POTUS says, “I wrestle with and think about because I have a whole host of friends who are in gay partnerships. I have staff members who are in committed, monogamous relationships, who are raising children, who are wonderful parents. And I care about them deeply. And so, while I’m not prepared to reverse myself here, I think it’s fair to say that it’s something that I think a lot about.”
2. Beyoncé
When speaking to PrideSource, Beyoncé praised her many gay fans, “If anyone is brave and true to themselves, it’s my gay fans. The amount of confidence and fearlessness it takes to do what maybe is not what your parents expect you to do or what society may think is different – to be brave and be different and to be yourself – is just so beautiful.”
3. Lil’ Kim
The femcee has always been a strong advocate of gay rights, and she really put her money where her mouth is in 2011 when she elected to miss the BET Awards in Los Angeles to attend the annual Gay Pride parade in New York City right after same-sex marriage was legalized.
4. Mariah Carey
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In May 2016, the diva icon received an award from GLAAD as an “ally” of the LGBT agenda. Carey responded by calling it “more real” than any of the awards she was won in her illustrious career.
5. Brandy
When interviewed by Chicago Go Pride, Brandy spoke in support of gay marriage: “ I just know that love is free, and anybody can feel it, whether it be with someone of the same sex or the opposite sex.” When asked what she would do if she had a child who was gay, she responded, “I would just be there for them with whatever they need from me, whenever they need it.”
6. Childish Gambino
The rapper and actor has been an ally of the LGBT community since he gained fame. In his short film, Clapping for the Wrong Reasons, his character says, “Let me tell the story of how one time I kissed a boy. Am I gay? I don’t know, maybe. But the maybe is what’s really connecting us.”
7. Common
Earlier in his career, Common was approached by gay fans asking why he spoke negatively about the gay community in his songs. This changed his approach to his music, explaining, “They was like, ‘Why you keep disrespecting homosexuality?’ I thought about it. I ain’t here to judge ’em, so I just decided not to approach it like that.”
8. Fat Joe
Fat Joe went as far as to say, “Gays run hip-hop,” and encouraged rappers to come out of the closet. ““Keep it real [and say] ‘I’m gay.’ What the f***? That’s your preference. F*** it if the people don’t like it… If you’re gay, rep your set.”
9. Kanye West
Early on in his career, some questioned West’s own sexuality, but instead of denying claims, he questioned why it even matters at all, saying, “Not just hip-hop, but America just discriminates. I wanna just, to come on TV and just tell my rappers, just tell my friends, ‘Yo, stop it.’”
10. T-Pain
In an interview with VLAD TV, the singer went on a six-minute rant about homophobia, calling it “terrible” and saying that he chooses not to “f*** with” people who shun people because of their sexual orientation.
11. Nicki Minaj
In 2011, the rapper offered her support, saying to people who deal with thoughts of suicide: “I would encourage my gay fans to be fighters and to be brave. People face difficulties, no matter who you are. I faced difficulties with a lot of things. I face opposition every day, but I didn’t kill myself and now, thank God, I’m here. So I want my life to be a testimony to my fans and my gay fans.”
12. Kendrick Lamar
The Los Angeles rapper expressed his support of gay marriage in no uncertain terms. “I don’t give a f–k about people doing what they gotta do. That’s your lifestyle, you dig what I’m saying?” he said. “People gonna be they own individuals and have they own worlds and I can’t knock it.”
13. Lil’ B
His most famous work of music, the album “I’m Gay,” was an olive branch to the LGBT community, calling out the hip-hop community and industry for the rampant homophobia that has existed for decades.
14. A$AP Rocky
When speaking to Interview magazine, Rocky said, “One big issue in hip-hop is the gay thing. It’s 2013, and it’s a shame that, to this day, that topic still gets people all excited. It’s crazy. And it makes me upset that this topic even matters when it comes to hip-hop.” Adding, “I treat everybody equal, and so I want to be sure that my listeners and my followers do the same if they’re gonna represent me.”
15. Russell Simmons
In an interview with Robert Wolf, the mogul spoke out against homophobia, and bigotry in general. “You still have the mirrors of our societal sickness: the homophobia, the sexism, the racism, the gangsta stuff,” he said. “You still have all that, but that’s important because they’re not as homophobic as their parents.”
