Pride Month: From Neil to Laverne, 10 Hollywood actors who are out and proud

In the last few decades Hollywood has come a long way from stereotyping and misrepresenting the LGBTQIA community to developing and depicting queer narratives with realism authenticity and compassion The industry has also witnessed several celebrities and actors openly come out discuss their gender identity sexual orientation and the significance of nuanced representation in the media Here are 10 Hollywood icons who are out and proud Elliot PageElliot Page is one of the most outspoken trans activists and queer rights advocates in Hollywood The lsquoUmbrella Academyrsquo and lsquoXMenrsquo star was born female and lived as Oscarwinning actress Ellen Page but came out as a trans man in December 2020Page previously married to actress Emma Portner clarified his new name and pronouns in a heartfelt letter on TwitterHi friends I want to share with you that I am trans my pronouns are hethey and my name is Elliot I feel lucky to be writing this To be here I cant begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic selfElliot Page credited the trans community for their support and has actively denounced state officials who continue to deny trans people access to rights and healthcare Page recently shared that he feels much more liberated in this identity and also finds dating more fun than ever He reiterated that he wanted to play queer characters that reflect his life and authentic queer lived experiencesNeil Patrick Harris Neil Patrick Harris publicly confirmed his identity as a gay man in an exclusive interview with Peoples magazine in 2006 In the interview The How I Met Your Mother star said I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullestHarris is known for his comic timing and spectacular hosting abilities He is also known for films such as Batman Under the Red Hood The Smurfs Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Gone Girl Downsizing Dads and The Matrix ResurrectionStephanie BeatrizStephanie Beatriz is known for playing the bisexual renegade detective Rosa Diaz on Brooklyn Nine Nine as well as for voicing Mirabelrsquos character in Alexander Hamiltonrsquos Encanto The actress is also bisexual and proud in real life and has used her stature in the entertainment industry for promoting bi visibilityBeatriz was called out when she married a heterosexual man a few years ago She has been candid about experiencing biphobia and bierasure and has spoken about how bisexual people are often stereotyped as either promiscuous or lsquonot queer enoughrsquo both of which lead to invisibilization within the community She has also stood her ground on how marrying a man doesnrsquot make her any less biThe actress has repeatedly lobbied for queer representation and authenticity and how coming out is not just one big lsquotalkrsquo with the world but a series of tiny moments of fear grief joy acceptance and defiance to oneself as well as the worldLaverne CoxLaverne Cox is one of the most recognizable trans actors in history Bullied for appearing feminine and effeminate while growing up Cox eventually came out as trans when in NYC and took up acting Since then she has emerged as a tireless advocate and leader for the trans and queer community worldwideIn 2015 Cox gave a speech titled ldquoAinrsquot I a Womanrdquo echoing the speech of the same title given by activist Sojourner Truth in 1851 In the speech Cox told her audience to have ldquodifficult conversationsrdquo to educate others raise awareness and combat presumptions and prejudices about the transgender communityShe also played the fierce Sophia Burset on Orange Is The New Black a groundbreaking show that introduced queer womenand of colour onscreen and behind the camera For Cox lsquoAinrsquot I A Womanrsquo is not a question it is a defiant queer acceptance of her identityJim ParsonsJim Parsons publicly came out as gay in a 2012 New York Times feature which delved into his role as a young gay activist onstage in The Normal Heart a Broadway show that primarily explored queer activism for AIDS and how the disease has repeatedly been blamed on the queer and especially gay communityParsons has said although his sexual orientation has somewhat impacted his professional life as prejudices myths and ignorance about the queer community are still rampant within the cishet cisgenderheterosexual world he could never have anticipated the happiness and satisfaction that arises from leading an openly authentic life The Big Bang Theory star has taken it upon himself to choose characters and roles that allow him to amplify lived experiences of the real gay communityTessa ThompsonWestworld and Thor Ragnarok star Tessa Thompson has opened up about being bisexual and her close relationship with speculated partner Janelle Monaacutee She said that being open about her bisexuality has helped many others come out too On speaking about representation of queerness on the big screen Thompson also talked to Variety on how part of normalizing LGBTQIA characters is allowing them to just be and exist and not always necessarily associate queerness with an explicit romanticsexual relationshipJanelle MonaacuteeJanelle Monae has also expressed her identity as a queer black woman with candour In A Rolling Stone cover story the artist said that she first came out as bisexual but then inclined more towards pansexuality as she informed herself more on the orientation ldquoIm open to learning more about who I am she addedJodie FosterAmerican actress Jodie Foster came out as a lesbian while receiving the Cecil B Demille Award for lifetime achievement at the 70th Golden Globe awards Foster had already subtly hinted about her sexual orientation even previously in 2007 when she had paid tribute to her thenpartner Cydney Bernard In a slightly eccentric yet elegant acceptance speech at the awards she declared Im gay quickly followed by an I am single Yes I am I am singlerdquoJane LynchJane Lynch played selfassured cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester on Glee but the reallife actress wasnrsquot always as confident about accepting her sexuality In the webseries lsquoIt Got Betterrsquo Lynch says that she felt differently from other people a long time before she realized she was a lesbian and opened up more about the long but courageous journey one has to traverse for gaining some measure of selfacceptance She hopes others can learn from her experience as wellCynthia NixonSex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon has opened up about how she chooses to identify herself over the years Nixon has been eloquent in how labels can be anchors but need not always be publicly disclosed when she said lsquoqueerrsquo is the umbrella term that fits her best Nixon whose son is trans has also been an active advocate for LGBTQIA rights