Felicia "Snoop" Pearson - Actor/thor/rapper Felicia "Snoop" Pearson is known for her role the HBO seri The Wire as a character named after herself. As the fal season of the show was about to air 2008, she told The Advote that she hoped she changed the face of gay characters on televisn. "I hope I broke the mold for my gay people," she said. "Jt let 'em know; you don't have to hi . People are gonna accept or they gonna reject . So what?"(Photo: John Rird/FilmMagic) - Lil Nas X, Janelle Monae, Alexandra Shipp and more.
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- WHO'S WHO THE BLACK LGBT {MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}} HIGHLIGHTS MEMBERS OF THE BLACK LGBT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;OVERFLOW-X:HIDN;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;BOX-SHADOW:0 4PX 8PX 0 RGBA(0,0,0,0.08);MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:NTA;}{WIDTH:1007PX;HEIGHT:566PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:18PX 24PX;DISPLAY:GRID;GRID-GAP:18PX;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{LOR:#0A0A0A;}{FONT:NORMAL 700 2.0REM/1.25 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;}1 / {LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}FRANK MUGISHA - SHOWS SOME OF THE BLACK MUNY'S PROMENT LGBT DIVIDUALS. SEE WHO THEY ARE THE FOLLOWG PAG. FRANK MUGISHA IS AN UGANDAN ADVOTE FOR THE RIGHTS OF SEXUAL MORI UGANDA. HE HAS WORKED TIRELSLY FOR EQUAL RIGHTS FOR LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENR AND INTERSEX (LGBTI) PEOPLE THE EAST AIN UNTRY. IN 2011 HE RECEIVED THE ROBERT F. KENNEDY HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD FOR HIS ACTIVIST WORK.(PHOTO: RFK CENTER){WIDTH:3000PX;HEIGHT:1966PX;}2 / 37SGT. ANTHONY WOODS - WOODS, A WT POT GRADUATE, LED TWO BAT UNS IRAQ AND RECEIVED A MASTER’S GREE PUBLIC POLICY OM HARVARD UNIVERSY’S KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT BEFORE BEG DISCHARGED FOR G OUT AS GAY. IN 2009, HE RAN A SPECIAL ELECTN CALIFORNIA'S 10TH CONGRSNAL DISTRICT WHERE HE GREW UP. (PHOTO: CHRIS HONDROS/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:600PX;HEIGHT:398PX;}3 / 37HANIFAH WALIDAH - WALIDAH IS A HIP HOP ARTIST, PLAYWRIGHT, ACTOR, MIC VIO MAKER AND FILMMAKER. SHE IS A PART OF THE RENOWNED BROOKLYN FUNK ESSENTIALS.\R(PHOTO: COURTY OF HANIFAH WALIDAH){WIDTH:2083PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}4 / 37LEE DANIELS - PHILALPHIA NATIVE LEE DANIELS IS AN ACTOR, FILM PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR. HE IS BT KNOWN FOR DIRECTG THE CRILLY ACCLAIMED FILM PREC, WHICH WAS NOMATED FOR SIX AMY AWARDS. DANIELS WAS NOMATED FOR THE BT DIRECTOR AWARD; ONLY THE SEND TIME AN AIN-AMERIN RECEIVED A NOD THAT TEGORY. HE'S CURRENTLY DIRECTG SELMA, A FILM ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, DUE TO BE RELEASED 2011.\R\R(PHOTO: VTOR ZUNO CELOTTO/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2169PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}5 / 37SHERYL SWOOP - SHERYL DENISE SWOOP WAS THE FIRST PLAYER TO BE SIGNED TO THE WNBA WHEN THE LEAGUE WAS FIRST CREATED 1997. SHE HAS WON THREE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS AND IS A THREE-TIME WNBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO AS THE "FEMALE MICHAEL JORDAN," SWOOP IS FAMO FOR HER OFFENSIVE AND FENSIVE SKILLS. THOUGH SHE LEFT THE LEAGUE 2008, SHE IS SET TO MAKE A EBACK DURG THE 2011 SEASON WH THE TULSA SHOCK. (PHOTO: ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAG){MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:NONE;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;} + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:NONE;}(:EMPTY){DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}(:EMPTY) + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:BLOCK;}{BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{WIDTH:1990PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}6 / 37WANDA SYK - SYK ED HER ANGER AND DISAPPOTMENT CALIFORNIA'S PROPOSN 8, WHICH BANNED GAY MARRIAGE THERE, AS AN OPPORTUNY TO E OUT. "I AM PROUD TO BE GAY!" WANDA CLARED AT A GAY RALLY LAS VEGAS 2008. SHE ALSO ANNOUNCED TO THE WORLD THAT SHE IS MARRIED TO A WOMAN. IN 2009, SHE BEME THE FIRST AIN-AMERIN AND THE FIRST "OUT" LBIAN TO GET THE ROLE AS FEATURED ENTERTAER FOR THE WHE HOE CORRPONNTS' ASSOCIATN DNER.