The Universe Verse: Bill T. Jon Performs Poet Ross Gay’s O to Our Hight Human Potentiali – The Margalian

bill t jones gay

Liane Hansen talks wh dancer/choreographer Bill T. Jon, ho recently published his tobgraphy, "Last Night on Earth" (Pantheon rs). Jon is Ain Amerin, gay and although HIV-posive, he has yet to how any symptoms of AIDS. This often ntroversial artist discs the lks etween his art and life.

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DANCE LEGEND BILL T. JON ON GROWG UP BLACK AND GAY, AND BEG SPIRED BY ABRAHAM LLN

Bill T. Jon - Dancer and choreographer Bill T. Jon has won two Tonys for choreography the Broadway mils Sprg Awakeng (20007) and Fela! (2009). Jon, the 9th of 12 children, moved om ral Florida to upstate New York at three years old. He would later bee a dancer a lol pany while a stunt at SUNY Bghamton. In 1982, he and his then-lover, Arnie Zane, started their own dance pany, which still exists. After Zane’s ath, Jon created some of his most powerful work. - BET shows men and women of pri: proment members of the gay muny. * bill t jones gay *

Last Supper at Uncle Tom’s Cab / The Promised Land (1990) had him searchg for hope as a gay black man Ameri. Jon on growg up Black and gay, and beg spired by Abraham LlnThis terview origally aired on May 11, T. And I hadn't even lled myself a gay man yet, but I uld sense that there were certa people the room that I felt an affy for.

