All the LGBTQ+ Celebrities Who Have Come Out in 2024, From Sophia Bush to Amber Ruffin

Coming out is always in style. There’s no wrong time to tell the world who you are — and the celebrities who came out in 2024 are proof. From Survivor to One Tree Hill, a wave of television actors have opened up about being LGBTQ+ for the first time this year. Meanwhile, Mean Girls star Reneé Rapp and Drag Race queens like Amanda Tori Meating have reminded us that coming out can happen more than once; sometimes you find a new label that fits even better than the one you were using before. Thankfully, coming out is growing not just more common, but more casual, too. These days, people in the public eye are often already out to their friends and loved ones, which can make their eventual disclosures seem less earth-shattering than they used to be. Over the past several months, celebrities have come out in low-key Instagram posts and quick remarks to reporters on the red carpet — but that doesn’t lessen the impact these moments can have.

By now, we have decades of proof that coming out matters. Often, it’s the people closest to us who shape us the most, but celebrities have a palpable impact, too: the people we collectively watch, listen to, and talk about can serve as possibility models, helping us find the words to describe our own lived experience. Plus, as Parvati Shallow proved for me this year, sometimes we just get to enjoy the simple pleasure of welcoming a longtime fave to the team. Some of the most interesting, entertaining, and talented people in the world are queer, and our numbers grow every year. Consider this a running list of every celebrity who has come out as LGBTQ+ in 2024; it’ll be a genuine pleasure to see how long this tally can get by December.

Erika Casupanan

If you want to be nitpicky, Survivor season 41 winner Erika Casupanan came out in 2023, but because she did it in a New Year’s Eve post, the news didn’t properly spread until 2024. In an Instagram video referencing an old social media trend, Casupanan wrote, “Throwback to last New Year’s Eve when I tried to do the ‘eat grapes while sitting under a table at midnight and you’ll get a boyfriend by the end of the year’ trend, but I didn’t have grapes so I chugged wine and instead that year realized I’m a lesbian. Close enough, right?” The announcement officially made Casupanan, now a public speaker and podcast host, the first lesbian in history to have won the reality competition show, after already having set a precedent as the first Filipino winner.

Parvati Shallow

Legendary Survivor player and Traitors star Parvati Shallow similarly came out with seconds left on the clock in 2023, launching her relationship with comedian Mae Martin in an Instagram post coupled with a playful caption: “We’re here. We’re queer. Happy new year.” Shallow has gone on to draw attention for her headband-heavy fashion on the second season of the American edition of The Traitors. In February, she told Them she would love to host a queer dating show that would give fellow divorcées the opportunity to explore their sexuality. “I am in a new phase of exploration and seeing what works and how to build my life without the conditions of the past,” she shared. “And a lot of my friends are in this place, too.” Few things on television are more compelling than watching Shallow play mind games on a Fijian beach, but that show could certainly be one of them!

Amanda Tori Meating

Amanda Tori Meating Comes Out as Trans, Says Drag Race Helped “Crack the Egg”

"I had been considering myself non-binary for four-ish years before Drag Race and was not sure that was exactly my tea," Meating told the EW podcast Quick Drag.

Only three things in life are constant: death, taxes, and Drag Race queens coming out as trans. Amanda Tori Meating continued the celebrated trend in January, telling Entertainment Weekly’s Quick Drag podcast that the show “cracked the egg” — a popular phrase that trans people use to describe the realization of their identities. “Post-Drag Race, it was kind of jarring… going back to being called my government name again, and he/him,” Meating shared. “I was just like, ‘Oh, no. This is very much not correct for me.’” She joins a proud pantheon of trans Drag Race stars, including Bosco, Gigi Goode, Gottmik, Kornbread, and many more.