\R(PHOTO: ANGELA WEISS/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:1067PX;HEIGHT:1600PX;}7 / 37JASS STEWART - \RJASS STEWART IS THE FIRST-EVER MORY OR OPENLY-GAY PERSON TO BE ELECTED TO SERVE ON MASSACHETTS' BROCKTON CY COUNCIL. HE IS CURRENTLY SERVG A TWO-YEAR TERM. IN 2005, STEWART RAN A HIGHLY TOUTED MPAIGN FOR MAYOR OF BROCKTON, MASS. AS A FIRST-TIME NDIDATE, HE EARNED 44 PERCENT OF THE VOTE AND CREASED VOTER TURNOUT BY 19 PERCENT. \R\R(PHOTO: COURTY OF JASS STEWART){WIDTH:317PX;HEIGHT:481PX;}8 / 37SABRA SOJOURNER - SOJOURNER IS THE FIRST OPEN LBIAN TO BE ELECTED TO THE UNED STAT CONGRS. HAVG BEEN ELECTED BY A WHOPPG 83 PERCENT OF THE VOTE, SABRA REPRENTED THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THE U.S. HOE OF REPRENTATIV, WHERE HER NON-VOTG POSN SHE LOBBIED NOT ONLY FOR STATEHOOD FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, BUT IMPACTED OTHER LEGISLATORS ON A WHOLE SPECTM OF ISSU. SHE SERVED OM 1997-1999. SHE IS CURRENTLY THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE ORDATOR AT INTERACTN.(PHOTO: COURTY OF SABRA SOJOURNER){WIDTH:400PX;HEIGHT:537PX;}9 / 37DENISE SIMMONS \R - DENISE SIMMONS, WHO SERVED AS MAYOR OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHETTS, OM 2008-2009, IS THE FIRST AIN-AMERIN AND OPEN LBIAN TO BE ELECTED MAYOR OF AN AMERIN CY. SIMMONS, NOW SERVG ON THE CAMBRIDGE CY COUNCIL, HAD FOLLOWED THE FOOTSTEPS OF FORMER MAYOR KEN REEV. REEV MA HISTORY ON A LOL AND NATNAL LEVEL, BEG CAMBRIDGE'S FIRST AIN-AMERIN MAYOR AND THE NATN'S FIRST OPENLY GAY, BLACK MAYOR.\R(PHOTO: STEPHEN MACLONE){WIDTH:500PX;HEIGHT:340PX;}10 / 37DANA RONE - RONE WAS THE FIRST BLACK LBIAN ELECTED NEW JERSEY WHEN SHE WON THE FIRST OF TWO TERMS ON NEWARK'S SCHOOL BOARD. IN 2008, SHE WAS NVICTED OF OBSTCTN OF JTICE FOR A 2006 N- WH POLICE AFTER THEY STOPPED HER NEPHEW FOR A TRAFFIC VLATN. SHE WAS REMOVED OM HER POSN AND BANNED OM NNG FOR PUBLIC OFFICE THE FUTURE 2008. (PHOTO: SARAH RICE/FOR THE STAR-LEDGER){WIDTH:1800PX;HEIGHT:1102PX;}11 / 37 TOSHI REAGON\R\R - OVER THE URSE OF HER REER, REAGON RELEASED EIGHT ALBUMS, APPEARED ON THE L WORD AND SHARED THE STAGE WH ANI DIFRAN AND ELVIS COSTELLO. SHE JUMPED TO THE SPOTLIGHT WHEN SHE DROPPED OUT OF LLEGE AFTER LENNY KRAVZ TAPPED HER TO OPEN FOR HIM ON HIS FIRST WORLD TOUR. SHE'S THE DGHTER OF BERNICE JOHNSON REAGON, FOUNR OF THE ALL-AIN-AMERIN MIL ENSEMBLE SWEET HONEY THE ROCK.\R\R(PHOTO: REUTERS/LUS JACKSON /LANDOV){WIDTH:480PX;HEIGHT:309PX;}12 / 37KEN REEV - REEV IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AIN-AMERIN MAN TO HAVE SERVED AS MAYOR OF ANY CY THE UNED STAT. THE HARVARD COLLEGE AND UNIVERSY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL GRADUATE WAS MAYOR OF CAMBRIDGE, MASS.(PHOTO: RON SCHLTLER){WIDTH:2001PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}13 / 37PATRIK IAN-POLK - PATRIK-IAN POLK IS THE CREATOR, PRODUCER AND LEAD WRER OF THE ACCLAIMED FORMER LOGO TV SERI “NOAH’S ARC,” WHICH WAS OFTEN SCRIBED AS “SEX AND THE CY” WH GAY CHARACTERS. HE IS ALSO THE DIRECTOR BEHD THE GROUNDBREAKG 2001 BLACK GAY FEATURE FILM PUNKS.\R(PHOTO: FRERICK M. BROWN/GETTY IMAG FOR NAACP){WIDTH:2143PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}14 / 37FELICIA "SNOOP" PEARSON - BALTIMORE NATIVE FELICIA "SNOOP" PEARSON IS AN ACTRS, THOR AND RAPPER, KNOWN FOR HER ROLE ON THE HBO SERI THE WIRE AS A CHARACTER NAMED AFTER HERSELF. WHEN SHE WAS JT 14, PEARSON WAS NVICTED OF SEND GREE MURR AND SPENT THE RT OF HER TEENAGE YEARS A RRECTNAL FACILY BEFORE BEG RELEASED. THE ACTRS, NOW 31, RAN TO MORE TROUBLE MARCH 2011 WHEN SHE WAS ARRTED ALONG WH 60 OTHERS FOR ALLEGED DG OFFENS. \R\R(PHOTO: FRERICK M. BROWN/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:3285PX;HEIGHT:2400PX;}15 / 37RAHSAAN PATTERSON \R - NAMED AFTER '60S JAZZ SAXOPHONIST RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK, RAHSAAN PATTERSON'S SGG AND SONGWRG STYLE ARE REMISCENT OF STEVIE WONR, WHILE HIS VOICE HAS ALSO DRAWN PARISONS TO CHAKA KHAN. HIS CREDS CLU BRANDY'S PLATUM TOP 5 SMASH "BABY" AND TEV CAMPBELL'S H "BACK TO THE WORLD."\R(PHOTO: MCT/HO /LANDOV){WIDTH:2044PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}16 / 37RON ON - ON IS AN OPENLY GAY POLICIAN. IN NOVEMBER 2003, HE WAS ELECTED MAYOR OF PALM SPRGS, CALIF., AFTER SERVG EIGHT YEARS ON S CY UNCIL. IN 2006, HE LOST A CLOSE RACE THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR A SEAT THE CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY. HE IS THE FATHER OF TWO DGHTERS AND THE GRANDFATHER OF TWO GIRLS AND ONE BOY.\R(PHOTO: FRERICK M. BROWN/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2105PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}17 / 37ME'SHELL NGéOCELLO - THE DGHTER OF A VOTEDLY RELIG MOTHER AND A STRICT ARY FATHER, ME'SHELL NGéOCELLO IS A SGER, SONGWRER, RAPPER, BASSIST AND MULTI-STMENTALIST. THE MIC PRS HAS HAILED HER AS A REEMER OF SOUL MIC. HER MIC RPORAT FUNK, SOUL, HIP HOP, REGGAE, R&B, ROCK AND JAZZ. SHE HAS BEEN NOMATED FOR 10 GRAMMY AWARDS.\R(PHOTO: MIKE COPPOLA/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:500PX;HEIGHT:375PX;}18 / 37NEB LUV - WHILE PRENTLY PURSUG A SOLO RERDG AL, SHE HAS ACHIEVED WELL-SERVED RPECT AND REGNN FOR HER ASSOCIATN WH WARREN G, HER PRODUCER ON DA 5 FOOTAZ LP RELEASED ON RTLS RERDS. NEB APPEARED ON THE “SET IT OFF” SOUNDTRACK SGLE, "THE HEIST” AND THE “JASON’S LYRIC” SOUNDTRACK SGLE, “WALK AWAY.” SHE ALSO APPEARED THE DEF PICTUR FEATURE FILM THE SHOW AND HAS TOURED TERNATNALLY AS THE OPENG ACT FOR WARREN G AND THE FUGE, AND APPEARED ON BET’S COMICVIEW.