50 People You Might Have Or Probably Didn't Know Came Out In The Last 10 Years

From Tim Cook to the guy who sings "Shut Up and Dance With Me."

1. DJ Qualls

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

The actor came out in early 2020 on Twitter as gay.

DJ Qualls @TheOnlyDJQualls

It is 11:20pm. I just came out on stage at a @jimjefferies show in San Diego. Yep, I’m gay. Been gay this whole time. Tired of worrying about what people would think of me. Tired of worrying about what it would do to my career.

07:26 AM - 11 Jan 2020

Twitter: @theonlydjqualls

2. Tim Cook

Frazer Harrison / FilmMagic / Getty Images

Tim Cook came out in 2014 in a Business Week op-ed. He said, "While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven’t publicly acknowledged it either, until now. So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me."

3. Elvira

Aaron Rapoport / Getty Images

Last month, she revealed that had been with a woman for 19 years. She doesn't identify as lesbian or bisexual and says, “I think pansexual might be a good label for it possibly. Just fluid."

4. Carole Baskin

Frank Ockenfels / Getty Images

She told Pink News in 2020, "I have always considered myself to be bisexual. Even though I’ve never had a wife, I could just as easily have a wife as a husband."

5. Alyson Stoner

Johannes Eisele / Getty Images

She came out in an essay in Teen Vogue in 2018. She said, "I, Alyson, am attracted to men, women, and people who identify in other ways."

6. Rebecca Black

Jean Baptiste Lacroix / Getty Images

She came out as queer on the Dating Straight podcast in 2020.

7. Stacey London

Patrick Mcmullan / Patrick McMullan via Getty Image

In 2019, Stacey posted a lengthy Instagram post responding to a meme about her being gay.

Stacey London/ Instagram: @stacylondonreal

8. Abbi Jacobson

Vivien Killilea / Getty Images

She told Vanity Fair in 2018, "I kind of go both ways; I date men and women."

9. Brendon Urie

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He came out as pansexual in 2018. In a Paper Magazine interview he said, "I guess you could qualify me as pansexual because I really don't care. If a person is great, then a person is great...I guess this is me coming out as pansexual."

10. Nikki Blonsky (from Hairspray)

@therealnickiblonsky / Via tiktok.com

She came out as gay on TikTok in 2020.

11. Lilly Singh

The 32nd Annual Glaad Media Awards / Getty Images

She came out as bisexual in February 2019.

12. Tess Holliday

Albert Urso / Getty Images

She came out as pansexual in a Nylon magazine interview from 2019.

13. Niecy Nash

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Niecy got married to Jessica Betts in August 2020.

Niecy Nash @NiecyNash

Mrs. Carol Denise Betts 💍 @jessicabettsmusic #LoveWins🌈 📸 @robertector

07:25 PM - 31 Aug 2020

Twitter: @RobertEctor / Via Twitter: @NiecyNash

14. Da Brat

Al Pereira / Getty Images

She came out in March 2020 with this Instagram post dedicated to her girlfriend.

Da Brat/ Instagram: @sosobrat

She told Variety, "Why didn’t I do this shit years ago? I got so many positive messages, phone calls, and I had at least 1,500 texts. My DMs were flooded too.”

15. Tinashe

Michael Loccisano / Getty Images

The underrated chanteuse and Britney stan came out as bisexual in a Gay Times interview from 2019.

16. Nicholas Petricca of Walk the Moon

RCA Records

He came out as bisexual on Instagram in 2020.

Nicholas Petricholas/ Instagram: @nicholaspetricholas

17. Taylor Schilling

Bruce Glikas / Bruce Glikas / WireImage / Getty Images

Her girlfriend posted this picture last year during Pride.

Lumpland/ Instagram: @lumpland / Via pride.com

18. Danell Leyva

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The gymnast came out on Twitter as bi/pan in October 2020.

Danell Johan Leyva @DanellJLeyva

A thread for #NationalComingOutDay For a long time I’ve known that I wasn’t straight. But because of certain very personal reasons, I always rejected that side of me. Earlier this year I finally understood that I’m bi/pan (still trying to figure that one out) but...

08:58 PM - 11 Oct 2020

Twitter: @DanellJLeyva

Danell Johan Leyva @DanellJLeyva

I also realized that, as of now at least, I’m not attracted to cis men. (That comes with those personal reasons I just mentioned). But I felt that it was time for me to finally share this with you all. As most of you can imagine, this is absolutely terrifying....

08:58 PM - 11 Oct 2020

Twitter: @DanellJLeyva

19. Julianne Hough

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She came out as "not straight" in 2019.

20. Tessa Thompson

Toni Anne Barson / WireImage / Getty Images

She came out as bisexual in 2018. 

21. Nikkie Tutorials

Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images

Nikkie Tutorials came out as trans in a YouTube video from early 2020.

Nikki Tutorials / youtube.com

22. Kehlani

Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images

She came out as a lesbian in April 2021, like this week, in an Instagram post: "I am gay guh-gay gay gay!"

23. Braunwyn Windham-Burke

Bravo / Getty Images

The Real Housewives star came out as gay to GLAAD in December 2020.

24. Stormy Daniels

Ethan Miller / Getty Images

She came out as bisexual on Twitter in 2019.

Stormy Daniels @StormyDaniels

@BoroPark85 Nope...I like to fuck men and women. It's called bisexual.

