TRENDING

1. Gigi Gorgeous
This transgender YouTuber has been taking the internet by storm ever since posting her first video back in 2008. When we first began posting videos, she identified as a gay male and focused her channel on makeup tutorials but also created other content. Gigi kept her fans in the loop after deciding to undergo a full transition, documenting the experience and speaking about the greater LGBTQ+ community.

2. Ryan Beatty
This singer came out last summer with a bold message on Instagram: “proud to be a raging homosexual. it's taken 20 years of suffocating in the closet for me to become comfortable enough to say it, but now I can finally breathe. i did it!”

3. Amandla Stenberg
Hunger Games and Everything, Everything actress, Amandla Stenberg, identifies as non-binary and said last year that they prefer to be referred to by they/them (as opposed to she/her). Essentially, this means that Amandla doesn’t conform to a specific gender or sexual orientation, but rather flows between them to their own desire.

Photo credit: Kat Irlin

4. Tyler Oakley
A LGBTQ+ role model through and through, this YouTube sensation is using his platform to stand up for what he believes in. While not all of his content is LGBTQ-related, he remains dedicated to advocating for LGBTQ rights, focusing a large portion of his attention on LGBTQ youth and suicide prevention. For Pride Month, he premiered an LGBTQ+ focused series called Chosen Family: Stories of Queer Resilience. Give it a watch!

5. Lauren Jauregui
This member of Fifth Harmony came out as bisexual in a letter to President Trump’s supporters that was published in Billboard Magazine following the election. The song “Strangers,” a collaboration with Halsey, is considered radio’s first same-sex love duets to hit the top charts.

6. Ricky Dillon
Ricky represents the "+" in LGBTQ+. The YouTube star posted a "coming out" video September, stating that he closely relates to the label of asexual. To be asexual means that you are not sexually attracted to any gender.

7. Jazz Jennings
Another member of the transgender community, Jazz first received national recognition in 2007 during an interview with Barbara Walters on 20/20. One of the first young people to shed light on their LGBTQ experiences with the public, Jazz now has her own TV series, I Am Jazz, as well as a YouTube channel, both of which document her journey as a transgender teen.

8. Colton Haynes
After struggling with anxiety for most of his life, the Teen Wolf and Arrow star decided to take a break from his career and focus on his mental health. In January 2016, a Tumblr post sparked rumors that Colton was gay, and although he did not immediately address them, he officially came out in an Entertainment Weekly interview a few months later. Being able to speak freely about his identity while gaining respect from his fans has led Colton to be “happier than I’ve ever been, and healthier than I’ve ever been.”

Photo credit: IMDb

9. Shailene Woodley
In an interview with Hollywoodlife.com, the talented actress explained that “I fall in love with human beings based on who they are. Not based on what they do or what sex they are.” When looking for a partner, she dismisses the idea of gender and identity, and directs her attention more toward the individual's personality.

10. Elliot Fletcher
MTV’s Faking It chose to celebrate authenticity when they chose a transgender actor to play a transgender character. Elliot, who plays Nate on the show (you might also know him as Aaron on The Fosters), first came out to his parents when he was in high school and now, confidently serves as one of television’s few transgender actors.