New York City has been described as the gay capital of the world and the central node of the LGBTQ+ sociopolitical ecosystem. It is home to one of the world's largest and most prominent LGBTQ populations.[4] LGBT Americans in New York City constitute the largest self-identifying lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities by a significant margin in the United States. Greenwich Village in Lower Manhattan was the site of the 1969 Stonewall uprising, and then spawned several foundational organizations in the emerging gay liberation movement. These events are widely considered to be crucial to the founding of the modern gay rights movement in the United States, as well as having worldwide impact.[5] As of 2005, New York City was home to an estimated 272,493 self-identifying gay and bisexual individuals.[6] The New York metropolitan area had an estimated 568,903 self-identifying LGBT residents.[6] New York City is also home to the largest transgender population in the United States, estimated at 50,000 in 2018, concentrated in Manhattan and Queens.[7]
Brian Silverman, the author of Frommer's New York City from $90 a Day, writes that the city has "one of the world's largest, loudest, and most powerful LGBT communities", and "Gay and lesbian culture is as much a part of New York's basic identity as yellow cabs, high-rises, and Broadway theatre".[8] LGBT travel guide Queer in the World states, "The fabulosity of Gay New York is unrivaled on Earth, and queer culture seeps into every corner of its five boroughs".[9] In 2022, LGBT advocate and entertainer Madonna stated metaphorically, "Anyways, not only is New York City the best place in the world because of the queer people here. Let me tell you something, if you can make it here, then you must be queer"/[10] Comedian Jerrod Carmichael joked, "That's actually why I live here... if you say you're gay in New York, you can ride the bus for free and they just give you free pizza; if you say you're gay in New York, you get to host Saturday Night Live. This is the gayest thing you can possibly do. We're basically in an Andy Warhol fever dream right now."[11] In 2022, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced a billboard campaign to woo Floridians to a significantly more supportive environment for LGBTQ+ residents in New York.[12]
The following represents a partial list of notable LGBT New Yorkers.
List of LGBT New Yorkers
Architecture
- Charles Renfro – architect, partner at Diller Scofidio + Renfro, faculty member at School of Visual Arts[13]
Academia and research
- Andrew Dolkart – co-founder, NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project; professor, historic preservation, Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP)[14]
- Kevin Nadal – professor of psychology and researcher at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and The Graduate Center of the City University of New York[15]
Aviation and military
- Robina Asti – late navy pilot who ran reconnaissance missions out of Midway Island in World War II. Born in Queens and a longtime Manhattan resident, Asti transitioned post-war, and remained a pilot her whole life. She became the Guinness world record holder for oldest active flight instructor in 2020 when she was 99.[16]
Dance
- Bill T. Jones – dancer and choreographer[17]
- Shen Wei – choreographer, artist, and director[18]
Entrepreneurship and technology
- Eva Kotchever – founder of Eve's Hangout in Greenwich Village, deported to Europe and assassinated at Auschwitz[19]
- Bradford Shellhammer – entrepreneur and designer, founding editor of Queerty[20]
- Joel Spolsky – software engineer[21]
Fashion
Design
- Thom Browne – fashion designer[22]
- Drew Elliott – creative director and consultant[23]
- Prabal Gurung – fashion designer[24]
- Marc Jacobs – fashion designer[25]
- Calvin Klein – fashion designer[26]
- Michael Kors – fashion designer[27]
- Derek Lam – fashion designer[28]
- Humberto Leon – fashion designer[29]
- Phillip Lim – fashion designer[30]
- Isaac Mizrahi – fashion designer[31]
- Todd Oldham – fashion designer[32]