Madame LaQueer

Drag Race season 4 contestant Madame LaQueer also came out as trans in January, telling Entertainment Weekly that she was “ecstatic” to make the announcement. “It’s never too late to come out and live your true experience and be yourself and be authentic,” the 42-year old performer told EW. “There’s nothing like feeling loved in your own skin.” Madame revealed another particularly affecting detail in the interview: She was on the verge of coming out to Kylie Sonique Love in 2012, but “brushed it off and moved on, because I wasn’t ready to face that,” Madame shared, noting that her fellow trans queen “clocked it” anyway. We’re just glad she finally feels ready to publicly pursue her truth.

Morphine Love Dion

Drag Race season 16 star Morphine Love Dion casually casually referenced their nonbinary identity on X in January, responding to being tagged in a post saying that “men get BBLs too” — a reference to a lyric in a Megan Thee Stallion diss track allegedly aimed at Drake. “hiii I love yall sm but pls stop tagging me in this yall know im a they/them/her righttt and if u didn’t know now u know,” Morphine wrote. Reached by Out magazine, Morphine clarified, “I’m nonbinary, more to the femme side. It’s just something I’ve personally been more comfortable identifying as for years now.”

Zoe Lister-Jones

We’re big fans of people coming out in rhyming couplets. After attending the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards with nonbinary director Sammi Cohen in February, Zoe Lister-Jones told The Hollywood Reporter, “I’m here, I’m queer, I have some fear but I’m working through it.” Lister-Jones, known for her role on the CBS sitcom Life in Pieces and her work as an independent filmmaker, was previously in an open marriage with her creative partner Daryl Wein; the couple split in 2021. Lister-Jones and Cohen stepped out again for an Elton John AIDS Foundation fundraiser in March. In a sweet Instagram post, Lister-Jones called Cohen “the best date ever.”

Colin Grafton

Figure skater and Dancing on Ice star Colin Grafton came out as gay in a February interview with PinkNews, telling the LGBTQ+ publication, “It’s been a long journey but now I am proud of myself and I’m proud of my sexual orientation and I want to let other people know that they should be proud of themselves, too.” On series 15 of Dancing on Ice, which pairs professional figure skaters with celebrity contestants, Grafton mentored Drag Race U.K. winner The Vivienne, ultimately finishing third. “Being a part of that representation, being a part of that team, it was just wonderful,” Grafton told PinkNews. “The support we got from everyone was just fantastic.”

F1NN5TER

British Twitch streamer and Minecraft competitor F1NN5TER, long known for portraying the e-girl character Rose, came out in a YouTube video in early March, sharing that they have begun hormone therapy and specifying, “I think the label that suits me best is genderfluid.” In an update about pronouns inserted into the video, F1NN5TER shared, “I still prefer he/him, but who knows? They might change and that’s kind of half the fun anyway.” (Subtitles at the bottom, however, clarify that the streamer is going by “any pronouns” — a preference they recently reiterated in a playful TikTok exploring the uniquely lesbian joys of wearing a backwards baseball hat.)

Reneé Rapp

The heiress to the Regina George crown proved in 2024 that coming-out isn’t always a one-time deal; our identities and our understanding of ourselves can shift over the course of a lifetime. Previously out as bisexual, Reneé Rapp clarified this year that she now understands herself as a lesbian, referring to herself as such across multiple interviews and social media posts. In March, she made her orientation abundantly clear, offering “a huge thank you to every man that helped make me realize that I was a lesbian” at the GLAAD Media Awards and writing on X, “if I say I’m a lesbian I am a lesbian and if someone says they’re bi they are bi I’ve had enough of you witches.”

Sophia Bush

One Tree Hill star Sophia Bush came out as queer in a Glamour cover story this April, opening up about her 2023 divorce from ex-husband Grant Hughes and her relationship with U.S. women’s soccer star Ashlyn Harris. “I think I’ve always known that my sexuality exists on a spectrum,” Bush wrote. “Right now I think the word that best defines it is queer. I can’t say it without smiling, actually. And that feels pretty great.” Bush has since pushed back against allegations that she played the role of “homewrecker” in Harris’ previous marriage to fellow soccer player Ali Krieger, saying that she and Harris met in a support group for people experiencing divorce. The new couple made their red-carpet debut at the White House Correspondents’ dinner in late April wearing matching black looks.

