Why is it that, whenever a celebrity comes out of the closet, or there are rumours a certain celebrity might be gay, the media is all over it? I admit, we join in a bit, but not as often as so many of those gossip mags out there! I mean, some of us don’t really give two hoots about which female celeb is drinking from the furry cup, or which male actor is doing a bit of bedroom pole dancing … but for some of us, it makes us feel good to know that a person we admire, look up to, and possibly idolize, is in the same boat as us!

I mean, for instance, there are rumours about Zac Efron, Wentworth Miller, and various other celebrities out there, but I thought I’d let you know who has confirmed that they’re a “not-so-straight individual”. While reading this, PLEASE keep in mind that this could mean they are gay/lesbian, bisexual, label-free, or are simply open to the idea that it could happen.

To start off with, music has always been a bit of a “breeding ground” for gay icons, with our idols being Cher, Kylie, Madonna, etc. We also have a lot of singers and musicians who are well-known to be not-so-straight, such as Missy Higgins, Lance Bass, Katie Underwood, Mark Feehily, and Anthony Callea, but there are also singers from the past who you may not realise were on par with us, such as Joan Baez, Johnny Mathis, Lesley Gore (just remember, it’s HER party, and she’ll cry if she wants to), and many others.

Then there’s the television industry. How could we go on in our lives without knowing that we have something in common with those we spend an hour or so with each week? People like Matt Lucas (Little Britain), John Barrowman (Doctor Who and Torchwood), Amanda Bearse (Married … With Children), Portia de Rossi, Cynthia Nixon, The Fab 5, and half of the cast from QAF. But what about those unsung queeroes on the silver screen? With names from the past like Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser M.D.), Danny Pintauro (Who’s The Boss?), Sara Gilbert (Roseanne), John Glover (Scrubs), George Takei (Star Trek), and B.D. Wong (Law & Order: SVU).

On the other side of the acting table, there’s MANY stars from the movies who have come out of the celluloid closet in one way or another:- stars like Alexis Arquette (brother to David and Patricia Arquette), Drew Barrymore, Simon Callow, Graham Chapman, Alan Cumming (who has his own fragrance, simply called “Cumming”), Rupert Everett, Harvey Fierstein, Jodie Foster, Anne Heche, and the campest of all screen queens, Nathan Lane. Again, however, there are some who you may not have realised were NSSI’s, such as Heather Mazaratto, Kristanna Loken … ok, maybe some are predictable, but that’s not the point.

I have to admit, however, that one of my favourite coming-out stories was from one of the world’s best actors: Sir Ian McKellan. During a radio interview, the DJ was talking about Section 28, which made “the public promotion of homosexuality” illegal. During an on-air rant, the DJ was constantly referring to gay people as “them”, and after a while, Sir Ian stood up and announced “I AM one of ‘them’”. Trust a Shakespearean actor to make his coming-out so dramatic!

So, anyhow, back to other NSS Celebs. How many of you have heard of a horror author called Clive Barker? Do you all remember a well-endowed Brit from the 80’s called Samantha Fox? How about movie directors Joel Schumacher, Bryan Singer, and Gus Van Sant? And sports stars Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, and Ian Roberts? Did you know that they’re all gay? Well, now you do!

So, as you can see, we’re certainly not alone in this world. So if you’re new to the gay world, or are starting to realise you have certain affections for your own sex, don’t feel alone. Not only is there a good chance many people you know are the same, but many others are making it BIG in the world of fame!

Tags: Alan Cumming, Alexis Arquette, anne heche, celebrities, gay, Jodie Foster, lesbian, Rupert Everett, sir Ian McKellan, wentworth miller