- Zac Posen – fashion designer[33]
- Christian Siriano – fashion designer[34]
- Alexander Wang – fashion designer[35]
- Jason Wu – fashion designer[36]
Modeling
- J. Alexander – model and fashion designer[37]
- Leyna Bloom – fashion model and transgender activist[38]
- Cara Delevingne – supermodel and actress[39]
- Peche Di – transgender model; started the first transgender modeling agency in the U.S., in New York City[40]
- Dilone – model[41]
- Rain Dove – model and activist[42]
- Shay Neary – transgender model, the first transgender plus-size model featured in a major fashion campaign[43]
- Yasmine Petty – transgender model[44]
- Aaron Philip – transgender model[45]
- Teddy Quinlivan – transgender model[46]
- Miriam Rivera – late transgender model and the first openly trans reality television star[47]
- Geena Rocero – supermodel and transgender activist[48]
- Abby Stein – transgender model and rabbi[49]
Film and television
- Desiree Akhavan – film director, producer, and screenwriter[50]
- Ted Allen – television personality and author[51]
- Casper Andreas – director, writer, and actor[52]
- Brian Balthazar – co-executive producer, The View[53]
- Sandra Bernhard – actress, singer, and author[54]
- Matt Bomer – actor and director[55]
- Joel Kim Booster – actor, comedian, producer, and writer[56]
- Jerrod Carmichael – actor, comedian, and filmmaker[57]
- Candis Cayne – transgender actress[58]
- Margaret Cho – multi-hyphenate entertainer and social activist[59]
- Bill Condon – director, screenwriter, and producer[60]
- Laverne Cox – transgender actress[61]
- Lee Daniels – director, screenwriter, and producer[62]
- Casey Donovan – late gay pornography actor
- Billy Eichner – actor, comedian, and writer[63]
- Fredrik Eklund – real estate broker, co-star of Million Dollar Listing New York[64]
- Rodney Evans – director and screenwriter[65]
- Frankie Grande – television personality, co-host of Style Code Live[66]
- Tim Gunn – fashion consultant, television personality and actor[67]
- Dominique Jackson – transgender actress and model[68]
- Punkie Johnson – actress, comedian, writer, Saturday Night Live[69]
- Jari Jones – transgender filmmaker and producer[70]
- Michael Patrick King – director, writer, and producer[71]
- Carson Kressley – television personality, former host of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy[72]
- John Krokidas – director, writer, and producer[73]
- Jennie Livingston – documentary filmmaker[74]
- Chella Man – artist, actor, and transgender model[75]
- Rob Marshall – director, choreographer and producer[76]
- Kate McKinnon – comedian, actor[77]
- John Cameron Mitchell – director, writer, and actor[78]
- Janet Mock – TV host, writer, and transgender rights activist[79]
- Indya Moore – transgender actor and model[80]
- Lauren Morelli – screenwriter[81]
- Cynthia Nixon – actress[82]
- Wolé Parks – actor
- Stacie Passon – director, screenwriter, and producer[83]
- Kal Penn – actor[84]
- Patrik-Ian Polk – director, screenwriter, and producer[85]
- Antoni Porowski – television personality, cook, actor, model, and author[86]
- Zachary Quinto – actor and producer[87]
- Dee Rees – director, screenwriter, and producer[88]
- Erik Rhodes (James Elliott Naughtin) – late gay pornography actor, amateur bodybuilder[89]
- Yoruba Richen – documentary filmmaker[90]
- Michaela Jaé Rodriguez – transgender actress[91]
- Harmony Santana – transgender actress[92]
- Greta Schiller – documentary filmmaker[93]
- Jonathan Van Ness – non-binary television personality[94]
- John Waters – director, actor, and writer[95][96]
- Rutina Wesley – actress[97]
- Samira Wiley – actress and model[98]
- Bowen Yang – writer and actor, Saturday Night Live[99]
Law
- Roy Cohn – late closeted lawyer who prosecuted those accused of being homosexuals and communists during the Lavender scare and Second Red Scare[100]
- Paul Feinman – first openly gay judge confirmed to the New York State Court of Appeals, in June 2017[101]
Literature
- Hilton Als – writer and theater critic
- Ellis Avery – late author[102]
- James Baldwin – late novelist, playwright, essayist, poet, and activist