\R(PHOTO: ){WIDTH:400PX;HEIGHT:571PX;}19 / 37MELANGE LAVONNE - LAVONNE, WHO IS AN OUTSPOKEN LBIAN HIP HOP ARTIST, HER MIC TO TALK ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSU, PECIALLY WH THE LGBT MUNY. IN THE VIO FOR "GAY BASH," THE OUT MC LLS OUT THOSE WHO HATED HER IEND KEV ENOUGH TO KILL HIM, WHEN THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HIM.\R(PHOTO: ){WIDTH:2020PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}20 / 37MRICE JAMAL - MRICE JAMAL IS A DIRECTOR-WRER-PRODUCER AND IS THE CREATIVE MD BEHD THE LANDMARK LOGO NETWORK FILM THE SKI TRIP AND THE AWARD-WNG FAY EDY DRAMA DIRTY LNDRY. HIS FIRST BREAK WAS ON THE FEATURE FILM SPIR-MAN, AND A SHORT PERD HE VELOPED A LENGTHY AND IMPRSIVE LIST OF CREDS, MOST NOTABLY THE COMEDY CENTRAL SMASH H CHAPPELLE’S SHOW – BOTH ONT AND BEHD THE MERA.\R(PHOTO: DAVID LIVGSTON/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2009PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}21 / 37E. LYNN HARRIS - THE LATE E. LYNN HARRIS WAS AN OPENLY GAY THOR, MOST KNOWN FOR HIS PICTNS OF AIN-AMERIN MEN ON THE DOWN LOW OR THE CLOSET. HARRIS WAS IALLY UNABLE TO LAND A BOOK AL WH A REPUTABLE PUBLISHG HOE FOR HIS FIRST WORK, INVISIBLE LIFE, SO HE SELF-PUBLISHED THROUGH A VANY PUBLISHER AND SOLD PI OM HIS R TNK. SCE THEN, FIVE OF HIS NOVELS HAVE ACHIEVED NEW YORK TIM BTSELLER STAT. HE DIED 2009.\R(PHOTO: JONATHAN FICKI/GETTY IMAG FOR JUMPSTART FOR CHILDREN){WIDTH:465PX;HEIGHT:533PX;}22 / 37JAM EARL HARDY - JAM EARL HARDY IS BT KNOWN AS THE THOR OF THE B-BOY BLU SERI THAT CLUS: B-BOY BLU, 2ND TIME AROUND AND IF ONLY FOR ONE NE. THE SERI IS CREDED WH LNCHG THE AOCENTRIC, GAY, HIP HOP LOVE GENRE. HARDY ALSO HAS WRTEN FOR ESSENCE, NEWSWEEK, ENTERTAMENT WEEKLY, THE WASHGTON POST, THE ADVOTE AND SOURCE.\R(PHOTO: ){WIDTH:3000PX;HEIGHT:1950PX;}23 / 37ANGELA DAVIS\R - ANGELA DAVIS, AN AMERIN SOCIALIST ANIZER AND PROFSOR ONCE ASSOCIATED WH THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY, FIRST ACHIEVED NATNWI NOTORIETY WHEN SHE WAS LKED TO THE MURR OF JUDGE HAROLD HALEY DURG AN ATTEMPTED PRISON BREAK. SHE WAS A FUGIVE BUT WAS EVENTUALLY PTURED, ARRTED, AND TRIED; SHE WAS THEN ACQUTED ONE OF THE MOST FAMO TRIALS RECENT HISTORY. SHE IS NOW A RETIRED PROFSOR OF HISTORY AT THE UNIVERSY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CZ.\R \R(PHOTO: UPI PHOTO/BG/WILEY PRICE){WIDTH:724PX;HEIGHT:595PX;}24 / 37KECIA CUNNGHAM - KECIA CUNNGHAM IS CURRENTLY SERVG AS DETUR, GEIA'S CY COMMISSNER. THE AIN-AMERIN LBIAN FIRST WON A SEAT ON THE CY COUNCIL 1999.(PHOTO: PROJECT Q){WIDTH:2000PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}25 / 37WILSON CZ \R - WILSON CZ ME OUT AT THE AGE OF 19 AND THEN WENT TO HOLLYWOOD TO TRY TO START AN ACTG REER. HE WAS SUCCSFUL, AND HAS STARRED A NUMBER OF STAGE, TV AND FILM PRODUCTNS. HE'S PERHAPS BETTER KNOWN FOR HIS ROLE AS RICKIE VASQUEZ ON ABC'S MY SO-CALLED LIFE AND A RECURRG CHARACTER ON NOAH'S ARC.\R\R(PHOTO: ROBERT PTS /LANDOV){WIDTH:3000PX;HEIGHT:2038PX;}26 / 37MISS CLEO\R - YOUREE DELL HARRIS, BETTER KNOWN AS MISS CLEO, IS A SELF-PROCLAIMED PSYCHIC AND SHAMAN WHO ACHIEVED FAME AS SPOKWOMAN TELEVISN ADS WHICH AIRED DURG THE LATE 1990S AND EARLY 2000S. IN THOSE ADS, SHE HAWKED A PSYCHIC PAY-PER-LL SERVICE. AS OF 2007, CLEO OFFERS PRIVATE PSYCHIC NSULTATNS AND OTHER SERVIC THROUGH WAHGWAAN ENTERTAMENT, BASED FORT LRDALE, FLA.\R(PHOTO: LILLY ECHEVERRIA / MIAMI HERALD){WIDTH:2001PX;HEIGHT:2872PX;}27 / 37STACEYANN CH \R - STACEYANN CH IS A FULL-TIME ARTIST AND HAS BEEN AN “OUT POET AND POLIL ACTIVIST” SCE 1998. HAVG DRAWN ROG CHEERS OM THE NUYORIN POETS' Fé, ONE-WOMAN SHOWS OFF- BROADWAY, POETRY WORKSHOPS DENMARK AND LONDON, AND AS A -WRER AND PERFORMER THE TONY-NOMATED RSELL SIMMONS DEF POETRY JAM, CH CREDS THE LONG LIST OF "THGS SHE HAS DONE" TO HER GRANDMOTHER'S HARD-WORKG HISTORY AND THE PA OF HER MOTHER'S ABSENCE.\R(PHOTO: ROBERT PTS /LANDOV){WIDTH:1216PX;HEIGHT:1661PX;}28 / 37JASMYNE CANNICK - AWARD-WNG JOURNALIST JASMYNE CANNICK IS KNOWN FOR ADDRSG THE ISSU THAT OTHERS N'T OR SIMPLY WON'T. SHE IS A CRIC AND MENTATOR BASED LOS ANGEL WHO ADDRS THE TERSECTN OF RACE, CLASS, RELIGN AND GENR THE AIN-AMERIN MUNY AS PLAYED OUT TODAY'S POP CULTURE AND POLICS. SHE WAS SELECTED AS ONE OF ESSENCE MAGAZE'S 25 WOMEN SHAPG THE WORLD.\R \R(PHOTO: COURTY OF JASMYNE CANNICK){WIDTH:2191PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}29 / 37GORDON CHAMBERS \R - CHAMBERS IS A SOUL MIC VETERAN, BUT IS PRCIPALLY KNOWN AS A SONGWRER. OVER THE PAST DOZEN YEARS THE JAMAIN-BORN CHAMBERS HAS PENNED TUN FOR A VIRTUAL WHO'S WHO OF MORN URBAN ADULT NTEMPORARY SGERS, CLUDG WHNEY HOTON, HEATHER HEADLEY, CARL THOMAS, STEPHANIE MILLS, GLADYS KNIGHT, GERALD LEVERT AND PHYLLIS HYMAN. HE ALSO EARNED A SONGWRG GRAMMY AWARD 1995 FOR ANA BAKER'S "I APOLOGIZE."