WHO'S WHO THE BLACK LGBT {MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}} HIGHLIGHTS MEMBERS OF THE BLACK LGBT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;OVERFLOW-X:HIDN;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;BOX-SHADOW:0 4PX 8PX 0 RGBA(0,0,0,0.08);MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:NTA;}{WIDTH:1007PX;HEIGHT:566PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:18PX 24PX;DISPLAY:GRID;GRID-GAP:18PX;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{LOR:#0A0A0A;}{FONT:NORMAL 700 2.0REM/1.25 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;}1 / {LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}FRANK MUGISHA - SHOWS SOME OF THE BLACK MUNY'S  PROMENT LGBT DIVIDUALS. SEE WHO THEY ARE THE FOLLOWG PAG. FRANK MUGISHA IS AN UGANDAN ADVOTE FOR THE RIGHTS OF SEXUAL MORI UGANDA. HE HAS WORKED TIRELSLY FOR EQUAL RIGHTS FOR LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENR AND INTERSEX (LGBTI) PEOPLE THE EAST AIN UNTRY. IN 2011 HE RECEIVED THE ROBERT F. KENNEDY HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD FOR HIS ACTIVIST WORK.(PHOTO: RFK CENTER){WIDTH:3000PX;HEIGHT:1966PX;}2 / 37SGT. ANTHONY WOODS - WOODS, A WT POT GRADUATE, LED TWO BAT UNS IRAQ AND RECEIVED A MASTER’S GREE PUBLIC POLICY OM HARVARD UNIVERSY’S KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT BEFORE BEG DISCHARGED FOR G OUT AS GAY. IN 2009, HE RAN A SPECIAL ELECTN CALIFORNIA'S 10TH CONGRSNAL DISTRICT WHERE HE GREW UP. (PHOTO: CHRIS HONDROS/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:600PX;HEIGHT:398PX;}3 / 37HANIFAH WALIDAH - WALIDAH IS A HIP HOP ARTIST, PLAYWRIGHT, ACTOR, MIC VIO MAKER AND FILMMAKER. SHE IS A PART OF THE RENOWNED BROOKLYN FUNK ESSENTIALS.\R(PHOTO: COURTY OF HANIFAH WALIDAH){WIDTH:2083PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}4 / 37LEE DANIELS - PHILALPHIA NATIVE LEE DANIELS IS AN ACTOR, FILM PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR. HE IS BT KNOWN FOR DIRECTG THE CRILLY ACCLAIMED FILM PREC, WHICH WAS NOMATED FOR SIX AMY AWARDS. DANIELS WAS NOMATED FOR THE BT DIRECTOR AWARD; ONLY THE SEND TIME AN AIN-AMERIN RECEIVED A NOD THAT TEGORY. HE'S CURRENTLY DIRECTG SELMA, A FILM ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, DUE TO BE RELEASED 2011.\R\R(PHOTO: VTOR ZUNO CELOTTO/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2169PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}5 / 37SHERYL SWOOP - SHERYL DENISE SWOOP WAS THE FIRST PLAYER TO BE SIGNED TO THE WNBA WHEN THE LEAGUE WAS FIRST CREATED 1997. SHE HAS WON THREE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS AND IS A THREE-TIME WNBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO AS THE "FEMALE MICHAEL JORDAN," SWOOP IS FAMO FOR HER OFFENSIVE AND FENSIVE SKILLS. THOUGH SHE LEFT THE LEAGUE 2008, SHE IS SET TO MAKE A EBACK DURG THE 2011 SEASON WH THE TULSA SHOCK. (PHOTO: ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAG){MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:NONE;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;} + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:NONE;}(:EMPTY){DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}(:EMPTY) + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:BLOCK;}{BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{WIDTH:1990PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}6 / 37WANDA SYK - SYK ED HER ANGER AND DISAPPOTMENT CALIFORNIA'S PROPOSN 8, WHICH BANNED GAY MARRIAGE THERE, AS AN OPPORTUNY TO E OUT. "I AM PROUD TO BE GAY!" WANDA CLARED AT A GAY RALLY LAS VEGAS 2008. SHE ALSO ANNOUNCED TO THE WORLD THAT SHE IS MARRIED TO A WOMAN. IN 2009, SHE BEME THE FIRST AIN-AMERIN AND THE FIRST "OUT" LBIAN TO GET THE ROLE AS FEATURED ENTERTAER FOR THE WHE HOE CORRPONNTS' ASSOCIATN DNER.\R(PHOTO: ANGELA WEISS/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:1067PX;HEIGHT:1600PX;}7 / 37JASS STEWART -  \RJASS STEWART IS THE FIRST-EVER MORY OR OPENLY-GAY PERSON TO BE ELECTED TO SERVE ON MASSACHETTS' BROCKTON CY COUNCIL. HE IS CURRENTLY SERVG A TWO-YEAR TERM. IN 2005, STEWART RAN A HIGHLY TOUTED MPAIGN FOR MAYOR OF BROCKTON, MASS. AS A FIRST-TIME NDIDATE, HE EARNED 44 PERCENT OF THE VOTE AND CREASED VOTER TURNOUT BY 19 PERCENT. \R\R(PHOTO: COURTY OF JASS STEWART){WIDTH:317PX;HEIGHT:481PX;}8 / 37SABRA SOJOURNER - SOJOURNER IS THE FIRST OPEN LBIAN TO BE ELECTED TO THE UNED STAT CONGRS. HAVG BEEN ELECTED BY A WHOPPG 83 PERCENT OF THE VOTE, SABRA REPRENTED THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THE U.S. HOE OF REPRENTATIV, WHERE HER NON-VOTG POSN SHE LOBBIED NOT ONLY FOR STATEHOOD FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, BUT IMPACTED OTHER LEGISLATORS ON A WHOLE SPECTM OF ISSU. SHE SERVED OM 1997-1999. SHE IS CURRENTLY THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE ORDATOR AT INTERACTN.(PHOTO: COURTY OF SABRA SOJOURNER){WIDTH:400PX;HEIGHT:537PX;}9 / 37DENISE SIMMONS \R - DENISE SIMMONS, WHO SERVED AS MAYOR OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHETTS, OM 2008-2009, IS THE FIRST AIN-AMERIN AND OPEN LBIAN TO BE ELECTED MAYOR OF AN AMERIN CY. SIMMONS, NOW SERVG ON THE CAMBRIDGE CY COUNCIL, HAD FOLLOWED THE FOOTSTEPS OF FORMER MAYOR KEN REEV. REEV MA HISTORY ON A LOL AND NATNAL LEVEL, BEG CAMBRIDGE'S FIRST AIN-AMERIN MAYOR AND THE NATN'S FIRST OPENLY GAY, BLACK MAYOR.