4 Most Surprising Famous People That Came Out as LGBTQ+

We’re here, and we’re queer!

It’s a sentence that we embody once we’ve known ourselves that we’re part of something we thought as wrong, and abnormal. Usually it starts when we have our first crush, or unusual attraction to someone, or get this: watching a film that attracted us to the same sex.

This is even if we were encapsulated by the heteronormative narrative of the society we’re in.

But, there are some people that might surprise you that they came out later in life, when they thought they were established and notable even!

It’s a surprising journey that we all experience uniquely.

Either way, whatever your timeline is, you are loved and accepted by us!

Here are the 4 most surprising famous people that came out as LGBTQIA+!

4. Elton John

One of the most famous rock and roll singer and the Rocketman himself, Sir Elton John, is one of the earliest in the music industry that came out in the limelight.

As he stated in 1976:

“I’ve been waiting for people to ask me this. It’s not exactly a secret.

I live with my manager. I’m openly gay outside. I don’t have a girlfriend. And nobody’s ever actually out — I just thought it was common knowledge.”

This is when he revealed he was in a relationship for 5 years with his previous manager, and proclaimed that he was bisexual.

Everyone was surprised, of course, and it was at the peak of his career at that time. After the split, he remained to have a working relationship with him.

Still, during those periods, he even got married to a woman named Renate Blauel.

This lasted almost half a decade, until he had a big realization that, after all, he is gay and nothing is going to change that.

Currently, alongside of acclaiming his identity, he established his own foundation to fund vulnerable groups from AIDS and HIV, the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

He is also married to the Canadian filmmaker David Furnish, with two lovely children at the age of 74.

3. Jojo Siwa

On the opposite side of the spectrum, was Jojo Siwa, or named Joelle Joanie, an American dancer, singer and Youtuber.

Early in her career, she was known for appearing in the two seasons of Dance Moms with her mother, Jessalyn Siwa.

This paved the way for her popularity, despite not winning the show in 2014.

She then started posting videos of day to day life on her Youtube Channel “Its Jojo Siwa.”

The colourful, bright child gained momentum by releasing her singles “Boomerang, and “Kid in a Candy Store” in 2016, with views in multitudes and especially catered to ages 6+ back then.

What’s the whole story was she was even in a relationship with a Tiktok star Mark Bontempo last year from August to November.

From that point, it was radio silence with the bright star’s love life until January 2021.

This is when she posted on her YouTube channel, dancing to the song  “Born This Way”  by Lady Gaga, one of the songs that gay people pride with when they are out and about.

A few days later, she made it official by posting a photo on Twitter wearing a shirt with a print of “Best.Gay.Cousin.Ever.”

Nowadays, Siwa continues to keep her sexual orientation in the works stated:

“Technically I would say that I am pansexual, because that’s how I have always been my whole life is just like, my human is my human.”

In the same interview, Siwa mentioned that she also uses the terms “gay” and “queer”.

She is now in a relationship with her best friend, Kylie Prew.

2. Wentworth Miller

Reeling in to the near past, the breakout actor from Prison Break, who played as Michael Scofield, Wentworth Miller surprised the world.

He played the said famous role from 2005, till the year 2009, and reprising it in 2017 as his last appearance on the show.

Asides from that, his portfolio highlights his appearances in two Mariah Carey music videos, Law & Order, and in a film Stoker.

He also appeared in some bits of the series universe of The Flash.

In 2007, he clearly denied the allegations of many that he is gay from an interview in a magazine.

In contrast, 6 years later, a circumstance led to his revelation.

He was invited to attend the Saint Petersburg International Film Festival in Russia at that time.

The speculations and insights about his sexuality remains, despite his previous statement. But, this invitation reply defied his past denials, as posted online.

Dear Ms. Averbakh:

Thank you for your kind invitation.

As someone who has enjoyed visiting Russia in the past and can also claim a degree of Russian ancestry, it would make me happy to say yes.

However, as a gay man, I must decline.

I am deeply troubled by the current attitude toward and treatment of gay men and women by the Russian government.

The situation is in no way acceptable, and I cannot in good conscience participate in a celebratory occasion hosted by a country where people like myself are being systematically denied their basic right to live and love openly.

This is in response to the Russian government signing laws about banning and arresting even tourists who declare themselves as part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

He even posted it on his previous Instagram post, and declared then on that he won’t be able to play straight characters any longer.

Currently, he lives with his partner Luke Macfarlane.

1. David Archuleta

Did anyone ever deny their crush to the famous American Idol superstar, David Archuleta?

No way! Finishing second on the American Idol Season 7 in 2008, he released his first single “Crush” that reached, you’ve guessed it, the second place over the Billboard 200 chart!

Then on, he has been known for his songs about love, and serenading the crowd with his sweet voice.

It was an obvious streak of success to where he originated from, but he was also known better by Filipinos.

He even covered several Filipino songs as part of his appreciation towards their loving and undying support, and even signed contracts to a television network for a miniseries.

After 2012, he departed on a two-year hiatus as an obligatory responsibility to be a missionary with his religious upbringing of being a Mormon.

He later stated, he would continue his music career thereafter.

He even had his songs leaked despite being on his mission during those years! Anyway, what’s the scoop, and what’s the tea? The adored singer then released an Instagram post this year about coming out as a bisexual!

He then elaborated about his struggle for 20 years trying to change who he is while being a Mormon.

It was a personal post that mainly he didn’t want to release to the world.

But he thought it was also his responsibility to spread awareness to children, and individuals growing up like him, in a church community, and coming out as gay.

As part of his statement, he said:

And instead of hating what I have considered wrong, I need to see why God loved me for who I am and that it’s not just sexuality.

So many other traits of who I am come from how I’ve been created.

If other people choose to live differently than what you’ve been raised to believe is right, please have compassion because it’s most likely been an exhausting journey for them to be ok with the feelings they have and never have been able to change.

Idk if they weren’t supposed to try and change the way they were created to be.

He also shared this on his Twitter as part of his coming out, and support came in seamlessly.

That there are circumstances that you can still be compassionate and coincide with what you’ve grown up with, what you are and who you love.

So, there you have it! We just talked about some of the surprising famous people who came out as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Want more articles? Check out this next post on Coming Out in the Philippines: One Thing You Absolutely Need to Know.