11:39 PM - 16 Jan 2019

Twitter: @StormyDaniels

25. Lil Peep

Victor Boyko / Getty Images

The rapper came out as bisexual shortly before his death.

GOTH ANGEL SINNER @Lilpeep

yes I'm bi sexual

07:50 PM - 08 Aug 2017

Twitter: @lilpeep

26. Tyler Blackburn

Vivien Killilea / Getty Images

He came out as queer to the Advocate in 2019. He said, "I've identified as bisexual since a teenager. I just want to feel powerful in my own skin, and my own mind, and in my own heart.”

27. Lee Pace

Jim Spellman / Getty Images

Lee Pace @leepace

As a member of the queer community, I understand the importance of living openly, being counted, and happily owning who I am. That’s how I’ve always lived my life...

02:12 PM - 05 Mar 2018

28. Kevin McHale

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He came out in 2018, saying in a Facebook Live, "I think there was zero surprise."

29. François Arnaud from Schitt's Creek

Fox / FOX Image Collection via Getty Images

He came out as bisexual on Bi Visibility Day in September 2020. 

30. Clive Davis

John Parra / WireImage / Getty Images

The music executive came out as bisexual in his 2013 autobiography.

31. J. August Richards

Nbc / Getty Images

He came out as gay on Instagram in August 2020.

32. Barry Manilow

Walt Disney Television Photo Arc / ABC / Getty Images

He talked about his sexuality for the first time in 2017. He told People, "I thought I would be disappointing them if they knew I was gay. So I never did anything. When they found out that Garry (Barry's husband) and I were together, they were so happy. The reaction was so beautiful — strangers commenting, ‘Great for you!’ I’m just so grateful for it.”

33. Billy Gilman

Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

No, he doesn't look like that now. But it's just for reference.

The country singer came out in a since-deleted YouTube video in 2014.

Craig Barritt / Getty Images for Johnson & Johnson

34. T.J. Osborne of the country duo Brothers Osborne

Erika Goldring / Getty Images

He told Time last year, "People will ask, ‘Why does this even need to be talked about?’ And personally, I agree with that. But for me to show up at an awards show with a man would be jaw-dropping to people. It wouldn’t be like, ‘Oh, cool!’”

35. Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe

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The Australian Olympic gold medalist came out as gay in 2014. 

36. Alia Shawkat

Daniele Venturelli / WireImage / Getty Images

She came out as bisexual in 2017. Alia told Out, "I was a tomboy growing up, and I remember my mom asking me when I was 10, 'Are you attracted to boys or girls?' I said I don’t know. Now I consider myself bisexual, and I think balancing my male and female energies has been a big part of me growing as an actor."

37. Teddy Geiger

@teddygeiger / Via instagram.com

The "For You I Will" singer began her transition in 2017.

38. Janelle Monae

Kevin Mazur / Getty Images

She came out as pansexual to Rolling Stone in 2018.

39. Keiynan Lonsdale

@keiynanlonsdale / Via instagram.com

Keiynan came out as bisexual on Instagram in 2017.

40. Dove Cameron

Gotham / GC Images / Getty Images

Earlier this year, she came out as bisexual in an interview with Gay Times Magazine. 

41. Aubrey Plaza

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

She came out as bisexual in a 2016 interview with the Advocate. She told them, "Girls are into me — that’s no secret. Hey, I’m into them too. I fall in love with girls and guys. I can’t help it."

42. David Archuleta

@davidarchie / Via Instagram: @davidarchie

He came out as part of the LGBTQIA+ in June 2021.

43. Wentworth Miller

Brian Zak / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

He came out as gay in 2013 in a GLAAD blog abut rejecting an invite to a Russian film festival. 

44. Matt Dallas

Christian Jentz / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

He came out on Twitter in 2013 by mentioning his fiancé, Blue Hamilton.

matt dallas @themattdallas

Starting off the year with a new fiancé, @bluehamilton. A great way to kick off 2013!

05:45 AM - 07 Jan 2013

Twitter: @themattdallas

45. Charlie Carver

Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images for GLSEN

The Teen Wolf star came out as gay in 2016. 

46. Rowan Blanchard

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

The Girl Meets World star came out as queer on Twitter in 2016. She said she's "open to liking any gender in [the] future [which] is why I identify as queer."

47. Mara Wilson

Tara Ziemba / Getty Images

In 2016, she said she was bi/queer on Twitter.

Mara “Get Rid of the Nazis” Wilson @MaraWilson

.@__SonjaLouise__ I said I *used* to identify as mostly straight. I've embraced the Bi/Queer label lately

12:49 AM - 14 Jun 2016

Twitter: @MaraWilson

48. Paris Jackson

Theo Wargo / Getty Images

She identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

In 2018, she responded to a tweet that said she was bisexual with this:

@parisjackson / Via Twitter: @ParisJackson

49. Rita Ora

Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images for ABA

The singer said she had romantic relationships with men and woman in a Notes App apology about her song "Girls" in 2018.

Rita Ora @RitaOra

03:55 PM - 14 May 2018

Twitter: @RitaOra

50. Jason Mraz

Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images

In 2018, Jason called his sexuality "two spirit" because he's had experiences with men and women. 

Join BuzzFeed as we celebrate National Coming Out Day from Oct. 11–15. You can explore more coming out and queer content over on our LGBTQ page.

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