\R(PHOTO: STEPHEN MACLONE){WIDTH:500PX;HEIGHT:340PX;}10 / 37DANA RONE - RONE WAS THE FIRST BLACK LBIAN ELECTED NEW JERSEY WHEN SHE WON THE FIRST OF TWO TERMS ON NEWARK'S SCHOOL BOARD. IN 2008, SHE WAS NVICTED OF OBSTCTN OF JTICE FOR A 2006 N- WH POLICE AFTER THEY STOPPED HER NEPHEW FOR A TRAFFIC VLATN. SHE WAS REMOVED OM HER POSN AND BANNED OM NNG FOR PUBLIC OFFICE THE FUTURE 2008. (PHOTO: SARAH RICE/FOR THE STAR-LEDGER){WIDTH:1800PX;HEIGHT:1102PX;}11 / 37 TOSHI REAGON\R\R - OVER THE URSE OF HER REER, REAGON RELEASED EIGHT ALBUMS, APPEARED ON THE L WORD AND SHARED THE STAGE WH ANI DIFRAN AND ELVIS COSTELLO. SHE JUMPED TO THE SPOTLIGHT WHEN SHE DROPPED OUT OF LLEGE AFTER LENNY KRAVZ TAPPED HER TO OPEN FOR HIM ON HIS FIRST WORLD TOUR. SHE'S THE DGHTER OF BERNICE JOHNSON REAGON, FOUNR OF THE ALL-AIN-AMERIN MIL ENSEMBLE SWEET HONEY THE ROCK.\R\R(PHOTO: REUTERS/LUS JACKSON /LANDOV){WIDTH:480PX;HEIGHT:309PX;}12 / 37KEN REEV - REEV IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AIN-AMERIN MAN TO HAVE SERVED AS MAYOR OF ANY CY THE UNED STAT. THE HARVARD COLLEGE AND UNIVERSY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL GRADUATE WAS MAYOR OF CAMBRIDGE, MASS.(PHOTO: RON SCHLTLER){WIDTH:2001PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}13 / 37PATRIK IAN-POLK - PATRIK-IAN POLK IS THE CREATOR, PRODUCER AND LEAD WRER OF THE ACCLAIMED FORMER LOGO TV SERI “NOAH’S ARC,” WHICH WAS OFTEN SCRIBED AS “SEX AND THE CY” WH GAY CHARACTERS. HE IS ALSO THE DIRECTOR BEHD THE GROUNDBREAKG 2001 BLACK GAY FEATURE FILM PUNKS.\R(PHOTO: FRERICK M. BROWN/GETTY IMAG FOR NAACP){WIDTH:2143PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}14 / 37FELICIA "SNOOP" PEARSON - BALTIMORE NATIVE FELICIA "SNOOP" PEARSON IS AN ACTRS, THOR AND RAPPER, KNOWN FOR HER ROLE ON THE HBO SERI THE WIRE AS A CHARACTER NAMED AFTER HERSELF. WHEN SHE WAS JT 14, PEARSON WAS NVICTED OF SEND GREE MURR AND SPENT THE RT OF HER TEENAGE YEARS A RRECTNAL FACILY BEFORE BEG RELEASED. THE ACTRS, NOW 31, RAN TO MORE TROUBLE MARCH 2011 WHEN SHE WAS ARRTED ALONG WH 60 OTHERS FOR ALLEGED DG OFFENS. \R\R(PHOTO: FRERICK M. BROWN/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:3285PX;HEIGHT:2400PX;}15 / 37RAHSAAN PATTERSON  \R - NAMED AFTER '60S JAZZ SAXOPHONIST RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK, RAHSAAN PATTERSON'S SGG AND SONGWRG STYLE ARE REMISCENT OF STEVIE WONR, WHILE HIS VOICE HAS ALSO DRAWN PARISONS TO CHAKA KHAN. HIS CREDS CLU BRANDY'S PLATUM TOP 5 SMASH "BABY" AND TEV CAMPBELL'S H "BACK TO THE WORLD."\R(PHOTO: MCT/HO /LANDOV){WIDTH:2044PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}16 / 37RON ON - ON IS AN OPENLY GAY POLICIAN. IN NOVEMBER 2003, HE WAS ELECTED MAYOR OF PALM SPRGS, CALIF., AFTER SERVG EIGHT YEARS ON S CY UNCIL. IN 2006, HE LOST A CLOSE RACE THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR A SEAT THE CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY. HE IS THE FATHER OF TWO DGHTERS AND THE GRANDFATHER OF TWO GIRLS AND ONE BOY.\R(PHOTO: FRERICK M. BROWN/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2105PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}17 / 37ME'SHELL NGéOCELLO - THE DGHTER OF A VOTEDLY RELIG MOTHER AND A STRICT ARY FATHER, ME'SHELL NGéOCELLO IS A SGER, SONGWRER, RAPPER, BASSIST AND MULTI-STMENTALIST. THE MIC PRS HAS HAILED HER AS A REEMER OF SOUL MIC. HER MIC RPORAT FUNK, SOUL, HIP HOP, REGGAE, R&B, ROCK AND JAZZ. SHE HAS BEEN NOMATED FOR 10 GRAMMY AWARDS.\R(PHOTO: MIKE COPPOLA/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:500PX;HEIGHT:375PX;}18 / 37NEB LUV - WHILE PRENTLY PURSUG A SOLO RERDG AL, SHE HAS ACHIEVED WELL-SERVED RPECT AND REGNN FOR HER ASSOCIATN WH WARREN G, HER PRODUCER ON DA 5 FOOTAZ LP RELEASED ON RTLS RERDS. NEB APPEARED ON THE “SET IT OFF” SOUNDTRACK SGLE, "THE HEIST” AND THE “JASON’S LYRIC” SOUNDTRACK SGLE, “WALK AWAY.” SHE ALSO APPEARED THE DEF PICTUR FEATURE FILM THE SHOW AND HAS TOURED TERNATNALLY AS THE OPENG ACT FOR WARREN G AND THE FUGE, AND APPEARED ON BET’S COMICVIEW.\R(PHOTO: ){WIDTH:400PX;HEIGHT:571PX;}19 / 37MELANGE LAVONNE - LAVONNE, WHO IS AN OUTSPOKEN LBIAN HIP HOP ARTIST, HER MIC TO TALK ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSU, PECIALLY WH THE LGBT MUNY. IN THE VIO FOR "GAY BASH," THE OUT MC LLS OUT THOSE WHO HATED HER IEND KEV ENOUGH TO KILL HIM, WHEN THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HIM.\R(PHOTO: ){WIDTH:2020PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}20 / 37MRICE JAMAL - MRICE JAMAL IS A DIRECTOR-WRER-PRODUCER AND IS THE CREATIVE MD BEHD THE LANDMARK LOGO NETWORK FILM THE SKI TRIP AND THE AWARD-WNG FAY EDY DRAMA DIRTY LNDRY. HIS FIRST BREAK WAS ON THE FEATURE FILM SPIR-MAN, AND A SHORT PERD HE VELOPED A LENGTHY AND IMPRSIVE LIST OF CREDS, MOST NOTABLY THE COMEDY CENTRAL SMASH H CHAPPELLE’S SHOW – BOTH ONT AND BEHD THE MERA.\R(PHOTO: DAVID LIVGSTON/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:2009PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}21 / 37E. LYNN HARRIS - THE LATE E. LYNN HARRIS WAS AN OPENLY GAY THOR, MOST KNOWN FOR HIS PICTNS OF AIN-AMERIN MEN ON THE DOWN LOW OR THE CLOSET. HARRIS WAS IALLY UNABLE TO LAND A BOOK AL WH A REPUTABLE PUBLISHG HOE FOR HIS FIRST WORK, INVISIBLE LIFE, SO HE SELF-PUBLISHED THROUGH A VANY PUBLISHER AND SOLD PI OM HIS R TNK. SCE THEN, FIVE OF HIS NOVELS HAVE ACHIEVED NEW YORK TIM BTSELLER STAT. HE DIED 2009.\R(PHOTO: JONATHAN FICKI/GETTY IMAG FOR JUMPSTART FOR CHILDREN){WIDTH:465PX;HEIGHT:533PX;}22 / 37JAM EARL HARDY - JAM EARL HARDY IS BT KNOWN AS THE THOR OF THE B-BOY BLU SERI THAT CLUS: B-BOY BLU, 2ND TIME AROUND AND IF ONLY FOR ONE NE. THE SERI IS CREDED WH LNCHG THE AOCENTRIC, GAY, HIP HOP LOVE GENRE. HARDY ALSO HAS WRTEN FOR ESSENCE, NEWSWEEK, ENTERTAMENT WEEKLY, THE WASHGTON POST, THE ADVOTE AND SOURCE.