especially important for LGBTQ+ youth specifically to see these influencers; it gives them someone to look up to as a positive role model.
A popular musician and actress, Hayley Kiyoko, is a lesbian who is open about her sexuality. The singer is an amazing role model for young girls, regardless of sexuality. One of her most popular songs, Girls Like Girls, has recently reached 100 million views. Kiyoko is also referred to as ‘Lesbian Jesus’ by her fan base.
Another popular musician is Troye Sivan, who is gay and an activist for LGBTQ+ rights. He started his career as a Youtuber and went on to release albums as a musician which topped the Billboard charts. All of the music videos from Blue Neighborhood – Sivan’s debut studio album, feature scenes with male love interests. Sivan is doing what he wished someone else had done when he was young, which is being a role model for LGBTQ+ youth.
Some other openly LGBTQ+ musicians include Miley Cyrus, who is openly pansexual. She frequently advocates for LGBTQ+ rights and has a nonprofit group called Happy Hippie Foundation, whose mission is to help vulnerable populations. Laverne Cox, an actress on Orange is the New Black, is a transgender woman of colour and advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. She produced her own documentary, Free CeCe, which is about a transwoman who used self-defense against an attacker and was sentenced for three and a half years in jail.
These people are making a huge difference for the LGBTQ+ community. They are positive role models for LGBTQ+ youth, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and providing a voice for the community.
Photo credit to billboard.com