- James Beard – late culinary author and chef[103]
- Bruce Benderson – author[104]
- Jennifer Finney Boylan – trans author and journalist[105]
- Augusten Burroughs – author, memoirist[106]
- Regie Cabico – poet and spoken-word artist[107]
- Michael Cunningham – author[108]
- Samuel R. Delany – author
- Nicole Dennis-Benn – author[109]
- Thomas M. Disch – late author
- Mark Doty – poet and memoirist[110]
- Martin Duberman – biographer and historian[111]
- Cyrus Grace Dunham – author[112]
- David Ebershoff – author and editor[113]
- Allen Ginsberg – late poet, philosopher, and writer[114]
- Paul Lisicky – author and memoirist[110]
- Jaime Manrique – poet, essayist, and translator[115]
- Eric Marcus – author[116]
- Darnell L. Moore – author[117]
- Lesléa Newman – author and editor[118]
- Frank O'Hara – late New York School (art) poet
- Rakesh Satyal – author[119]
- Ariel Schrag – cartoonist and television writer[120]
- Sarah Schulman – author[121]
- Charles Silverstein – author, therapist, and gay activist[122]
- Susan Sontag – late writer, filmmaker, philosopher, teacher, and political activist[123][124]
- Colm Tóibín – author, journalist, critic[125]
- Edmund White – author, critic, and memoirist[126]
Media
- Jack Anderson – late dance critic and author[127]
- Rose Arce – journalist and producer[128]
- Michael Ausiello – journalist, multiple media platforms[129]
- Josh Barro – journalist and senior editor, Business Insider[130][131]
- Keith Boykin – syndicated columnist[132]
- Ben Brantley – journalist and chief theater critic, The New York Times[133]
- Kristen Browde – journalist, formerly of NBC 4 News and CBS News, and attorney
- Frank Bruni – journalist and op-ed columnist, The New York Times[134]
- Sam Champion – meteorologist and television weather anchor[135]
- Andy Cohen – television personality[136]
- Anderson Cooper – journalist and television anchor, CNN[137]
- Angela Dimayuga – food critic for The New York Times,[138] chef
- George Dorris – editor and writer[127]
- David W. Dunlap – journalist, The New York Times[139]
- Ronan Farrow – journalist and lawyer[140]
- Stephanie Gosk – journalist, NBC News[141]
- Perez Hilton – blogger[142]
- Sally Kohn – journalist, political commentator[143]
- Steve Kornacki – writer and political correspondent with NBC News[144]
- Don Lemon – journalist and television anchor, CNN[145]
- Bryan Llenas – journalist, Fox News
- Michael Lucas – journalist, The Advocate and HuffPost; director, businessman, actor, and activist[146]
- Rachel Maddow – journalist and television anchor, MSNBC[147]
- Stephen Morgan – meteorologist, Fox Weather[148]
- Adam Moss – writer and editor, New York magazine[149]
- Michael Musto – journalist[150]
- Jim Nelson – editor, GQ magazine[151]
- Rosie O'Donnell – television personality[152]
- Richard Quest – journalist, CNN International[153]
- Robin Roberts – journalist and television anchor, Good Morning America[154]
- Thomas Roberts – TV journalist and news anchor[155]
- Steven Romo – anchor, NBC News, MSNBC[148]
- Dave Rubin – political commentator, YouTube personality, talk show host, and author
- Nate Silver – writer, statistician, and founder/editor of FiveThirtyEight[156]
- Shepard Smith – journalist and anchor, formerly of FOX News and CNBC[157]
- André Leon Talley – late fashion journalist, Vogue[158]
- Andy Towle – blogger, political commentator, and founder of Towleroad[159]
- Jann Wenner – co-founder and publisher, Rolling Stone[160]
- Jenna Wolfe – journalist and TV news host[161]
Music
- Adult Mom – singer and songwriter[162]
- Michael Alig – late musician, club promoter, convicted murderer[163]
- Angel Haze – rapper and songwriter[164]
- Azealia Banks – rapper/singer[165]
- Mykki Blanco – transgender rapper, performance artist, poet, and activist[166]
- Mal Blum – singer and songwriter[167]
- Dai Burger – rapper[168]
- Cakes da Killa – rapper[169]
- Cardi B – rapper[170]
- Cazwell – rapper[171]
- DJ Keoki – electronic musician[172]
- Frankie Knuckles – late house DJ and producer[173]