\R(PHOTO: ){WIDTH:3000PX;HEIGHT:1950PX;}23 / 37ANGELA DAVIS\R - ANGELA DAVIS, AN AMERIN SOCIALIST ANIZER AND PROFSOR ONCE ASSOCIATED WH THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY, FIRST ACHIEVED NATNWI NOTORIETY WHEN SHE WAS LKED TO THE MURR OF JUDGE HAROLD HALEY DURG AN ATTEMPTED PRISON BREAK. SHE WAS A FUGIVE BUT WAS EVENTUALLY PTURED, ARRTED, AND TRIED; SHE WAS THEN ACQUTED ONE OF THE MOST FAMO TRIALS RECENT HISTORY. SHE IS NOW A RETIRED PROFSOR OF HISTORY AT THE UNIVERSY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CZ.\R \R(PHOTO: UPI PHOTO/BG/WILEY PRICE){WIDTH:724PX;HEIGHT:595PX;}24 / 37KECIA CUNNGHAM - KECIA CUNNGHAM IS CURRENTLY SERVG AS DETUR, GEIA'S CY COMMISSNER.  THE AIN-AMERIN LBIAN FIRST WON A SEAT ON THE CY COUNCIL 1999.(PHOTO: PROJECT Q){WIDTH:2000PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}25 / 37WILSON CZ \R - WILSON CZ ME OUT AT THE AGE OF 19 AND THEN WENT TO HOLLYWOOD TO TRY TO START AN ACTG REER. HE WAS SUCCSFUL, AND HAS STARRED A NUMBER OF STAGE, TV AND FILM PRODUCTNS. HE'S PERHAPS BETTER KNOWN FOR HIS ROLE AS RICKIE VASQUEZ ON ABC'S MY SO-CALLED LIFE AND A RECURRG CHARACTER ON NOAH'S ARC.\R\R(PHOTO: ROBERT PTS /LANDOV){WIDTH:3000PX;HEIGHT:2038PX;}26 / 37MISS CLEO\R - YOUREE DELL HARRIS, BETTER KNOWN AS MISS CLEO, IS A SELF-PROCLAIMED PSYCHIC AND SHAMAN WHO ACHIEVED FAME AS SPOKWOMAN TELEVISN ADS WHICH AIRED DURG THE LATE 1990S AND EARLY 2000S. IN THOSE ADS, SHE HAWKED A PSYCHIC PAY-PER-LL SERVICE. AS OF 2007, CLEO OFFERS PRIVATE PSYCHIC NSULTATNS AND OTHER SERVIC THROUGH WAHGWAAN ENTERTAMENT, BASED FORT LRDALE, FLA.\R(PHOTO: LILLY ECHEVERRIA / MIAMI HERALD){WIDTH:2001PX;HEIGHT:2872PX;}27 / 37STACEYANN CH \R - STACEYANN CH IS A FULL-TIME ARTIST AND HAS BEEN AN “OUT POET AND POLIL ACTIVIST” SCE 1998. HAVG DRAWN ROG CHEERS OM THE NUYORIN POETS' Fé, ONE-WOMAN SHOWS OFF- BROADWAY, POETRY WORKSHOPS DENMARK AND LONDON, AND AS A -WRER AND PERFORMER THE TONY-NOMATED RSELL SIMMONS DEF POETRY JAM, CH CREDS THE LONG LIST OF "THGS SHE HAS DONE" TO HER GRANDMOTHER'S HARD-WORKG HISTORY AND THE PA OF HER MOTHER'S ABSENCE.\R(PHOTO: ROBERT PTS /LANDOV){WIDTH:1216PX;HEIGHT:1661PX;}28 / 37JASMYNE CANNICK - AWARD-WNG JOURNALIST JASMYNE CANNICK IS KNOWN FOR ADDRSG THE ISSU THAT OTHERS N'T OR SIMPLY WON'T. SHE IS A CRIC AND MENTATOR BASED LOS ANGEL WHO ADDRS THE TERSECTN OF RACE, CLASS, RELIGN AND GENR THE AIN-AMERIN MUNY AS PLAYED OUT TODAY'S POP CULTURE AND POLICS. SHE WAS SELECTED AS ONE OF ESSENCE MAGAZE'S 25 WOMEN SHAPG THE WORLD.\R \R(PHOTO: COURTY OF JASMYNE CANNICK){WIDTH:2191PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}29 / 37GORDON CHAMBERS \R - CHAMBERS IS A SOUL MIC VETERAN, BUT IS PRCIPALLY KNOWN AS A SONGWRER. OVER THE PAST DOZEN YEARS THE JAMAIN-BORN CHAMBERS HAS PENNED TUN FOR A VIRTUAL WHO'S WHO OF MORN URBAN ADULT NTEMPORARY SGERS, CLUDG WHNEY HOTON, HEATHER HEADLEY, CARL THOMAS, STEPHANIE MILLS, GLADYS KNIGHT, GERALD LEVERT AND PHYLLIS HYMAN. HE ALSO EARNED A SONGWRG GRAMMY AWARD 1995 FOR ANA BAKER'S "I APOLOGIZE."\R(PHOTO: FRANK MICELOTTA/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:1995PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}30 / 37KEH BOYK \R - KEH BOYK IS THE EDOR OF HE IS A NEW YORK TIM BT-SELLG THOR OF THREE BOOKS, A POLIL MENTATOR FOR  AND A EQUENT GUT ON CNN.\R(PHOTO:  ROB LOUD/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:1944PX;HEIGHT:2896PX;}31 / 37KEV AVIANCE - NEW YORK FEMALE IMPERSONATOR, SIGNER AND DANCE MICIAN KEV AVIANCE IS POPULAR THE NEW YORK CY GAY SCENE. HE IS A MEMBER OF THE GAY PERFORMERS' GROUP HOE OF AVIANCE.\R\R\RNEW YORK FEMALE IMPERSONATOR, SIGNER AND DANCE MICIAN KEV AVIANCE IS POPULAR THE NEW YORK CY GAY SCENE. HE IS A MEMBER OF THE GAY PERFORMERS' GROUP HOE OF AVIANCE.\R\R \R(PHOTO: DOUG MZLER){WIDTH:1993PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}32 / 37JOHN AMAECHI - IN 2007, JOHN AMAECHI BEME THE FIRST NBA PLAYER TO E OUT OF THE CLOSET, MAKG THE REVELATN HIS MEMOIR, MAN THE MIDDLE. HE HAD RETIRED OM PROFSNAL BASKETBALL 2003.\R\R(PHOTO: MICHAEL GERMANA / SSI PHOTO){WIDTH:400PX;HEIGHT:266PX;}33 / 37DAGMAWI WOUBSHET - DAGMAWI WOUBSHET IS AN ASSISTANT PROFSOR OF ENGLISH AT CORNELL UNIVERSY, WHERE HE TEACH URS ON AIN-AMERIN AND PARATIVE AIN DIASPORA LERATURE AND CULTURE. HE RECIEVED HIS PHD OM HARVARD UNIVERSY 2007 AND HIS BA 1998 OM DE UNIVERSY. HIS SCHOLARLY TERTS CLU: CRIL RACE AND SEXUALY STUDI, NTEMPORARY BLACK VISUAL CULTURE, TRANSLATN AND VERNACULAR ETHPIAN POETICS.\R(PHOTO: CORNELL UNIVERSY){WIDTH:410PX;HEIGHT:478PX;}34 / 37STANLEY BENT CLAY\R  - STANLEY BENT CLAY IS AN THOR, FILMMAKER AND ACTOR. HE HAS WRTEN THREE NOVELS: DIVA, IN SEARCH OF PRETTY YOUNG BLACK MEN AND LOOKER. A SELF-SCRIBED “FANATIL LOS ANGEL TYPE OF PERSON,” CLAY WR STORI ABOUT THE BLACK GAY SCENE ON THE WT COAST. HE’S ALSO WON THREE NAACP IMAGE AWARDS FOR WRG, DIRECTG AND PRODUCG THE FILM RUAL.\R(PHOTO: ){WIDTH:450PX;HEIGHT:300PX;}35 / 37LAWRENCE WEBB\R - WEBB IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AIN-AMERIN ELECTED THE STATE OF VIRGIA. LAWRENCE WAS ELECTED TO THE FALLS CHURCH CY COUNCIL 2008 AFTER HIS FIRST N FOR POLIL OFFICE.\R(PHOTO: VOTE FALLS CHURCH){LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}PHOTO BY {LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}{LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}PHOTO: VOTE FALLS {WIDTH:2103PX;HEIGHT:3000PX;}36 / 37DOUG SPEARMAN \R - SPEARMAN'S REER AS AN ACTOR CLUS WORK ON TV SHOWS STAR TREK VOYAGER, THE DREW CAREY SHOW, THE HUGHLEYS, CHARMED AND GIRLIENDS. SPEARMAN ALSO APPEARED ON THE LOGO H SHOW NOAH'S ARC, WHICH HE PLAYED CHANCE COUNTER, AN OUT BLACK GAY LLEGE PROFSOR.\R \R(PHOTO: JOHN M. HELLER/GETTY IMAG FOR LOGO FEATUR)