\R(PHOTO: FRANK MICELOTTA/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:1995PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}30 / 37KEH BOYK \R - KEH BOYK IS THE EDOR OF HE IS A NEW YORK TIM BT-SELLG THOR OF THREE BOOKS, A POLIL MENTATOR FOR AND A EQUENT GUT ON CNN.\R(PHOTO: ROB LOUD/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:1944PX;HEIGHT:2896PX;}31 / 37KEV AVIANCE - NEW YORK FEMALE IMPERSONATOR, SIGNER AND DANCE MICIAN KEV AVIANCE IS POPULAR THE NEW YORK CY GAY SCENE. HE IS A MEMBER OF THE GAY PERFORMERS' GROUP HOE OF AVIANCE.\R\R\RNEW YORK FEMALE IMPERSONATOR, SIGNER AND DANCE MICIAN KEV AVIANCE IS POPULAR THE NEW YORK CY GAY SCENE. HE IS A MEMBER OF THE GAY PERFORMERS' GROUP HOE OF AVIANCE.\R\R \R(PHOTO: DOUG MZLER){WIDTH:1993PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}32 / 37JOHN AMAECHI - IN 2007, JOHN AMAECHI BEME THE FIRST NBA PLAYER TO E OUT OF THE CLOSET, MAKG THE REVELATN HIS MEMOIR, MAN THE MIDDLE. HE HAD RETIRED OM PROFSNAL BASKETBALL 2003.\R\R(PHOTO: MICHAEL GERMANA / SSI PHOTO){WIDTH:400PX;HEIGHT:266PX;}33 / 37DAGMAWI WOUBSHET - DAGMAWI WOUBSHET IS AN ASSISTANT PROFSOR OF ENGLISH AT CORNELL UNIVERSY, WHERE HE TEACH URS ON AIN-AMERIN AND PARATIVE AIN DIASPORA LERATURE AND CULTURE. HE RECIEVED HIS PHD OM HARVARD UNIVERSY 2007 AND HIS BA 1998 OM DE UNIVERSY. HIS SCHOLARLY TERTS CLU: CRIL RACE AND SEXUALY STUDI, NTEMPORARY BLACK VISUAL CULTURE, TRANSLATN AND VERNACULAR ETHPIAN POETICS.\R(PHOTO: CORNELL UNIVERSY){WIDTH:410PX;HEIGHT:478PX;}34 / 37STANLEY BENT CLAY\R - STANLEY BENT CLAY IS AN THOR, FILMMAKER AND ACTOR. HE HAS WRTEN THREE NOVELS: DIVA, IN SEARCH OF PRETTY YOUNG BLACK MEN AND LOOKER. A SELF-SCRIBED “FANATIL LOS ANGEL TYPE OF PERSON,” CLAY WR STORI ABOUT THE BLACK GAY SCENE ON THE WT COAST. HE’S ALSO WON THREE NAACP IMAGE AWARDS FOR WRG, DIRECTG AND PRODUCG THE FILM RUAL.\R(PHOTO: ){WIDTH:450PX;HEIGHT:300PX;}35 / 37LAWRENCE WEBB\R - WEBB IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AIN-AMERIN ELECTED THE STATE OF VIRGIA. LAWRENCE WAS ELECTED TO THE FALLS CHURCH CY COUNCIL 2008 AFTER HIS FIRST N FOR POLIL OFFICE.\R(PHOTO: VOTE FALLS CHURCH){LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}PHOTO BY {LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}{LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}PHOTO: VOTE FALLS {WIDTH:2103PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}36 / 37DOUG SPEARMAN \R - SPEARMAN'S REER AS AN ACTOR CLUS WORK ON TV SHOWS STAR TREK VOYAGER, THE DREW CAREY SHOW, THE HUGHLEYS, CHARMED AND GIRLIENDS. SPEARMAN ALSO APPEARED ON THE LOGO H SHOW NOAH'S ARC, WHICH HE PLAYED CHANCE COUNTER, AN OUT BLACK GAY LLEGE PROFSOR.\R \R(PHOTO: JOHN M. HELLER/GETTY IMAG FOR LOGO FEATUR)
- FELICIA PEARSON MARRIED, GIRLIEND, GAY, NET WORTH
- 25 LGBTQ+ CELEBS WHO LIVE OUT AND {MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}LIL NAS X, JANELLE MONAE, ALEXANDRA SHIPP AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;OVERFLOW-X:HIDN;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;BOX-SHADOW:0 4PX 8PX 0 RGBA(0,0,0,0.08);MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:NTA;}{WIDTH:1600PX;HEIGHT:900PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:18PX 24PX;DISPLAY:GRID;GRID-GAP:18PX;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{LOR:#0A0A0A;}{FONT:NORMAL 700 2.0REM/1.25 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;}1 / {LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}JUNE MARKS LGBTQ+ PRI MONTH AND HONOR OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUT AND PROUD, WE SALUTE THOSE LIVG THEIR THENTIC LIV. {LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}PHOTO BY {LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;}{LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;}(PHOTOS OM LEFT: BRYAN BEDR/VARIETY VIA GETTY IMAG, ARTURO HOLM/GETTY IMAG, AXELLE/BER-GRIFF/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2739PX;HEIGHT:4088PX;}2 / 26LIL NAS X MA HISTORY AS A BLACK AND GAY ARTIST HIP-HOP. AFTER G OUT ON JUNE 30, 2019, HE SPIRED OTHERS BY BEG UNAPOLOGETIC AND FEARLS. (PHOTO BY EMMA MCINTYRE/GETTY IMAG FOR IHEARTMEDIA)