- House of Ladosha – rap duo (Antonio Blair and Adam Radakovich) and artistic collective[174]
- Lady Gaga – singer and songwriter[175]
- Le1f – rapper and producer[176]
- Larry Levan – late, pioneering house DJ and producer[177]
- Stephin Merritt – musician and songwriter with The Magnetic Fields, writer of the music and lyrics of Coraline[178]
- Jonte' Moaning – singer, songwriter, dancer, and choreographer[179]
- Princess Nokia – rapper and musician[180]
- Jake Shears – singer and songwriter[181]
- Will Sheridan – singer and musician[182]
- St. Vincent – singer-songwriter, musician[183]
- Brad Walsh – singer and music producer[184]
Nightlife
Ballroom
- Erickatoure Aviance – ballroom performer (House of Aviance)[185]
- Kevin Aviance – drag queen, musician, and performance artist (House of Aviance)[186]
- Mother Juan Aviance – ballroom performer (founder of the House of Aviance)[187]
- Crystal LaBeija – late drag queen (founder of the House of LaBeija)[188]
- Pepper LaBeija – late drag queen and fashion designer (House of LaBeija)[189]
- Leiomy Maldonado – transgender ballroom performer (House of Amazon)[190]
- Willi Ninja – late ballroom performer known as "the godfather of voguing" (founder of the House of Ninja)[191][192]
- Hector Xtravaganza – late dancer, choreographer, and voguer (House of Xtravaganza)[193]
- Venus Xtravaganza – late transgender performer and voguer (House of Xtravaganza)[194]
Drag
- Acid Betty – drag queen (contestant on the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[195]
- Aja – drag queen (contestant on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race) and rapper[196]
- Alexis Michelle – singer and drag queen (contestant on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[197]
- Aquaria – drag queen and performance artist (winner of the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[198]
- Joey Arias – drag queen and performance artist[199]
- Bianca Del Rio – drag queen (winner of the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[200]
- Bob the Drag Queen – drag queen and performance artist (winner of the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[201]
- Lee Brewster – late drag queen, homophile, transvestite activist, founder of Queens Liberation Front
- Brita Filter – drag queen (contestant on the twelfth season of RuPaul's Drag Race), actor, and star of Shade: Queens of NYC[202]
- Dallas DuBois – former drag queen[203]
- Dusty Ray Bottoms
- Hedda Lettuce – drag queen and singer[204]
- Honey Davenport – activist, singer, and drag queen (contestant on the eleventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[205]
- Jackie Cox – drag queen (contestant on the twelfth season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[206][207]
- Jan Sport – drag queen (contestant on the twelfth season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[208][209]
- Jasmine Kennedie – drag queen (contestant on the fourteenth season of "Rupaul's Drag Race" )
- Jiggly Caliente – transgender singer, actress, activist, and drag queen (contestant on the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[210]
- Kandy Muse – drag queen, contestant on the thirteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race[211]
- Lady Bunny – drag queen and founder Wigstock event[212]
- Lypsinka – drag queen, writer, musician, and performance artist[213]
- Manila Luzon – drag queen (contestant on the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race and the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars)[214][215]
- Milk – drag performer (contestant on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race) and fashion model[216]
- Miss Fame – drag queen (contestant on the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[217][218]
- Miz Cracker – drag queen (contestant on the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[219]
- Monét X Change – drag queen (winner of the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars)[220]
- Murray Hill – drag king and performance artist[221]
- Paige Turner – drag performer and star of Shade: Queens of NYC[222]