"He was Black, gay and bipolar — and he forever changed the face of morn danceBill T.

As a black, gay, HIV-posive man, he is far more than a survivor. And, once ught fire, thgs jt began to pour out of him -- still ia of gay marriage... He has worked tirelsly for equal rights for Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr and Intersex (LGBTI) people the East Ain untry.

Anthony Woods - Woods, a Wt Pot graduate, led two bat uns Iraq and received a Master’s gree Public Policy om Harvard Universy’s Kennedy School of Government before beg discharged for g out as gay. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Imag)6 / 37Wanda Syk - Syk ed her anger and disappotment California's Proposn 8, which banned gay marriage there, as an opportuny to e out.

WHO'S WHO THE BLACK LGBT {MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}BET SHOWS MEN AND WOMEN OF PRI: PROMENT MEMBERS OF THE GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;OVERFLOW-X:HIDN;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;BOX-SHADOW:0 4PX 8PX 0 RGBA(0,0,0,0.08);MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:NTA;}{WIDTH:536PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:18PX 24PX;DISPLAY:GRID;GRID-GAP:18PX;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{LOR:#0A0A0A;}{FONT:NORMAL 700 2.0REM/1.25 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;}1 / {LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}ANTHONY WOODS - THE WT POT GRADUATE LED TWO BAT UNS IRAQ AND RECEIVED A MASTER’S GREE PUBLIC POLICY OM HARVARD UNIVERSY’S KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT BEFORE BEG DISCHARGED FOR G OUT AS GAY. HE IS NNG A SPECIAL ELECTN CALIFORNIA'S 10TH CONGRSNAL DISTRICT WHERE HE GREW UP. IF ELECTED, HE WILL BEE THE FIRST BLACK OPENLY GAY REPRENTATIVE CONGRS.2 / 36HANIFAH WALIDAH - WALIDAH IS A HIP-HOP ARTIST, PLAYWRIGHT, ACTOR, MIC VIO MAKER, AND FILMMAKER. SHE IS A PART OF THE RENOWNED BROOKLYN FUNK {WIDTH:320PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}3 / 36LEE DANIELS - PHILALPHIA NATIVE LEE DANIELS IS AN ACTOR, FILM PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR. HE IS BT KNOWN FOR DIRECTG THE CRILLY ACCLAIMED FILM “PREC,” WHICH WAS NOMATED FOR SIX AMY AWARDS. DANIELS WAS NOMATED FOR BT DIRECTOR; IT WAS THE SEND TIME AN AIN AMERIN RECEIVED A NOMATN THAT TEGORY. HE ALSO PRODUCED “MONSTER’S BALL.”{WIDTH:311PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}4 / 36SHERYL SWOOP - SHERYL DENISE SWOOP WAS THE FIRST PLAYER TO BE SIGNED THE WNBA WHEN WAS CREATED. SHE HAS WON THREE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS AND IS A THREE-TIME WNBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO AS THE "FEMALE MICHAEL JORDAN," SWOOP IS FAMO FOR HER OFFENSIVE AND FENSIVE SKILLS. IN 2005, SHE AVERAGED 18.6 POTS, 4.3 ASSISTS, 2.65 STEALS, AND SHE SHOT 85 PERCENT OM THE EE-THROW LE WHILE AVERAGG 37.1 MUT PLAYG TIME PER GAME.5 / 36WANDA SYK - SYK ED HER ANGER AND DISAPPOTMENT CALIFORNIA'S PROPOSN 8, WHICH BANNED GAY MARRIAGE THERE, AS AN OPPORTUNY TO E OUT. "I AM PROUD TO BE GAY!" WANDA CLARED AT A GAY RALLY LAS VEGAS LAST YEAR. SHE ALSO ANNOUNCED TO THE WORLD THAT SHE'S MARRIED TO A WOMAN. THIS YEAR, SHE BEME THE FIRST AIN AMERIN AND THE FIRST "OUT" LBIAN TO GET THE ROLE AS FEATURED ENTERTAER FOR THE 2009 WHE HOE CORRPONNTS' ASSOCIATN {MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:NONE;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;} + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:NONE;}(:EMPTY){DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}(:EMPTY) + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:BLOCK;}{BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}ADVERTISEMENT6 / 36JASS STEWART - IN 2005, JASS STEWART RAN A HIGHLY TOUTED MPAIGN FOR MAYOR OF BROCKTON, MASS. AS A FIRST-TIME NDIDATE, HE EARNED 44 PERCENT OF THE VOTE AND CREASED VOTER TURNOUT BY 19 PERCENT. LAST YEAR, HE BEME A CY UNCILMAN HIS HOMETOWN. IN ADDN TO BEG ONE OF THE YOUNGT EXECUTIV THE HISTORY OF BLACKSI (PRODUCERS OF THE PUBLIC TELEVISN SERI EY ON THE PRIZE: AMERI'S CIVIL RIGHTS YEARS), STEWART ALSO TGHT CLASS AT BOSTON {WIDTH:261PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}7 / 36DOUG SPEARMAN - SPEARMAN'S REER AS AN ACTOR CLUS WORK ON SUCH TV SHOWS AS "STAR TREK VOYAGER," "THE DREW CAREY SHOW," "THE HUGHLEYS," "CHARMED,"AND "GIRLIENDS." SPEARMAN RECENTLY -STARRED ON THE LOGO H SHOW NOAH'S ARC, WHICH HE PLAYED CHANCE COUNTER, AN OUT BLACK GAY LLEGE PROFSOR.8 / 