WHO'S WHO THE BLACK LGBT {MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}} HIGHLIGHTS MEMBERS OF THE BLACK LGBT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;OVERFLOW-X:HIDN;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;BOX-SHADOW:0 4PX 8PX 0 RGBA(0,0,0,0.08);MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:NTA;}{WIDTH:1007PX;HEIGHT:566PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:18PX 24PX;DISPLAY:GRID;GRID-GAP:18PX;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{LOR:#0A0A0A;}{FONT:NORMAL 700 2.0REM/1.25 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;}1 / {LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}FRANK MUGISHA - SHOWS SOME OF THE BLACK MUNY'S PROMENT LGBT DIVIDUALS. SEE WHO THEY ARE THE FOLLOWG PAG. FRANK MUGISHA IS AN UGANDAN ADVOTE FOR THE RIGHTS OF SEXUAL MORI UGANDA. HE HAS WORKED TIRELSLY FOR EQUAL RIGHTS FOR LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENR AND INTERSEX (LGBTI) PEOPLE THE EAST AIN UNTRY. IN 2011 HE RECEIVED THE ROBERT F. KENNEDY HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD FOR HIS ACTIVIST WORK.(PHOTO: RFK CENTER){WIDTH:3000PX;HEIGHT:1966PX;}2 / 37SGT. ANTHONY WOODS - WOODS, A WT POT GRADUATE, LED TWO BAT UNS IRAQ AND RECEIVED A MASTER’S GREE PUBLIC POLICY OM HARVARD UNIVERSY’S KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT BEFORE BEG DISCHARGED FOR G OUT AS GAY. IN 2009, HE RAN A SPECIAL ELECTN CALIFORNIA'S 10TH CONGRSNAL DISTRICT WHERE HE GREW UP. (PHOTO: CHRIS HONDROS/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:600PX;HEIGHT:398PX;}3 / 37HANIFAH WALIDAH - WALIDAH IS A HIP HOP ARTIST, PLAYWRIGHT, ACTOR, MIC VIO MAKER AND FILMMAKER. SHE IS A PART OF THE RENOWNED BROOKLYN FUNK ESSENTIALS.\R(PHOTO: COURTY OF HANIFAH WALIDAH){WIDTH:2083PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}4 / 37LEE DANIELS - PHILALPHIA NATIVE LEE DANIELS IS AN ACTOR, FILM PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR. HE IS BT KNOWN FOR DIRECTG THE CRILLY ACCLAIMED FILM PREC, WHICH WAS NOMATED FOR SIX AMY AWARDS. DANIELS WAS NOMATED FOR THE BT DIRECTOR AWARD; ONLY THE SEND TIME AN AIN-AMERIN RECEIVED A NOD THAT TEGORY. HE'S CURRENTLY DIRECTG SELMA, A FILM ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, DUE TO BE RELEASED 2011.\R\R(PHOTO: VTOR ZUNO CELOTTO/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2169PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}5 / 37SHERYL SWOOP - SHERYL DENISE SWOOP WAS THE FIRST PLAYER TO BE SIGNED TO THE WNBA WHEN THE LEAGUE WAS FIRST CREATED 1997. SHE HAS WON THREE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS AND IS A THREE-TIME WNBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO AS THE "FEMALE MICHAEL JORDAN," SWOOP IS FAMO FOR HER OFFENSIVE AND FENSIVE SKILLS. THOUGH SHE LEFT THE LEAGUE 2008, SHE IS SET TO MAKE A EBACK DURG THE 2011 SEASON WH THE TULSA SHOCK. (PHOTO: ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAG){MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:NONE;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;} + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:NONE;}(:EMPTY){DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}(:EMPTY) + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:BLOCK;}{BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{WIDTH:1990PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}6 / 37WANDA SYK - SYK ED HER ANGER AND DISAPPOTMENT CALIFORNIA'S PROPOSN 8, WHICH BANNED GAY MARRIAGE THERE, AS AN OPPORTUNY TO E OUT. "I AM PROUD TO BE GAY!" WANDA CLARED AT A GAY RALLY LAS VEGAS 2008. SHE ALSO ANNOUNCED TO THE WORLD THAT SHE IS MARRIED TO A WOMAN. IN 2009, SHE BEME THE FIRST AIN-AMERIN AND THE FIRST "OUT" LBIAN TO GET THE ROLE AS FEATURED ENTERTAER FOR THE WHE HOE CORRPONNTS' ASSOCIATN DNER.\R(PHOTO: ANGELA WEISS/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:1067PX;HEIGHT:1600PX;}7 / 37JASS STEWART - \RJASS STEWART IS THE FIRST-EVER MORY OR OPENLY-GAY PERSON TO BE ELECTED TO SERVE ON MASSACHETTS' BROCKTON CY COUNCIL. HE IS CURRENTLY SERVG A TWO-YEAR TERM. IN 2005, STEWART RAN A HIGHLY TOUTED MPAIGN FOR MAYOR OF BROCKTON, MASS. AS A FIRST-TIME NDIDATE, HE EARNED 44 PERCENT OF THE VOTE AND CREASED VOTER TURNOUT BY 19 PERCENT. \R\R(PHOTO: COURTY OF JASS STEWART){WIDTH:317PX;HEIGHT:481PX;}8 / 37SABRA SOJOURNER - SOJOURNER IS THE FIRST OPEN LBIAN TO BE ELECTED TO THE UNED STAT CONGRS. HAVG BEEN ELECTED BY A WHOPPG 83 PERCENT OF THE VOTE, SABRA REPRENTED THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THE U.S. HOE OF REPRENTATIV, WHERE HER NON-VOTG POSN SHE LOBBIED NOT ONLY FOR STATEHOOD FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, BUT IMPACTED OTHER LEGISLATORS ON A WHOLE SPECTM OF ISSU. SHE SERVED OM 1997-1999. SHE IS CURRENTLY THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE ORDATOR AT INTERACTN.(PHOTO: COURTY OF SABRA SOJOURNER){WIDTH:400PX;HEIGHT:537PX;}9 / 37DENISE SIMMONS \R - DENISE SIMMONS, WHO SERVED AS MAYOR OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHETTS, OM 2008-2009, IS THE FIRST AIN-AMERIN AND OPEN LBIAN TO BE ELECTED MAYOR OF AN AMERIN CY. SIMMONS, NOW SERVG ON THE CAMBRIDGE CY COUNCIL, HAD FOLLOWED THE FOOTSTEPS OF FORMER MAYOR KEN REEV. REEV MA HISTORY ON A LOL AND NATNAL LEVEL, BEG CAMBRIDGE'S FIRST AIN-AMERIN MAYOR AND THE NATN'S FIRST OPENLY GAY, BLACK MAYOR.