List of gay, lesbian or bisexual people

Encyclopedia : L : LI : LIS : List of gay, lesbian or bisexual people

This is a partial list of confirmed and debated famous people who were or are gay, lesbian or bisexual.

The historical concept and definition of sexual orientation varies and has changed greatly over time, for example the word "gay" wasn't used to describe sexual orientation until the mid 20th century. See homosexuality and bisexuality for various criteria that have been used to denote lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people.

Contents

1 Controversy
2 Persons of confirmed lesbian, gay or bisexual orientation
3 Persons no longer identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual
4 See also
5 External links
6 Sources

Controversy

The sexual orientation of famous individuals is often the subject of rumor and reports in the tabloid press. For example, the actor Tom Cruise has been such a case and has pursued libel suits on three occasions. In 1998, he successfully sued a British tabloid that alleged that his marriage to Nicole Kidman was a sham designed to cover up his homosexuality. In another suit, he obtained a default judgment against a gay porn actor (Chad Slater, aka "Kyle Bradford") who had given an interview to a tabloid newspaper in which he claimed he had a sexual relationship with Tom Cruise, and he sued Michael Davis, a magazine publisher, who alleged that he had photographs that would prove Tom Cruise was homosexual: this suit was dropped in exchange for a public statement by Davis that Tom Cruise was heterosexual.

Some gay rights groups have on occasion campaigned by outing - publicising the homosexuality of well-known people. In 1994 the British group OutRage! revealed the names of 10 Church of England bishops whom it invited to "tell the truth". Such a policy has been the subject of some controversy because of the risk of inaccuracy and potential harm to family relationships. While supporters of outing regard its targets as having, whether by engaging in public deceit or by supporting anti-gay policies, forfeited the right to privacy about their sexual orientation, its opponents contend that this right is fundamental.

Persons of confirmed lesbian, gay or bisexual orientation

The following list includes people who have self-identified as homosexual or bisexual, or whose homosexuality or bisexuality has been backed by sources that are usually considered reliable.

Persons no longer identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual

The following list includes people who at one point identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual but no longer do.

List of gay, lesbian or bisexual people/No longer identified

External links

[Rob's A-Z of famous gay, lesbian and bisexual people]
[Youth First Texas - Famous Gay, Lesbian, and Transgendered People]
[FemBio - Notable Women International includes biographies of lesbians and a search function]
[About Gay Movies] Everything you always wanted to know about gay themed movies & TV series

Sources

Aldrich, Robert and Wotherspoon, Gary (Eds.) (2001). Who's Who in Contemporary Gay & Lesbian History: From World War II to the Present Day. New York: Routledge. ISBN 041522974X.