36SABRA SOJOURNER - SOJOURNER IS THE FIRST OPEN LBIAN TO BE ELECTED TO THE UNED STAT CONGRS. HAVG BEEN ELECTED BY A WHOPPG 83 PERCENT OF THE VOTE, SABRA REPRENTED THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THE U.S. HOE OF REPRENTATIV, WHERE HER NON-VOTG POSN SHE LOBBIED NOT ONLY FOR STATEHOOD FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, BUT IMPACTED OTHER LEGISLATORS ON A WHOLE SPECTM OF ISSU. SHE SERVED OM 1997-1999.9 / 36DENISE SIMMONS - DENISE SIMMONS IS THE FIRST AIN-AMERIN OPEN LBIAN TO BE ELECTED MAYOR OF AN AMERIN CY. SIMMONS, NOW LEADG CAMBRIDGE, MASS., AFTER SERVG ON THE CY COUNCIL SCE 2001, FOLLOWS THE FOOTSTEPS OF FORMER MAYOR KEN REEV. REEV MA HISTORY ON A LOL AND NATNAL LEVELS, BEG CAMBRIDGE'S FIRST AIN-AMERIN MAYOR AND THE NATN'S FIRST OPENLY GAY, BLACK MAYOR.10 / 36DANA RONE - RONE IS THE FIRST BLACK LBIAN ELECTED NEW JERSEY WHEN SHE WON THE FIRST OF TWO TERMS ON NEWARK'S SCHOOL BOARD. SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVG A FOUR-YEAR TERM ON THE CY UNCIL.ADVERTISEMENT11 / 36TOSHI REAGAN - OVER THE URSE OF HER REER, SHE'S RELEASED EIGHT ALBUMS, APPEARED ON “THE L WORD” AND SHARED THE STAGE WH ANI DIFRAN AND ELVIS COSTELLO. REAGAN JUMPED TO THE SPOTLIGHT WHEN SHE DROPPED OUT OF LLEGE AFTER LENNY KRAVZ TAPPED HER TO OPEN FOR HIM ON HIS FIRST WORLD TOUR.12 / 36KEN REEV - REEV IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AIN-AMERIN MAN TO HAVE SERVED AS MAYOR OF ANY CY THE UNED STAT. THE HARVARD COLLEGE AND UNIVERSY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL GRADUATE WAS MAYOR OF CAMBRIDGE, MASS.13 / 36PATRIK-IAN POLK - PATRIK-IAN POLK IS THE CREATOR, PRODUCER AND LEAD WRER OF THE ACCLAIMED LOGO TV SERI “NOAH’S ARC,” WHICH IS OFTEN SCRIBED AS “SEX AND THE CY” WH GAY CHARACTERS. “NOAH’S ARC” IS ABOUT FOUR BLACK GAY MEN LIVG LOS ANGEL. HE IS ALSO THE DIRECTOR BEHD THE GROUNDBREAKG BLACK GAY FEATURE FILM “PUNKS.”14 / 36FELICIA "SNOOP" PEARSON - FELICIA "SNOOP" PEARSON IS AN ACTRS, THOR AND RAPPER, KNOWN FOR HER ROLE ON THE HBO SERI “THE WIRE” AS A CHARACTER NAMED AFTER {WIDTH:267PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}15 / 36RAHSAAN PATTERSON - NAMED AFTER 60'S JAZZ SAXOPHONIST RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK, RAHSAAN PATTERSON'S SGG AND SONGWRG STYLE ARE REMISCENT OF STEVIE WONR,WHILE HIS VOICE HAS ALSO DRAWN PARISONS TO CHAKA KHAN. HIS CREDS CLU BRANDY'S PLATUM TOP 5 SMASH "BABY", AND TEV CAMPBELL'S H "BACK TO THE WORLD".ADVERTISEMENT16 / 36RON ON - ON IS AN OPENLY GAY POLICIAN. IN NOVEMBER 2003, HE WAS ELECTED THE MAYOR OF PALM SPRGS, CALIF., AFTER SERVG EIGHT YEARS ON S CY UNCIL. HE IS THE FATHER OF TWO DGHTERS AND THE GRANDFATHER OF TWO GIRLS AND ONE {WIDTH:300PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}17 / 36ME'SHELL NGéOCELLO - THE DGHTER OF A VOTEDLY RELIG MOTHER AND A STRICT ARY FATHER, ME'SHELL NGéOCELLO IS A SGER, SONGWRER, RAPPER, BASSIST, AND MULTI-STMENTALIST. THE MIC PRS HAS HAILED HER AS A REEMER OF SOUL MIC. HER MIC RPORAT FUNK, SOUL, HIP HOP, REGGAE, R&B, ROCK AND JAZZ. SHE HAS BEEN NOMATED FOR NE GRAMMY AWARDS.18 / 36NEB LUV - WHILE PRENTLY PURSUG A SOLO RERDG AL, SHE HAS ACHIEVED WELL-SERVED RPECT AND REGNN FOR HER ASSOCIATN WH WARREN G, HER PRODUCER ON DA 5 FOOTAZ LP RELEASED ON RTLS RERDS. NEB APPEARED ON THE “SET OFF” SOUNDTRACK SGLE, "THE HEIST” AND THE “JASON’S LYRIC” SOUNDTRACK SGLE, “WALK AWAY.” SHE ALSO APPEARED THE DEF PICTUR FEATURE FILM, "THE SHOW" AND HAS TOURED TERNATNALLY AS THE OPENG ACT FOR WARREN G AND THE FUGE, AND APPEARED ON “BET’S COMICVIEW.”19 / 36MéLANGE LAVONNE - LAVONNE, WHO IS AN OUTSPOKEN LBIAN HIP-HOP ARTIST, HER MIC TO TALK ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSU, PECIALLY WH THE LGBT MUNY. IN THE VIO FOR "GAY BASH," THE OUT MC LLS OUT THOSE WHO HATED HER IEND KEV ENOUGH TO KILL HIM, WHEN THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HIM.20 / 36MRICE JAMAL - MRICE JAMAL IS A DIRECTOR-WRER-PRODUCER, WHO IS THE CREATIVE MD BEHD THE LANDMARK LOGO NETWORK FILM "THE SKI TRIP" AND THE AWARD-WNG FAY EDY DRAMA "DIRTY LNDRY." HIS FIRST BREAK WAS ON THE FEATURE FILM “SPIR-MAN,” AND A SHORT PERD HE VELOPED A LENGTHY AND IMPRSIVE LIST OF CREDS, MOST NOTABLY THE COMEDY CENTRAL SMASH H "CHAPPELLE’S SHOW" – BOTH ONT AND BEHD THE MERA.ADVERTISEMENT21 / 36E. LYNN HARRIS - THE LATE E. LYNN HARRIS WAS AN OPENLY GAY THOR, MOST KNOWN FOR HIS PICTNS OF AIN-AMERIN MEN ON THE DOWN LOW OR THE CLOSET. HARRIS WAS IALLY UNABLE TO LAND A BOOK AL WH A REPUTABLE PUBLISHG HOE FOR HIS FIRST