In June, two LGBTQ events colored the most important avenues of both Brazilian city of São Paulo and North American city of New York. These events are not only a great opportunity for the ones who are part of this community to celebrate and embrace who they are, but also is a reminder to the fact that we still have a hard work to do in order to make the world a better place for everyone, including the ones who are part of a minority.
Thinking about that, me, as a straight girl, decided to do a list in which I mention some influential people who opened my eyes, or helped me to understand the importance of this cause.
Ladies (and maybe gentlemen), please welcome 6 personalities who, somehow, support the LGBTQ cause through their work, declarations or even for being themselves.
#1 Manvendra Singh Gohil
Image Source: Instagram/@manvendrasinghgohil
The first openly gay prince in the world is a 52 year-old Indian whose name is Manvendra Singh Gohil. He discovered his sexuality at the age of 13, when he fell attracted by a 12 year-old boy who was responsible for taking care of him. However, he did not want to recognize his own feelings and ended up being part of a heterosexual marriage, which lasted over a year.
After having publicly assumed his sexuality, Gohil’s father threatened to disinherit him and his mother published an ad in the newspapers in which she declared that she would sue all who would say the prince was her son. In 2000, he and the first Indian activist of the LGBTQ cause founded the Lakshya Trust, the first prevention organization against AIDS among Bombaim’s gay community.
#2 Elton John
Image Source: Instagram/@eltonjohn
“There’s nothing wrong with going to bed with somebody of your own sex”. This speech was uttered by the voice of “Your Song” during an interview to Rolling Stones in 1976, in which Elton John admitted to be bissexual after a lot of speculations. Twelve years later, he admitted being gay.
On 21 December 2005, he and David Furnish, who started a relationship in 1993, were among the first couples in the United Kingdom to form a civil partnership. On December 21 December 2014, they got married in Berkshire after gay marriage became legal. In 1992, Elton John founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation to raise funds for HIV/AIDS prevention, for the elimination of prejudice and discrimination against HIV/AIDS-affected individuals, and to provide services for people living with or at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.
#3 Christian Chávez
Image Source: Instagram/@christianchavezreal
The mexican singer, songwriter and actor, best known for his role as Giovanni in the soap opera Rebelde, had personals photos of him and his ex-husband while exchanging rings exposed by the press in March of 2007. This episode forced him to admit his truly sexuality through a message posted on the official page of Rebelde.
Differently from what he thought, he received a lot of support from the media and the public and, since then, he has been involved in philanthropic projects. In 2009, he started to contribute with campaigns against homophobia and AIDS prevention. In 2015, he was recognized as a humanitarian inspiration by the Senate of California.
#4 Ellen Page
Image Source: Instagram/@ellenpage
Ellen Page is a Canadian actress, executive producer and director who gained popularity due to her roles in movies like Juno, X-Men: The Last stand and X-Men: Days of Future Past. Besides her brilliant career, she is well known because of her activism in the LGBT cause.
In 2014, she came out as gay during a speech at the Human Rights Campaign’s Time to Thrive conference in Las Vegas. In 2015 she started the production of a television documentary called Gaycation, in which she shows the LGBTQ cultures around the world. In this production she also approaches the political perspectives in the LGBTQ scenario.
#5 Miley Cyrus
Image Source:Instagram/@eltonjohn
The North American singer, actress and composer is recognized for being an active person when it comes to social causes. In 2015 she defined herself as a panssexual individual, which means she can fell attracted by any type of person, regardless the gender or the sexuality. In the same year, Miley inaugurated the Happy Hippie Foundation, that focus in supporting the young people from LGBTQ communities, homeless and other vulnerable classes who urgently need US support. In order to disclose the institution, she released a music video of the song Different, with the band Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.
#6 Cher
Image Source:Instagram/@cher
The goddess of pop, Cher is a singer, actress and a philanthropic person who has been in the industry for 50 years (she is 72). In the beginning of her career she was part of a folk music duo and now she is currently doing a comeback in the sequence of Mamma Mia.
Her work as an activist has always been intense and she never denied her position against the Republicans. Since 1990, she has served as a donor, national president and honorary spokeswoman for the Children’s Craniofacial Association, an association that aims to empower and give hope to facially disfigured children and their families. In addition, she supports health research to improve the quality of life of patients and the defense of veterans’ military rights. Her activism in the LGBTQ cause is through her artistic performances and also through her personal life, considering that she has a transsexual son, whom she loves and is very proud of.
Live the LBTQ pride!