Bethany Antonia

The precipitating incident for Bethany Antonia’s coming out was horrific. The House of the Dragon actress received a hateful direct message containing a racist slur that insulted her appearance and openly wished for her death. Her response, however, was pitch perfect. In April, as PinkNews reported, Antonia put a screenshot of the bigoted message on display, writing, “Wait till they find out I’m gay too…” Antonia will reprise her role as Lady Baela Targaryen in season 2 of the Game of Thrones prequel, premiering June 16.

Jessica Madsen

We’ve been waiting for the ladies of Bridgerton to develop sapphic feelings, but we’ll take the real-life stars behind the period romance, too! Jessica Madsen, who plays Cressida Cowper on the beloved Netflix series, shared a Pride Month carousel post on Instagram on June 1, writing, “In love with a woman, loud about it and proud about it!” The final slide shows the actress with rainbow-colored appliques on her face wearing a bucket hat that says “Love Supreme.” Last Pride, Madsen posted a series of graphics celebrating bi identity including slides reading “bi af” and “bisexuals are not ‘confused.’” This year’s post was flooded with supportive messages, along with plenty of comments hoping that the show will now make “Creloise” — a couple fans have long “shipped” — into canon. Congratulations to Madsen on kicking off Pride in style!

Jessica Gunning

Baby Reindeer star Jessica Gunning publicly came out in a June podcast interview, during which she recounted the experience of coming out to her family in November 2022. “[I]t wasn’t like I was repressing anything,” the actress said on an episode of Reign With Josh Smith, as E! News reported. “It was just that I didn’t think I could be, and I still can’t articulate it in the best way. But I realized I was a big old gay. I was like, ‘That's what it’s been. That’s what it is.’ And that was a massive moment where everything kind of clicked and I made sense for myself then.” Gunning added that she always “felt a little bit alien,” attributing the feeling solely to her size, before realizing her full identity.

Bulk Bronson

Professional wrestler “Dirty Bulk” Bronson, real name Joe Fitzpatrick, came out on X near the start of Pride Month, posting a selfie alongside a graphic of the bisexual flag. The following day, after receiving a flood of welcoming messages and taking a “55-minute phone call” with his parents, he posted to X again, writing, “I could run through a brick wall right now from how grateful I feel.”

Bronson cited the support and example of his fiancée, fellow wrestler Gabby Forza, who is also queer, and to whom he came out privately near the start of her relationship. “With her never-ending love and acceptance, I honestly didn’t care enough to share with the world. She is my world, so that’s all that matters, right?” Bronson wrote, narrating his prior thought process. “Well, lately I’ve felt different.” Judging from the outpouring of support Bronson has since received, we’re so glad he felt comfortable sharing his truth more widely.

“If me coming out and living my truth helps at least one other person feel more comfortable in their own skin, it makes it all worth it to me,” the wrestler wrote.

Maren Morris

Country Singer Maren Morris Came Out as Bi in an Instagram Post

“Happy to be the B in LGBTQ+,” the singer wrote.

Country singer Maren Morris has long been praised for her LGBTQ+ allyship, raising money for trans charities and speaking out against homophobia. As it turns out, Morris herself is part of the community, too. The Grammy-winning artist casually came out in an Instagram caption this Pride Month, writing “Happy to be the B in the LGBTQ+” below photos from her RSVP Redux Tour.

Morris’ post brought out tons of queer music luminaries, including MUNA, G Flip, Allison Ponthier, and more, all of whom posted messages of support. But perhaps the best comment came from a fan who said they felt “vindicated” by the news: “I KNEW A STRAIGHT PERSON DIDN’T WRITE ‘THE BONES.”