\R(PHOTO: STEPHEN MACLONE){WIDTH:500PX;HEIGHT:340PX;}10 / 37DANA RONE - RONE WAS THE FIRST BLACK LBIAN ELECTED NEW JERSEY WHEN SHE WON THE FIRST OF TWO TERMS ON NEWARK'S SCHOOL BOARD. IN 2008, SHE WAS NVICTED OF OBSTCTN OF JTICE FOR A 2006 N- WH POLICE AFTER THEY STOPPED HER NEPHEW FOR A TRAFFIC VLATN. SHE WAS REMOVED OM HER POSN AND BANNED OM NNG FOR PUBLIC OFFICE THE FUTURE 2008. (PHOTO: SARAH RICE/FOR THE STAR-LEDGER){WIDTH:1800PX;HEIGHT:1102PX;}11 / 37 TOSHI REAGON\R\R - OVER THE URSE OF HER REER, REAGON RELEASED EIGHT ALBUMS, APPEARED ON THE L WORD AND SHARED THE STAGE WH ANI DIFRAN AND ELVIS COSTELLO. SHE JUMPED TO THE SPOTLIGHT WHEN SHE DROPPED OUT OF LLEGE AFTER LENNY KRAVZ TAPPED HER TO OPEN FOR HIM ON HIS FIRST WORLD TOUR. SHE'S THE DGHTER OF BERNICE JOHNSON REAGON, FOUNR OF THE ALL-AIN-AMERIN MIL ENSEMBLE SWEET HONEY THE ROCK.\R\R(PHOTO: REUTERS/LUS JACKSON /LANDOV){WIDTH:480PX;HEIGHT:309PX;}12 / 37KEN REEV - REEV IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AIN-AMERIN MAN TO HAVE SERVED AS MAYOR OF ANY CY THE UNED STAT. THE HARVARD COLLEGE AND UNIVERSY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL GRADUATE WAS MAYOR OF CAMBRIDGE, MASS.(PHOTO: RON SCHLTLER){WIDTH:2001PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}13 / 37PATRIK IAN-POLK - PATRIK-IAN POLK IS THE CREATOR, PRODUCER AND LEAD WRER OF THE ACCLAIMED FORMER LOGO TV SERI “NOAH’S ARC,” WHICH WAS OFTEN SCRIBED AS “SEX AND THE CY” WH GAY CHARACTERS. HE IS ALSO THE DIRECTOR BEHD THE GROUNDBREAKG 2001 BLACK GAY FEATURE FILM PUNKS.\R(PHOTO: FRERICK M. BROWN/GETTY IMAG FOR NAACP){WIDTH:2143PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}14 / 37FELICIA "SNOOP" PEARSON - BALTIMORE NATIVE FELICIA "SNOOP" PEARSON IS AN ACTRS, THOR AND RAPPER, KNOWN FOR HER ROLE ON THE HBO SERI THE WIRE AS A CHARACTER NAMED AFTER HERSELF. WHEN SHE WAS JT 14, PEARSON WAS NVICTED OF SEND GREE MURR AND SPENT THE RT OF HER TEENAGE YEARS A RRECTNAL FACILY BEFORE BEG RELEASED. THE ACTRS, NOW 31, RAN TO MORE TROUBLE MARCH 2011 WHEN SHE WAS ARRTED ALONG WH 60 OTHERS FOR ALLEGED DG OFFENS. \R\R(PHOTO: FRERICK M. BROWN/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:3285PX;HEIGHT:2400PX;}15 / 37RAHSAAN PATTERSON \R - NAMED AFTER '60S JAZZ SAXOPHONIST RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK, RAHSAAN PATTERSON'S SGG AND SONGWRG STYLE ARE REMISCENT OF STEVIE WONR, WHILE HIS VOICE HAS ALSO DRAWN PARISONS TO CHAKA KHAN. HIS CREDS CLU BRANDY'S PLATUM TOP 5 SMASH "BABY" AND TEV CAMPBELL'S H "BACK TO THE WORLD."\R(PHOTO: MCT/HO /LANDOV){WIDTH:2044PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}16 / 37RON ON - ON IS AN OPENLY GAY POLICIAN. IN NOVEMBER 2003, HE WAS ELECTED MAYOR OF PALM SPRGS, CALIF., AFTER SERVG EIGHT YEARS ON S CY UNCIL. IN 2006, HE LOST A CLOSE RACE THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR A SEAT THE CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY. HE IS THE FATHER OF TWO DGHTERS AND THE GRANDFATHER OF TWO GIRLS AND ONE BOY.\R(PHOTO: FRERICK M. BROWN/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2105PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}17 / 37ME'SHELL NGéOCELLO - THE DGHTER OF A VOTEDLY RELIG MOTHER AND A STRICT ARY FATHER, ME'SHELL NGéOCELLO IS A SGER, SONGWRER, RAPPER, BASSIST AND MULTI-STMENTALIST. THE MIC PRS HAS HAILED HER AS A REEMER OF SOUL MIC. HER MIC RPORAT FUNK, SOUL, HIP HOP, REGGAE, R&B, ROCK AND JAZZ. SHE HAS BEEN NOMATED FOR 10 GRAMMY AWARDS.\R(PHOTO: MIKE COPPOLA/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:500PX;HEIGHT:375PX;}18 / 37NEB LUV - WHILE PRENTLY PURSUG A SOLO RERDG AL, SHE HAS ACHIEVED WELL-SERVED RPECT AND REGNN FOR HER ASSOCIATN WH WARREN G, HER PRODUCER ON DA 5 FOOTAZ LP RELEASED ON RTLS RERDS. NEB APPEARED ON THE “SET IT OFF” SOUNDTRACK SGLE, "THE HEIST” AND THE “JASON’S LYRIC” SOUNDTRACK SGLE, “WALK AWAY.” SHE ALSO APPEARED THE DEF PICTUR FEATURE FILM THE SHOW AND HAS TOURED TERNATNALLY AS THE OPENG ACT FOR WARREN G AND THE FUGE, AND APPEARED ON BET’S COMICVIEW.\R(PHOTO: ){WIDTH:400PX;HEIGHT:571PX;}19 / 37MELANGE LAVONNE - LAVONNE, WHO IS AN OUTSPOKEN LBIAN HIP HOP ARTIST, HER MIC TO TALK ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSU, PECIALLY WH THE LGBT MUNY. IN THE VIO FOR "GAY BASH," THE OUT MC LLS OUT THOSE WHO HATED HER IEND KEV ENOUGH TO KILL HIM, WHEN THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HIM.\R(PHOTO: ){WIDTH:2020PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}20 / 37MRICE JAMAL - MRICE JAMAL IS A DIRECTOR-WRER-PRODUCER AND IS THE CREATIVE MD BEHD THE LANDMARK LOGO NETWORK FILM THE SKI TRIP AND THE AWARD-WNG FAY EDY DRAMA DIRTY LNDRY. HIS FIRST BREAK WAS ON THE FEATURE FILM SPIR-MAN, AND A SHORT PERD HE VELOPED A LENGTHY AND IMPRSIVE LIST OF CREDS, MOST NOTABLY THE COMEDY CENTRAL SMASH H CHAPPELLE’S SHOW – BOTH ONT AND BEHD THE MERA.