WORK, “INVISIBLE LIFE,” SO HE SELF-PUBLISHED THROUGH A VANY PUBLISHER AND SOLD PI OM HIS R TNK. SCE THEN, FIVE OF HIS NOVELS HAVE ACHIEVED NEW YORK TIM BTSELLER STAT. HE DIED 2009.22 / 36JAM EARL HARDY - JAM EARL HARDY IS BT KNOWN AS THE THOR OF THE B-BOY BLU SERI THAT CLUS: B-BOY BLU, 2ND TIME AROUND AND IF ONLY FOR ONE NE. THE SERI IS CREDED WH LNCHG THE AOCENTRIC, GAY, HIP-HOP LOVE GENRE. HARDY ALSO HAS WRTEN FOR ESSENCE, NEWSWEEK, ENTERTAMENT WEEKLY, THE WASHGTON POST, THE ADVOTE AND SOURCE.23 / 36ANGELA DAVIS - ANGELA DAVIS, AN AMERIN SOCIALIST ANIZER AND PROFSOR ONCE ASSOCIATED WH THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY, FIRST ACHIEVED NATNWI NOTORIETY WHEN SHE WAS LKED TO THE MURR OF JUDGE HAROLD HALEY DURG AN ATTEMPTED PRISON BREAK. SHE WAS A FUGIVE BUT WAS EVENTUALLY PTURED, ARRTED, TRIED; SHE WAS THEN ACQUTED ONE OF THE MOST FAMO TRIALS RECENT HISTORY. SHE IS NOW A PROFSOR OF HISTORY AT THE UNIVERSY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CZ.24 / 36KECIA CUNNGHAM - CUNNGHAM IS SERVG HER FOURTH TERM ON THE DETUR, GA., CY COUNCIL. THE AIN-AMERIN LBIAN FIRST WON 1999 AND HAS SCE N {WIDTH:268PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}25 / 36WILSON CZ - ACTOR WILSON CZ ME OUT AT THE AGE OF 19 AND THEN WENT TO HOLLYWOOD TO TRY TO START AN ACTG REER. HE WAS SUCCSFUL, AND HAS STARRED A NUMBER OF STAGE, TV AND FILM {WIDTH:400PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}26 / 36MISS CLEO - YOUREE DELL HARRIS, BETTER KNOWN AS MISS CLEO, IS A SELF-PROCLAIMED PSYCHIC AND SHAMAN WHO ACHIEVED FAME AS SPOKWOMAN TELEVISN ADS WHICH AIRED DURG THE LATE 1990S AND EARLY 2000S. IN THOSE ADS, SHE HAWKED A PSYCHIC PAY-PER-LL SERVICE. AS OF 2007, CLEO OFFERS PRIVATE PSYCHIC NSULTATNS AND OTHER SERVIC THROUGH WAHGWAAN ENTERTAMENT, BASED FORT LRDALE, FLA.27 / 36STACEYANN CH - STACEYANN CH IS A FULL-TIME ARTIST AND HAS BEEN AN “OUT POET AND POLIL ACTIVIST” SCE 1998. HAVG DRAWN ROG CHEERS OM THE NUYORIN POETS' Fé, ONE-WOMAN SHOWS OFF- BROADWAY, POETRY WORKSHOPS DENMARK AND LONDON, AND AS A -WRER AND PERFORMER THE TONY-NOMATED, RSELL SIMMONS DEF POETRY JAM, CH CREDS THE LONG LIST OF "THGS SHE HAS DONE" TO HER GRANDMOTHER'S HARD-WORKG HISTORY AND THE PA OF HER MOTHER'S ABSENCE.28 / 36JASMYNE CANNICK - AWARD-WNG JOURNALIST, JASMYNE CANNICK IS KNOWN FOR ADDRSG THE ISSU THAT OTHERS N'T OR SIMPLY WON'T. SHE IS A CRIC AND MENTATOR BASED LOS ANGEL WHO ADDRS THE TERSECTN OF RACE, CLASS, RELIGN AND GENR THE AIN-AMERIN MUNY AS PLAYED OUT TODAY'S POP CULTURE AND POLICS. SHE WAS SELECTED AS ONE OF ESSENCE MAGAZE'S 25 WOMEN SHAPG THE WORLD.29 / 36GORDON CHAMBERS - CHAMBERS IS A SOUL MIC VETERAN, BUT IS PRCIPALLY KNOWN AS A SONGWRER. OVER THE PAST DOZEN YEARS THE JAMAIN-BORN CHAMBERS HAS PENNED TUN FOR A VIRTUAL WHO'S WHO OF MORN URBAN ADULT NTEMPORARY SGERS, CLUDG WHNEY HOTON, HEATHER HEADLEY, CARL THOMAS, STEPHANIE MILLS, GLADYS KNIGHT, GERALD LEVERT AND PHYLLIS HYMAN. HE ALSO EARNED A SONGWRG GRAMMY AWARD 1995 FOR ANA BAKER'S "I APOLOGIZE."30 / 36KEH BOYK - KEH BOYK IS THE EDOR OF HE IS A NEW YORK TIM BT-SELLG THOR OF THREE BOOKS, AND A EQUENT POLIL MENTATOR ON {WIDTH:299PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}31 / 36KEV AVIANCE - NEW YORK FEMALE IMPERSONATOR SIGNER AND DANCE MICIAN KEV AVIANCE IS POPULAR THE NEW YORK CY GAY {WIDTH:348PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}32 / 36JOHN AMAECHI - JOHN AMAECHI BEME THE FIRST NBA PLAYER TO E OUT OF THE CLOSET. AMAECHI ME OUT AFTER HE LEFT THE LEAGUE.33 / 36DAGMAWI WOUBSHET - DAGMAWI WOUBSHET IS AN ASSISTANT PROFSOR OF ENGLISH AT CORNELL UNIVERSY, WHERE HE TEACH URS ON AIN-AMERIN AND PARATIVE AIN DIASPORA LERATURE AND CULTURE. HE RECIEVED HIS PHD OM HARVARD UNIVERSY 2007 AND HIS BA 1998 OM DE UNIVERSY. HIS SCHOLARLY TERTS CLU: CRIL RACE AND SEXUALY STUDI, NTEMPORARY BLACK VISUAL CULTURE, TRANSLATN, AND VERNACULAR ETHPIAN POETICS.34 / 36LAWRENCE WEBB - WEBB IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AIN AMERIN ELECTED THE STATE OF VIRGIA. LAWRENCE WAS ELECTED TO THE FALLS CHURCH CY COUNCIL 2008 AFTER HIS FIRST N FOR POLIL {WIDTH:535PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}35 / 36STANLEY BENT CLAY - STANLEY BENT CLAY IS AN THOR, FILMMAKER AND ACTOR. HE HAS WRTEN THREE NOVELS: “DIVA,” “IN SEARCH OF PRETTY YOUNG BLACK MEN” AND “LOOKER.” A SELF-SCRIBED “FANATIL LOS ANGEL TYPE OF PERSON,” CLAY WR STORI ABOUT THE BLACK GAY SCENE ON THE WT COAST. HE’S ALSO WON THREE NAACP IMAGE AWARDS FOR WRG, DIRECTG AND PRODUCG THE FILM “RUAL.”