Louisa Jacobson

The Gilded Age actor (and Meryl Streep’s daughter) Louisa Jacobson came out via an Instagram post on June 22, sharing photos of her girlfriend Anna Blundell and writing, “blessed to be entering the Joyful New Era bb ❤️‍🔥🏳️‍🌈” — a reference to the recent New York Times story “We’re Entering a Joyful New Era of Lesbian Fashion.” Jacobson’s coming out was celebrated in the comments section of the post, with an outpouring of support from playwright Jeremy O. Harris, Queer Eye star Tan France, actress Ella Hunt and more.

Amber Ruffin

Sometimes we can spot a queer person a mile away, and that was certainly the case with late-night writer and talk show host Amber Ruffin, who came out in an Instagram post on the last day of Pride Month with a humorous note. “In what will come as a shock to exactly zero people, I’m using the last day of PRIDE to come out!” the Tony nominee wrote in the caption of her carousel post. “Be proud of who you are, little babies! I know I am! And I can’t wait to be discriminated against for a new reason!!” This is especially welcome news for fans of Ruffin’s appearances on the Seth Meyers “Jokes Seth Can’t Tell” segments in which comedians deliver jokes about Black and queer experience that the cis straight white host cannot. Here’s hoping Ruffin — who recently wrote The Wiz revival — can find time in her schedule to make an honorary return appearance to “Jokes Seth Can’t Tell” now that she’s out!

Amethyst

Drag Race Star Amethyst Comes Out as Trans and Shares Her New Out-of-Drag Name

“Every day it gets easier to look in the mirror,” she said on social media.

RuPaul’s Drag Race star Amethyst came out as trans in a social media post in early July, sharing that she had recently started hormone therapy. In a handwritten note celebrating her one-month transition milestone, she wrote, ““Even in this short amount of time, the comparison to how I felt just a few months ago is night and day. It’s a different sense of happiness that is slowly but surely bringing back my self-assurance, and every day it gets easier to look in the mirror.” For now, Amethyst says, she is going by the name Amy out of drag at the suggestion of fellow season 15 contestant Malaysia Babydoll Foxx. Congratulations to Amy on finding the most authentic version of herself!

Ayesha Madon

Heartbreak High star Ayesha Madon came out as bisexual in a July Gay Times cover story, telling the publication, “I’ve actually never spoken about my sexuality before in anything, so this is pretty new.” In response to a question about how the LGBTQ+ community had shaped her life, the actress and singer shared, “I only properly admitted, out loud, that I was bisexual two or three years ago. It feels recent.” Madon went on to describe experiencing feelings of imposter syndrome around her place in the community: “Sometimes I feel like I’m a fake queer person because I’m not massive on queer culture. Sometimes, I feel that liking girls is not enough.” But ultimately, she seems to have arrived at a place of self-acceptance, judging from the Pride month message she shared in the interview: “[T]here is no right or wrong way to be a queer person. That is my pride message.”

Trey Cunningham

Coming out can be a hurdle, but 25-year-old USA track star Trey Cunningham cleared it with ease this July in an interview with the New York Times, revealing that he had been out to friends and family for five years. The announcement makes him one of the highest-profile openly gay competitors in men’s sports at the forthcoming Summer Olympic Games. “There are lots of people who are in this weird space,” he told the Times of the closeting that is still pervasive in professional athletic competition. “They’re not out. But it is kind of understood.” On a lighter note, he told Us Weekly that he doesn’t necessarily see his coming-out as a monumental announcement, although he hopes it will help “push the needle forward.” He joked, “I’m just Trey and apparently it’s a special thing that I like to kiss guys.”

Ralf Schumacher

Former Formula One driver Ralf Schumacher came out in a mid-July Instagram post showing him and his partner watching a sunset from a boat. As Reuters noted, this makes Schumacher — the brother of F1 legend Michael Schumacher — one of only two gay men known to have competed at the highest level of international racing, the other being Mike Beuttler, who died from complications of AIDS in 1988. “The most beautiful thing in life is when you have the right partner by your side with whom you can share everything,” Schumacher wrote in his Instagram post, in a caption translated out of German.

Get the best of what’s queer. Sign up for Them’s weekly newsletter here.