In 2023, hugely talented actors, athletes, musicians and more came out and openly shared their queer identities. With shows like Heartstopper and Sex Education, LGBTQ+ identities are more represented on screen than ever before, but publicly coming out still takes a tremendous amount of courage.
Here are a few of the most notable celebrities who came out in 2023.
Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us actor who came out as non-binary
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Actor Bella Ramsey, best known for their role as Ellie in The Last Of Us, came out as non-binary in 2023, sharing that their gender has “always been very fluid”. The 19-year-old actor credits their “gay army” for shielding them from the online hate that they received after coming out, also saying that their co-star, Pedro Pascal, expressed endless support for their identity on set.
Ncuti Gatwa, Sex Education actor who came out as queer
It’s Ncuti Gatwa’s world and we’re just living in it pic.twitter.com/Ja6hxMRcKq
— Cooper Hillier ? (@CooperHillier) August 29, 2023
Many LGBTQ+ fans relate to Gatwa’s leading role as Eric Effiong in Sex Education, and the actor officially came out as queer during an interview with ELLE UK. He talked about an experience at Manchester Pride, saying: “I had never met another queer Rwandan person before. I thought I was the only one in the world.” Gatwa will continue to break down representation barriers as the first Black and gay Doctor in the upcoming Doctor Who series.
Noah Schnapp Stranger Things actor who came out as gay
@noahschnappI guess I’m more similar to will than I thought♬ original sound – Privacynbling
The Stranger Things star came out in a fun and casual TikTok video, sharing: “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'”. The caption reads: “I guess I’m more similar to Will than I thought.” The video has accumulated nearly 40 million views.
Adore Delano, RuPaul’s Drag Race star who came out as a transgender woman
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Drag Race finalist Adore Delano came out as transgender in an Instagram post captioned: “It’s time we have ‘the talk'”. In an emotional coming out video posted in July 2023, she said: “I wanted to let everybody know that I am transitioning…I’ve found that it’s been very enlightening and has made me probably the happiest I’ve ever been in my adult life.”
Campbell Johnstone, New Zealand rugby player who came out as gay
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Former professional rugby player, Campbell Johnstone, made history by becoming the first member of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team to come out as gay. Since 2015, Campbell has been a rugby legend, and when talking about his decision to come out now, the 43-year-old shared that he wanted to help take the pressure and stigma off of other players.
Miss Benny, television actress who came out as trans
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In a personal essay published in Time, Miss Benny wrote about “praying every night” when she was younger, hoping that she would wake up like her sisters. After coming out, she said: “I am overwhelmed with hard-earned joy.” She added: “I’m a proud person, but admittedly it’s still a bit daunting to say those words publicly.”
Joe Locke, Heartstopper actor who came out as gay
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Like his Heartstopper co-star, fans endlessly speculated about Joe Locke’s sexuality. He officially came out in an interview with Teen Vogue, sharing that he has known he was gay since he was nine years old, and he’s been openly gay since he was 12. He said: “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.”
Kris Tyson, YouTube star who came out as a transgender woman
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In April, long-time YouTube creator Kris Tyson, known for starring in MrBeast videos, revealed that she had been using hormone replacement therapy. In an interview with fellow YouTuber Anthony Padilla, Kris formally introduced her new identity, sharing, “I am a woman. I’ve never said that publicly, but I’ve been fully confident in that decision for over a year now.”
In July, she confirmed that she is using she/her pronouns.
Wayne Brady, television host and comedian who came out as pansexual
@waynebrady As someone who gets to bring joy to others daily on tv, it’s been ironic that I don’t experience it as much as I’d like. I advocate mental health for all and a part of that is self transparency. In doing my work, I’ve come to see a few truths, one of them being that I want to be free to love whomever I want. This truth makes me Pan and part of the lgbtq+ family. It’s scary as hell to say out loud but here it is. The people I admire the most are the ones brave enough to be themselves unapologetically. This shouldn’t shake anyone’s world, but if it bothers you at all, that’s your business:) I was so afraid of having my manhood questioned, but screw that. A “real man” in my eyes, isn’t afraid to be honest and happy. From now on, I’ll be over here living my best life! I love you @Mandietaketa @Maile Masako @Jason ♬ original sound – Shannon
Wayne Brady is well-known for his comedy and acting roles since the 1990s. In a hilariously choreographed TikTok video at the age of 51, Wayne shared his pansexual identity in a coming out video.
In the caption, he wrote: “As someone who gets to bring joy to others daily on tv, it’s been ironic that I don’t experience it as much as I’d like…This truth makes me Pan and part of the LGBTQ+ family. It’s scary as hell to say out loud but here it is… From now on, I’ll be over here living my best life!”
Representation matters, and seeing high-profile celebrities come out increases LGBTQ+ visibility, representation and can help queer fans feel safer in their own identities. The same is true when reality television stars come out. Earlier this week, Big Brother contestant Hallie came out as trans to her fellow housemates. She had worried that some people wouldn’t be supportive, but the experience was very positive, and she said opening up was “freeing”.
These are only some of the celebrities who powerfully came out in 2023. While coming out can be scary and even dangerous, these stories help others feel accepted and celebrated.
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