22 LGBTQ+ figures you should know

Frank Olito,Mykenna ManieceJun 1, 2024, 20:38 IST

Billie Jean King, Marsha P. Johnson, and RuPaul.John Nacion/Contributor/WireImage; Barbara Alper/Contributor/Getty Images; Gilbert Flores/Contributor/Variety via Getty Images

June is Pride Month, a time to honor the Stonewall riots and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
Activists like Marsha P. Johnson and Larry Kramer helped fight for LGBTQ+ rights in the 1980s.

Pride Month is here, and as people and companies around the world prepare to celebrate, it's also a good time to reflect and recognize the groundbreaking individuals who helped advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and representation.

From politics and media to entertainment and sports, figures like Harvey Milk, Laverne Cox, and Billie Jean King have been instrumental in uplifting the voices and stories of the LGBTQ+ community to promote acceptance and understanding.

Here are 22 LGBTQ+ figures you should know.

Alan Turing created modern computer science, but he was persecuted for being gay.

Alan Turing.Heritage Images/Getty Images

James Baldwin is one of the most influential writers in history.

James Baldwin.Sophie Bassouls/Getty Images

Christine Jorgensen was one of the first people to come out publicly as transgender.

Christine Jorgensen.New York Daily News Archive/Getty Images

Bayard Rustin worked closely with Martin Luther King, Jr., before turning to LGBTQ+ activism.

Bayard Rustin.AP Photo/Eddie Adams

Barbara Gittings was a well-respected activist in the gay rights movement.

Barbara Gittings.AP

Marsha P. Johnson was on the frontlines of the Stonewall riots.

Marsha P. Johnson and others at the 1982 Pride March.Barbara Alper/Contributor/Getty Images

Sylvia Rivera was a gay and transgender activist, but she's mainly known for her role at the Stonewall riots.

Sylvia Rivera speaks during a rally in City Hall Park in New York City in 2001.Mariette Pathy Allen/Contributor/Getty Images

Billie Jean King, a professional tennis player, was outed as a lesbian in 1981 and became one of the first out gay athletes.

Billie Jean King attends the "Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age" Broadway opening night in 2024.John Nacion/Contributor/WireImage

Harvey Milk was a gay rights activist and politician in San Francisco.

Harvey Milk.James Palmer/AP

Gilbert Baker created the gay pride flag, which remains a prominent symbol today.

Gilbert Baker.Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Larry Kramer is known for his writing, but he also created two influential organizations during the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Larry Kramer.Catherine McGann/Getty Images

RuPaul is a drag queen who has brought the art of drag into the mainstream.

RuPaul attends the premiere of "Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion" in 2024.Amy Sussman/Staff/Getty Images

Although she's known as a commentator, Rachel Maddow is also a longtime LGBTQ+ activist.

Rachel Maddow.Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

Edith Windsor was the lead plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that declared the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional.

Edith Windsor.AP Photo/Richard Drew

Anderson Cooper is another news anchor who is open about his sexuality.

Anderson Cooper.Angela Weiss/Contributor/Getty Images

Laverne Cox became the first transgender person nominated for an Emmy Award for acting.

Laverne Cox.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Michael Sam was the first out gay man to be drafted into the NFL.

Michael Sam attends the OUT Magazine #OUT100 Event in 2017.Bryan Bedder/Stringer/Getty Images for OUT Magazine

In 2017, Lena Waithe became the first Black gay woman to win an Emmy Award for comedy writing.

Lena Waithe.Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Viacom

Janet Mock is a transgender trailblazer who is changing the face of television.

Janet Mock attends the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party in 2020.Taylor Hill/Contributor/Getty Images

Elliot Page is one of the most visible transgender actors in Hollywood.

Elliot Page attends the 2024 TIME100 Summit.Craig Barritt/Stringer/Getty Images for TIME

Robert Dover is recognized as the first out Olympic athlete.

Olympian Robert Dover in 2013.Michele Eve Sandberg/Contributor/Corbis via Getty Images

In 2022, Ariana DeBose became the first queer Afro-Latina woman to win an Academy Award.

Ariana DeBose attends the premiere of "Argylle" in 2024.Karwai Tang/Contributor/WireImage

I spent my first night in Panama at a hotel in the heart of the historic district. The stay made me fall in love with the country in less than 24 hours.

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