- Pearl – drag queen (contestant on the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[218][223]
- Peppermint – drag queen (contestant on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race) and star of Head Over Heels[224]
- Rosé – drag queen, contestant on the thirteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race
- RuPaul – drag queen and star of the RuPaul's Drag Race series
- Sahara Davenport – late singer and drag queen (contestant on the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[225]
- Sasha Velour – drag performer (winner of the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[226]
- Shequida – drag artist, writer, and opera singer[200]
- Sherry Vine – drag queen and musician[227]
- Shuga Cain – drag queen (contestant on the eleventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[228]
- Tina Burner – drag queen (contestant on the thirteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race and star of Shade: Queens of NYC)[229]
- Yuhua Hamasaki – drag queen (contestant on the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race)[230]
Other
- Juliana Huxtable – transgender performer, artist, and writer[231]
- Amanda Lepore – transgender performance artist[232]
- Klaus Nomi – late countertenor and nightlife performance artist[233][234]
Politics
- Erik Bottcher – member of the New York City Council (January 2022 to present)
- Tiffany Caban – elected to the New York City Council representing western Queens (2022 to present)
- David Carr – first openly gay Republican member of the New York City Council[235]
- Daniel Dromm – member of the New York City Council (January 2010 to January 2022)[236]
- Thomas Duane – the first openly gay member of the New York State Senate, in which he served from 1999 to 2012 and former New York City Council member (1991 to 1999)[237]
- Sarah Kate Ellis – CEO, GLAAD
- Deborah J. Glick – member of the New York State Assembly, the 66th Assembly District in Manhattan (1991–present)[238]
- Brad Hoylman – Democratic Senator for the New York State Senate in Manhattan's 27th district (2012–present)[239]
- Crystal Hudson – elected to the New York City Council representing Brooklyn (2022 to the present)
- Corey Johnson – Speaker of the New York City Council (January 2018 to January 2022) and member of the NYC Council (January 2014 to January 2022)[240]
- Kristin Richardson Jordan – elected to the New York City Council representing northern Manhattan (2022 to present)
- Ed Koch – late Mayor of New York City, 1978 to 1989[241]
- Margarita López – first openly lesbian and female Puerto Rican elected to the New York City Council, serving from 1998 through 2006
- Carlos Menchaca – member of the New York City Council (January 2014 to January 2022) and first Mexican American elected to a statewide New York political office[242]
- Rosie Méndez – member of the New York City Council (January 2006– January 2018)[243]
- Daniel J. O'Donnell – first openly gay male elected as a member of the New York State Assembly (January 2002 to present), the 69th district in Manhattan[244]
- Chi Ossé – youngest ever member of the New York City Council to be elected, in 2021 at age 23[245]
- Antonio Pagán – first openly gay male and Puerto Rican elected to the New York City Council, serving from 1994 through 1998; former New York City Commissioner of Small Businesses (1998–2002)[246]
- Christine Quinn – first female and first openly lesbian or gay Speaker of the New York City Council (January 2006 to January 2014) and member of NYC Council (1999 to 2014)[247]
- Phil Reed – first openly gay male and African American elected to the New York City Council (1998–2006)[248]
- George Santos – U.S. congressman from New York's 3rd district (2023–2023)[249][250][251]
- Matthew Titone – elected Richmond County Surrogate Court Judge of Staten Island in 2018[252] and member of the New York State Assembly (2006 to 2018) from the 61st District, on Staten Island[253]
- Ritchie Torres – U.S. congressman from New York's 15th district (2019–present); City Councilor (2014–2019)[254]
- James Vacca – former member of the New York City Council[255]