\R(PHOTO: DAVID LIVGSTON/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2009PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}21 / 37E. LYNN HARRIS - THE LATE E. LYNN HARRIS WAS AN OPENLY GAY THOR, MOST KNOWN FOR HIS PICTNS OF AIN-AMERIN MEN ON THE DOWN LOW OR THE CLOSET. HARRIS WAS IALLY UNABLE TO LAND A BOOK AL WH A REPUTABLE PUBLISHG HOE FOR HIS FIRST WORK, INVISIBLE LIFE, SO HE SELF-PUBLISHED THROUGH A VANY PUBLISHER AND SOLD PI OM HIS R TNK. SCE THEN, FIVE OF HIS NOVELS HAVE ACHIEVED NEW YORK TIM BTSELLER STAT. HE DIED 2009.\R(PHOTO: JONATHAN FICKI/GETTY IMAG FOR JUMPSTART FOR CHILDREN){WIDTH:465PX;HEIGHT:533PX;}22 / 37JAM EARL HARDY - JAM EARL HARDY IS BT KNOWN AS THE THOR OF THE B-BOY BLU SERI THAT CLUS: B-BOY BLU, 2ND TIME AROUND AND IF ONLY FOR ONE NE. THE SERI IS CREDED WH LNCHG THE AOCENTRIC, GAY, HIP HOP LOVE GENRE. HARDY ALSO HAS WRTEN FOR ESSENCE, NEWSWEEK, ENTERTAMENT WEEKLY, THE WASHGTON POST, THE ADVOTE AND SOURCE.\R(PHOTO: ){WIDTH:3000PX;HEIGHT:1950PX;}23 / 37ANGELA DAVIS\R - ANGELA DAVIS, AN AMERIN SOCIALIST ANIZER AND PROFSOR ONCE ASSOCIATED WH THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY, FIRST ACHIEVED NATNWI NOTORIETY WHEN SHE WAS LKED TO THE MURR OF JUDGE HAROLD HALEY DURG AN ATTEMPTED PRISON BREAK. SHE WAS A FUGIVE BUT WAS EVENTUALLY PTURED, ARRTED, AND TRIED; SHE WAS THEN ACQUTED ONE OF THE MOST FAMO TRIALS RECENT HISTORY. SHE IS NOW A RETIRED PROFSOR OF HISTORY AT THE UNIVERSY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CZ.\R \R(PHOTO: UPI PHOTO/BG/WILEY PRICE){WIDTH:724PX;HEIGHT:595PX;}24 / 37KECIA CUNNGHAM - KECIA CUNNGHAM IS CURRENTLY SERVG AS DETUR, GEIA'S CY COMMISSNER. THE AIN-AMERIN LBIAN FIRST WON A SEAT ON THE CY COUNCIL 1999.(PHOTO: PROJECT Q){WIDTH:2000PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}25 / 37WILSON CZ \R - WILSON CZ ME OUT AT THE AGE OF 19 AND THEN WENT TO HOLLYWOOD TO TRY TO START AN ACTG REER. HE WAS SUCCSFUL, AND HAS STARRED A NUMBER OF STAGE, TV AND FILM PRODUCTNS. HE'S PERHAPS BETTER KNOWN FOR HIS ROLE AS RICKIE VASQUEZ ON ABC'S MY SO-CALLED LIFE AND A RECURRG CHARACTER ON NOAH'S ARC.\R\R(PHOTO: ROBERT PTS /LANDOV){WIDTH:3000PX;HEIGHT:2038PX;}26 / 37MISS CLEO\R - YOUREE DELL HARRIS, BETTER KNOWN AS MISS CLEO, IS A SELF-PROCLAIMED PSYCHIC AND SHAMAN WHO ACHIEVED FAME AS SPOKWOMAN TELEVISN ADS WHICH AIRED DURG THE LATE 1990S AND EARLY 2000S. IN THOSE ADS, SHE HAWKED A PSYCHIC PAY-PER-LL SERVICE. AS OF 2007, CLEO OFFERS PRIVATE PSYCHIC NSULTATNS AND OTHER SERVIC THROUGH WAHGWAAN ENTERTAMENT, BASED FORT LRDALE, FLA.\R(PHOTO: LILLY ECHEVERRIA / MIAMI HERALD){WIDTH:2001PX;HEIGHT:2872PX;}27 / 37STACEYANN CH \R - STACEYANN CH IS A FULL-TIME ARTIST AND HAS BEEN AN “OUT POET AND POLIL ACTIVIST” SCE 1998. HAVG DRAWN ROG CHEERS OM THE NUYORIN POETS' Fé, ONE-WOMAN SHOWS OFF- BROADWAY, POETRY WORKSHOPS DENMARK AND LONDON, AND AS A -WRER AND PERFORMER THE TONY-NOMATED RSELL SIMMONS DEF POETRY JAM, CH CREDS THE LONG LIST OF "THGS SHE HAS DONE" TO HER GRANDMOTHER'S HARD-WORKG HISTORY AND THE PA OF HER MOTHER'S ABSENCE.\R(PHOTO: ROBERT PTS /LANDOV){WIDTH:1216PX;HEIGHT:1661PX;}28 / 37JASMYNE CANNICK - AWARD-WNG JOURNALIST JASMYNE CANNICK IS KNOWN FOR ADDRSG THE ISSU THAT OTHERS N'T OR SIMPLY WON'T. SHE IS A CRIC AND MENTATOR BASED LOS ANGEL WHO ADDRS THE TERSECTN OF RACE, CLASS, RELIGN AND GENR THE AIN-AMERIN MUNY AS PLAYED OUT TODAY'S POP CULTURE AND POLICS. SHE WAS SELECTED AS ONE OF ESSENCE MAGAZE'S 25 WOMEN SHAPG THE WORLD.\R \R(PHOTO: COURTY OF JASMYNE CANNICK){WIDTH:2191PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}29 / 37GORDON CHAMBERS \R - CHAMBERS IS A SOUL MIC VETERAN, BUT IS PRCIPALLY KNOWN AS A SONGWRER. OVER THE PAST DOZEN YEARS THE JAMAIN-BORN CHAMBERS HAS PENNED TUN FOR A VIRTUAL WHO'S WHO OF MORN URBAN ADULT NTEMPORARY SGERS, CLUDG WHNEY HOTON, HEATHER HEADLEY, CARL THOMAS, STEPHANIE MILLS, GLADYS KNIGHT, GERALD LEVERT AND PHYLLIS HYMAN. HE ALSO EARNED A SONGWRG GRAMMY AWARD 1995 FOR ANA BAKER'S "I APOLOGIZE."\R(PHOTO: FRANK MICELOTTA/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:1995PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}30 / 37KEH BOYK \R - KEH BOYK IS THE EDOR OF HE IS A NEW YORK TIM BT-SELLG THOR OF THREE BOOKS, A POLIL MENTATOR FOR AND A EQUENT GUT ON CNN.\R(PHOTO: ROB LOUD/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:1944PX;HEIGHT:2896PX;}31 / 37KEV AVIANCE - NEW YORK FEMALE IMPERSONATOR, SIGNER AND DANCE MICIAN KEV AVIANCE IS POPULAR THE NEW YORK CY GAY SCENE. HE IS A MEMBER OF THE GAY PERFORMERS' GROUP HOE OF AVIANCE.\R\R\RNEW YORK FEMALE IMPERSONATOR, SIGNER AND DANCE MICIAN KEV AVIANCE IS POPULAR THE NEW YORK CY GAY SCENE. HE IS A MEMBER OF THE GAY PERFORMERS' GROUP HOE OF AVIANCE.\R\R \R(PHOTO: DOUG MZLER){WIDTH:1993PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}32 / 37JOHN AMAECHI - IN 2007, JOHN AMAECHI BEME THE FIRST NBA PLAYER TO E OUT OF THE CLOSET, MAKG THE REVELATN HIS MEMOIR, MAN THE MIDDLE. HE HAD RETIRED OM PROFSNAL BASKETBALL 2003.