16. Mary J. Blige
When asked about a performance at a gay club, the songstress said, “I love it. I just love my brothers and I love my sisters. I love them all. We’re all in this together. And I have gay friends. It’s a beautiful thing to be able to heal together the way we’ve been healing over the years.”
17. Whoopi Goldberg
The actress and show host thanked the gay community for her success, saying, “You know, no one was trying to claim me, nobody wanted me. Black folks didn’t want me. Nobody wanted me. But I’ve always been claimed by the gay community. Always.”
18. Shonda Rhimes
The TV powerhouse made news when she made this statement. “I just got asked ‘WHY ALL THE GAYS ON MY TV SHOWS?’ Okay, here’s my answer: Because I believe everyone should get to see themselves reflected on TV. EVERYONE,” she said. “And because I love all my gay and lesbian friends. AND because I think same-sex marriage is the civil rights fight of our era.”
19. Kerry Washington
When honored at the 2015 Vanguard Award, the “Scandal” actress said, “We need more LGBT characters and more LGBT storytelling. We need more diverse LGBT representation, and by that I mean lots of different kinds of LGBT people living all different kinds of lives…We have to continue to be bold and break new ground until that is just how it is, until we are no longer ‘first’ and ‘exceptions’ and ‘rare’ and ‘unique.’”
20. Janet Jackson
Miss Jackson has a hard time trying to figure out why someone would have an issue with same-sex marriage, saying, “It’s two people that are in love with one another. What’s the issue?”
21. Gabourey Sidibe
When asked about her role in the film “Life Partners,” the actress said, “ just really wanted to play a lesbian, which I guess is sort of nerdy. My best friend in the entire world is a lesbian and I just thought it would be fun.”
22. Taraji P. Henson
When asked about the homophobia plotline within “Empire,” Henson had words of wisdom. “We ignore that. That’s nonsense and that’s fear, so we understand where that’s coming from,” she said. “The numbers speak for themselves. People are dealing with this, it’s not a joke, that’s why it’s in the script.”
23. Rihanna
The pop star is a staunch supporter of LGBT rights, She joined the campaign seeking gay rights in Russia before the Sochi Olympics, and spoke directly to fans in Indiana about the state’s attempt to pass anti-LGBT laws. “I wanna hear you say, ‘F*** that s***.’ ‘Cause we’re just living our mother***ing lives. Indiana!”
24. Jay Z
When speaking on Obama’s decision to legalize gay marriage in the United States, the rapper shared fantastic insight, “It’s no different than discriminating against blacks. It’s discrimination plain and simple…I think [announcing support of gay marriage is] the right thing to do, so whether it costs [Obama] votes or not, again, it’s not about votes. It’s about people. It’s the right thing to do as a human being.”
25. Tyra Banks
The fashion icon has long worked to help the LGBT cause, using her show “America’s Next Top Model” as a platform to put gay, lesbian, and trans people in incredibly positive lights.
26. Kevin Hart
Comedian Kevin Hart believes that love is love, saying, “If everybody else is for it, I’m for it. I’m all about being happy. Whatever makes your boat float … I’m on your side!”
27. Michelle Obama
FLOTUS Michelle Obama is a firm believer in fairness, saying, “For Barack and me it really comes down to the values of fairness and equality that we want to pass down to our girls. I mean, these are basic values that kids learn at a very young age and that we encourage them to apply in all areas of their lives.”
28. Jennifer Hudson
The singer and actress has long been a friend to the gay community. She is a campaign ambassador for the “Turn It Up For Change” campaign, which advocates LGBT rights, and her recent music video, “I Still Love You,” tells the story of a father’s last-minute decision to attend his gay son’s wedding.
29. Jennifer Lopez
Lopez has long been a supporter of marriage equality. “When it comes to gay marriage, I just believe in love,” she said. “I believe that when two people find each other and love each other, they should be able to spend their lives together with all the same benefits and privileges as everyone.”
30. 50 Cent
50 has been open for years about his support of same-sex marriages. He once stated, “Obama is for same-sex marriage. If the president is saying that, then who am I to go the other way?”
