Although Pride Month may be wrapping up, there is no reason not to celebrate and be prideful all year long. By no means is this meant to be extensive, but here is a list of four celebrities who are making a difference within the LGBTQ+ community in 2019.
Laverne Cox
Laverne Cox is an American actress and activist within the transgender community. Since becoming a series regular on Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, she’s been a trailblazer within the community, breaking down endless barriers and winning countless awards for her performances. Her platform has enabled her to advocate further for black and transgender women to her large audience, and in 2016 she received an Honorary Doctorate from New York City’s “The New School” for her advocacy for gender equality.
Titus Burgess
Titus Burgess from The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is an openly gay actor and activist for the community. In the show’s most recent season, his character was a victim of sexual harassment, bringing attention to the ways in which gender, sexuality and race can all intersect. In an interview, he said that he had known his sexuality since childhood: his visible comfort with who he is and his very frank way of discussing sexuality is working to bring further attention to his important message of self love.
Hayley Kiyoko
Hayley Kiyoko is a singer, songwriter and actress, who has officially been dubbed the “Lesbian Jesus.” Kiyoko often uses the lyrics and music videos for her songs to normalize lesbian relationships, most notably seen in “What I Need, which features queer musician Kehlani and “Girls like Girls.” Kiyoko is also known for her partnerships with non-for-profits, such as The Los Angeles LGBT Centre and I Support The Girls, a charity that supports homeless women, youth, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Sam Smith
Throughout the years, singer Sam Smith has been very open about his sexuality, and has followed suit with his gender identity, letting the world know that he identifies as non-binary, or genderqueer. Sam Smith came out this past year, saying that he feels as much of a woman as he does a man, but would prefer male pronouns for the time being. He has also spoken at length about his body image issues growing up, making him an important LGBTQ+ figure as well as an advocate for self-love.
