The actors and actresses who have boldly declared their identities to combat social taboos deserve credit for this progress. With LGBTQ+ tales becoming more popular in Hollywood than ever, it's critical to recognize the generation's out-and-proud actors.
Some of these performers have been fighting the good fight for decades, long before it was cool or hip to do so. Some are new to Hollywood, but they are utilizing their platforms to advocate for LGBTQ rights. Learn everything you can about them right now.
These actors have faced public humiliation, ostracism, and the possibility of losing their careers, but they have accepted the truth about themselves.
#1 Linda Hunt
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Linda Hunt and her partner, Karen Klein, have been married since 2008. She was nominated for an Oscar in 1982 for her performance as photojournalist Billy Kwan in The Year of Living Dangerously.#2 Meredith Baxter
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Meredith Baxter revealed her sexual orientation in 2009. She married her longtime girlfriend, Nancy Locke, four years later. Baxter's three previous marriages were with men.#3 Sandra Bernhard
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Bernhard is bisexual and an outspoken advocate for LGBT rights. She gave birth to a daughter on July 4, 1998, whom she raised with her long-term partner, Sara Switzer.#4 Rosie O'Donnell
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During a stand-up performance at Caroline's on Broadway in 2002, Rosie O'Donnell revealed that she was gay. She was married twice, once to Kelli Carpenter (2004) and once to Michelle Rounds (2012-2015).#5 Cherry Jones
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For many years, Cherry Jones has been upfront about her sexuality. Though she believes she does not need to marry, she respects the rights of every civil marriage in America.#6 Cameron Esposito
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Cameron Esposito, an actress, and comedian was married to Rhea Butcher from 2015 to 2018. They co-starred in the Seeso show Take My Wife.#7 Kelly McGillis
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Kelly McGillis came out as a lesbian in an interview in 2009.#8 Tig Notaro
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Tig Notaro, a comedian, has never publicly said that she is lesbian, but she did discuss her breakup with her long-term girlfriend in 2012. Since 2015, she has been married to Stephanie Allynne, with whom she has twin boys.#9 Lily Tomlin
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In a 2015 interview, Lily Tomlin stated that, while she wasn't completely transparent, everyone in the industry knew she was gay.#10 Amandla Stenberg
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Amandla Stenberg has been a vocal champion for the LGBTQ community since her breakthrough performance in The Hunger Games. Stenberg has previously stated in interviews that they identify as non-binary, bisexual, and pansexual, but on June 17, 2018, they revealed via Instagram that they are "OUT & PROUD."#11 Ellen DeGeneres
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Ellen DeGeneres revealed her sexual orientation to Time magazine in 1997, and she has been married to fellow actress Portia de Rossi since 2008.#12 Wanda Sykes
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Wanda Sykes came out as gay at an LGBT rights protest in 2008. She also revealed that she and her husband, Alex, had recently married. Sykes was previously married for seven years to Dave Hall.#13 Jane Lynch
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Jane Lynch never gave a huge coming out speech, but she has publicly discussed her sexuality on numerous occasions.#14 Raven-Symoné
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Raven-Symoné tweeted in 2013 that she could finally marry after the Supreme Court declared that the prohibition on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. During an Oprah interview, she confirmed that she is a lesbian.#15 Portia de Rossi
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When Arrested Development was nominated for a Golden Globe, Portia de Rossi came out publicly for the first time. Ellen has been her wife since 2008.#16 Jodie Foster
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Jodie Foster made her sexual orientation public during a statement at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards.#17 Kate McKinnon
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Kate McKinnon revealed that she first came out to her mum while watching television. When she saw Gillian Anderson in The X-Files, she realized she was gay.#18 Sarah Paulson
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Sarah Paulson claimed she was accidentally outed at the 2005 Tony Awards when her then-girlfriend, Cherry Jones, stepped up to accept an award. Her girlfriend had just won a Tony Award, and she kissed her afterward.#19 Cara Delevingne
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Cara Delevingne, a model and actress, has not made an official coming out declaration, but she did a post on National Coming Out Day in 2014, saying "better late than never."#20 Traci Dinwiddie
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Traci Dinwiddie frequently walks the red carpet with her girlfriend.