\R\R(PHOTO: MICHAEL GERMANA / SSI PHOTO){WIDTH:400PX;HEIGHT:266PX;}33 / 37DAGMAWI WOUBSHET - DAGMAWI WOUBSHET IS AN ASSISTANT PROFSOR OF ENGLISH AT CORNELL UNIVERSY, WHERE HE TEACH URS ON AIN-AMERIN AND PARATIVE AIN DIASPORA LERATURE AND CULTURE. HE RECIEVED HIS PHD OM HARVARD UNIVERSY 2007 AND HIS BA 1998 OM DE UNIVERSY. HIS SCHOLARLY TERTS CLU: CRIL RACE AND SEXUALY STUDI, NTEMPORARY BLACK VISUAL CULTURE, TRANSLATN AND VERNACULAR ETHPIAN POETICS.\R(PHOTO: CORNELL UNIVERSY){WIDTH:410PX;HEIGHT:478PX;}34 / 37STANLEY BENT CLAY\R - STANLEY BENT CLAY IS AN THOR, FILMMAKER AND ACTOR. HE HAS WRTEN THREE NOVELS: DIVA, IN SEARCH OF PRETTY YOUNG BLACK MEN AND LOOKER. A SELF-SCRIBED “FANATIL LOS ANGEL TYPE OF PERSON,” CLAY WR STORI ABOUT THE BLACK GAY SCENE ON THE WT COAST. HE’S ALSO WON THREE NAACP IMAGE AWARDS FOR WRG, DIRECTG AND PRODUCG THE FILM RUAL.\R(PHOTO: ){WIDTH:450PX;HEIGHT:300PX;}35 / 37LAWRENCE WEBB\R - WEBB IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AIN-AMERIN ELECTED THE STATE OF VIRGIA. LAWRENCE WAS ELECTED TO THE FALLS CHURCH CY COUNCIL 2008 AFTER HIS FIRST N FOR POLIL OFFICE.\R(PHOTO: VOTE FALLS CHURCH){LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}PHOTO BY {LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}{LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}PHOTO: VOTE FALLS {WIDTH:2103PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}36 / 37DOUG SPEARMAN \R - SPEARMAN'S REER AS AN ACTOR CLUS WORK ON TV SHOWS STAR TREK VOYAGER, THE DREW CAREY SHOW, THE HUGHLEYS, CHARMED AND GIRLIENDS. SPEARMAN ALSO APPEARED ON THE LOGO H SHOW NOAH'S ARC, WHICH HE PLAYED CHANCE COUNTER, AN OUT BLACK GAY LLEGE PROFSOR.\R \R(PHOTO: JOHN M. HELLER/GETTY IMAG FOR LOGO FEATUR)
He has worked tirelsly for equal rights for Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr and Intersex (LGBTI) people the East Ain untry. Anthony Woods - Woods, a Wt Pot graduate, led two bat uns Iraq and received a Master’s gree Public Policy om Harvard Universy’s Kennedy School of Government before beg discharged for g out as gay. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Imag)6 / 37Wanda Syk - Syk ed her anger and disappotment California's Proposn 8, which banned gay marriage there, as an opportuny to e out.
"I am proud to be gay! " Wanda clared at a gay rally Las Vegas 2008. \r(Photo: Angela Weiss/Getty Imag)7 / 37Jass Stewart - \rJass Stewart is the first-ever mory or openly-gay person to be elected to serve on Massachetts' Brockton Cy Council.
Reev ma history on a lol and natnal level, beg Cambridge's first Ain-Amerin mayor and the natn's first openly gay, Black mayor. \r\r(Photo: REUTERS/Lus Jackson /Landov)12 / 37Ken Reev - Reev is the first openly gay Ain-Amerin man to have served as mayor of any cy the Uned Stat.
FELICIA PEARSON MARRIED, GIRLIEND, GAY, NET WORTH
(Photo: Ron Schltler)13 / 37Patrik Ian-Polk - Patrik-Ian Polk is the creator, producer and lead wrer of the acclaimed former Logo TV seri “Noah’s Arc, ” which was often scribed as “Sex and the Cy” wh gay characters. He is also the director behd the groundbreakg 2001 Black gay feature film Punks.
25 LGBTQ+ CELEBS WHO LIVE OUT AND {MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}LIL NAS X, JANELLE MONAE, ALEXANDRA SHIPP AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;OVERFLOW-X:HIDN;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;BOX-SHADOW:0 4PX 8PX 0 RGBA(0,0,0,0.08);MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:NTA;}{WIDTH:1600PX;HEIGHT:900PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:18PX 24PX;DISPLAY:GRID;GRID-GAP:18PX;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{LOR:#0A0A0A;}{FONT:NORMAL 700 2.0REM/1.25 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;}1 / {LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}JUNE MARKS LGBTQ+ PRI MONTH AND HONOR OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUT AND PROUD, WE SALUTE THOSE LIVG THEIR THENTIC LIV. {LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}PHOTO BY {LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;}{LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;}(PHOTOS OM LEFT: BRYAN BEDR/VARIETY VIA GETTY IMAG, ARTURO HOLM/GETTY IMAG, AXELLE/BER-GRIFF/FILMMAGIC){WIDTH:2739PX;HEIGHT:4088PX;}2 / 26LIL NAS X MA HISTORY AS A BLACK AND GAY ARTIST HIP-HOP. AFTER G OUT ON JUNE 30, 2019, HE SPIRED OTHERS BY BEG UNAPOLOGETIC AND FEARLS. (PHOTO BY EMMA MCINTYRE/GETTY IMAG FOR IHEARTMEDIA)
"\r(Photo: MCT/HO /Landov)16 / 37Ron On - On is an openly gay polician. In the vio for "Gay Bash, " the out MC lls out those who hated her iend Kev enough to kill him, when they didn't even know him.
Lynn Harris was an openly gay thor, most known for his pictns of Ain-Amerin men on the down low or the closet. The seri is creded wh lnchg the Aocentric, gay, hip hop love genre.