- Jimmy Van Bramer – Majority Leader of the New York City Council[256]
- Randi Weingarten – president, American Federation of Teachers[257]
Social activism
- Stormé DeLarverie – Drag king, M.C., security worker, believed by many to have instigated the Stonewall uprising
- Brian Ellner – LGBT rights activist and executive vice president for public affairs at Edelman[258]
- Marsha P. Johnson – late gay liberation activist, Stonewall combatant, member of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF), co-founder of Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR)
- Rose Montoya – transgender activist[259]
- Sylvia Rivera – late gay liberation and trans activist, participant in GLF actions, co-founder of Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries
Sports
Theatre
- Michael Arden – director, actor, and singer[261]
- Jon Robin Baitz – playwright, screenwriter, and producer[262]
- Anne Bogart – director[263]
- David Burtka – Broadway and television actor, chef[264]
- Charlie Carver – Broadway and television actor
- Jenn Colella – actress[265]
- Roberta Colindrez – actress and writer[266]
- Gavin Creel – actor and singer[267]
- Quentin Crisp – late stage actor, raconteur, and writer[268]
- Mart Crowley – late playwright
- Jim David – comedian, actor, playwright[269]
- Robin de Jesús – actor[270]
- Harvey Fierstein – actor, playwright, and screenwriter[271]
- Jason Forbach - actor and singer[272]
- Richard Greenberg – playwright and screenwriter[273][274]
- Jonathan Groff – Broadway and television actor, co-star, Glee[275]
- Jeremy O. Harris – actor and playwright[276]
- Neil Patrick Harris – Broadway and television actor, producer, singer, comedian, magician, and television host[264]
- Brian Hutchison – actor[277][278]
- Cheyenne Jackson – actor and singer[279]
- Larry Kramer – late playwright, author, producer, and LGBT rights advocate[280]
- Tony Kushner – playwright and screenwriter[281]
- Matteo Lane – comedian[282]
- Nathan Lane – actor and comedian[283]
- Joe Mantello – director and actor[262]
- Keith McDermott – actor, director and memoirist[284]
- Danny McWilliams – actor and comedian[285]
- Andy Mientus – actor, Broadway musicals[286]
- Dylan Mulvaney – transgender actress and comedienne[287]
- Javier Muñoz – actor, singer, and HIV/AIDS activist[288]
- Rory O'Malley – actor and singer[289]
- Lee Pace – actor[290]
- Jim Parsons – Broadway and television actor, co-star, The Big Bang Theory[291]
- Billy Porter – actor and singer[292]
- Conrad Ricamora – multiple-award winning Broadway and screen actor[293]
- Ben Levi Ross – actor[294][295]
- Jordan Roth – majority owner, Jujamcyn Theaters on Broadway[296]
- Michael Rupert – actor, singer, composer, and director[297]
- Wesley Taylor – actor and writer[298]
- Taylor Trensch – actor[299]
- Tuc Watkins – stage and screen actor[300]
Visual arts
- Cass Bird – photographer and artist[301]
- Andrew Bolton – head curator, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute[22]
- Anthony Goicolea – artist chosen in June 2017 to design the official New York State LGBT monument[302]
- Keith Haring – late artist[303]
- Annie Leibovitz – photographer[304]
- Robert Mapplethorpe – late photographer[305]
- Larry Rivers – late painter, sculptor[306]
- Carter Smith – fashion photographer[307]
- Sam Wagstaff – art curator[308]
- Andy Warhol – late artist[309]
See also
- Culture of New York City
- Drag ball culture
- Gay Asian & Pacific Islander Men of New York
- Homosocialization
- LGBT Americans
- LGBT culture in New York City
- LGBT history in New York
- LGBT rights in New York
- LGBT rights in the United States
- New York City demographics
- New York City Gay Men's Chorus
- NYC Pride March
- Queens Liberation Front
- Pose
- The Queen
- The Boys in the Band
- Transgender culture in New York City
References
Further reading
- George Chauncey (2008). Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World, 1890–1940. Basic Books. ISBN 978-0-7867-2335-5.
- Charles Kaiser (2007). The Gay Metropolis: The Landmark History of Gay Life in America. Grove Press. ISBN 978-0-8021-4317-4.