"I am proud to be gay! " Wanda clared at a gay rally Las Vegas 2008.

\r(Photo: Angela Weiss/Getty Imag)7 / 37Jass Stewart - \rJass Stewart is the first-ever mory or openly-gay person to be elected to serve on Massachetts' Brockton Cy Council.

Reev ma history on a lol and natnal level, beg Cambridge's first Ain-Amerin mayor and the natn's first openly gay, Black mayor. \r\r(Photo: REUTERS/Lus Jackson /Landov)12 / 37Ken Reev - Reev is the first openly gay Ain-Amerin man to have served as mayor of any cy the Uned Stat.

THE UNIVERSE VERSE: BILL T. JON PERFORMS POET ROSS GAY’S O TO OUR HIGHT HUMAN POTENTIALI

(Photo: Ron Schltler)13 / 37Patrik Ian-Polk - Patrik-Ian Polk is the creator, producer and lead wrer of the acclaimed former Logo TV seri “Noah’s Arc, ” which was often scribed as “Sex and the Cy” wh gay characters.

He is also the director behd the groundbreakg 2001 Black gay feature film Punks.

FLORIDA'S FIRST OPENLY GAY STATE SENATOR SPEAKS OUT ON 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL

"\r(Photo: MCT/HO /Landov)16 / 37Ron On - On is an openly gay polician. In the vio for "Gay Bash, " the out MC lls out those who hated her iend Kev enough to kill him, when they didn't even know him. Lynn Harris was an openly gay thor, most known for his pictns of Ain-Amerin men on the down low or the closet.

28 OLST GAY CELEBS (AND WHY WE STILL LOVE THEM)THE LEGENDS NTUE TO MAKE IMPACTFUL NTRIBUTNS TO OUR CULTURE AT {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}CELEBRIBY MICHAEL MTOFEBARY 17, 2020/9:00 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:3447PX;WIDTH:5171PX;}ROY ROCHL/GETTY IMAGNEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 19: STEPHEN SONDHEIM ATTENDS THE 2019 AMERIN SONGBOOK GALA AT ALICE TULLY HALL AT LLN CENTER ON JUNE 19, 2019 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY ROY ROCHL/GETTY IMAG)BY MICHAEL MTOFEBARY 17, 2020 / 9:00 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"28 OLST GAY CELEBS (AND WHY WE STILL LOVE THEM)","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2020-02-17T14:00:49.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2020-02-17T14:00:49.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"MICHAEL MTO","KEYWORDS":"MTO UNFILTERED","ARTICLESECTN":"CELEBRI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PICTURED ABOVE: STEPHEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LIKE FE WE, GAY INS IMPROVE WH AGE, OFFERG WORLDLY WISDOM AND THORY ALONG WH THE GROUNDBREAKG TALENT THEY’VE SERVED ALL THE YEARS. HERE’S A TOAST TO THE OLST ON AND WHAT THEY STILL BRG TO THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KENH ANGER, 93STT RUDD/PATRICK MCMULLAN VIA GETTY IMAGNEW YORK CITY, NY - MARCH 1: KENH ANGER ATTENDS WHNEY BIENNIAL 2006, DAY FOR NIGHT AT WHNEY MM OF AMERIN ART ON MARCH 1, 2006 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY STT RUDD/PATRICK MCMULLAN VIA GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KNOWN FOR NTROVERSIAL SHORT FILMS LIKE THE LEATHER-DRENCHED RABBLE-ROER SRP RISG AND THE OCCULT-ISH LUCIFER RISG AND HIS EXPLOSIVE BOOK OF CELEBRY SEX GOSSIP, HOLLYWOOD BABYLON, ANGER HAS LONG BEEN A GAY PROVOTR OF THE FIRST RANK. THANKS TO HIS URBAN LEGEND-FILLED TOME, YOU N NEVER WATCH AN OLD CLARA BOW MOVIE WHOUT THKG OF HER SLEEPG WH THE ENTIRE USC FOOTBALL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHN KANR, 92SANTIAGO FELIPE/GETTY IMAGNEW YORK, NY - MAY 20: JOHN KANR ATTENDS THE 2018 CHA RIVERA AWARDS AT NYU SKIRBALL CENTER ON MAY 20, 2018 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY SANTIAGO FELIPE/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WH HIS LATE LYRICIST PARTNER FRED EBB, KANR POSED THE LIBLE SR OF CABARET AND CHIGO, AS WELL AS THE CLASSIC TUNE, “NEW YORK, NEW YORK.” MIL THEATER IS A MORE EXALTED PLACE THANKS TO HIS WORKS, AND SOMEONE NAMED LIZA WOULD SURELY AGREE, AND ALL THAT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GEE MAHARIS, 91ARCHIV/WALT DISNEY TELEVISN VIA GETTY IMAG)UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 09: JOURNEY TO THE UNKNOWN - "MISS BELLE" 5/8/70 GEE MAHARIS (PHOTO BY WALT DISNEY TELEVISN VIA GETTY IMAG PHOTO ARCHIV/WALT DISNEY TELEVISN VIA GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE GOOD LOOKG GREEK-AMERIN ACTOR BEME A STAR ON TELEVISN'S ROUTE 66 AND WENT ON TO MAKE POP ALBUMS AND MOVI OF VARYG SUCCS. BUT HE WAS SORT OF THE ORIGAL GEE MICHAEL, HAVG BEEN BTED GAY SEX SNDALS RTROOMS 1967 AND 1974. I’VE BEEN NNG THROUGH PUBLIC BATHROOMS LOOKG FOR HIM EVER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}STEPHEN SONDHEIM, 89ROY ROCHL/GETTY IMAGNEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 19: STEPHEN SONDHEIM ATTENDS THE 2019 AMERIN SONGBOOK GALA AT ALICE TULLY HALL AT LLN CENTER ON JUNE 19, 2019 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY ROY ROCHL/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WH JOKER, MARRIAGE STORY, AND KNIV OUT ALL CLUDG HIS SONGS (OR BS OF THEM), SONDHEIM IS MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER. THERE’S BARELY A SEASON WHOUT A REVIVAL OR MOVIE VERSN OF ONE OF HIS WORKS. (COMPANY IS RETURNG TO BROADWAY THIS SEASON, WHILE WT SI STORY, WHICH HE DID THE LYRICS FOR, IS ALREADY THERE AGA, AND THE SEND WT SI STORY MOVIE VERSN OUT THIS YEAR.) THIS IS THE MAN THAT ALSO WROTE THE HEAD-SPNG SR FOR FOLLI, INTO THE WOODS, AND SWEENEY TODD, AND EVERY THEATER QUEEN WH ANY CREDIBILY IS LIVG FOR HIM TO FISH HIS BUNUEL MIL. Y, HE’S STILL HERE, HE’S STILL HERE...{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOEL GREY, 87BEN HIR/GETTY IMAGNEW YORK, NY - APRIL 07: ACTOR JOEL GREY ATTENDS "HAND TO GOD" BROADWAY OPENG NIGHT AT BOOTH THEATER ON APRIL 7, 2015 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY BEN HIR/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE TONY AND OSR WNER, FOREVER KNOWN AS THE LEERG MC CABARET, GREY FALLY ME OUT AS GAY 2015. THOUGH FOUR YEARS EARLIER, 2011, HE -DIRECTED THE REVIVAL OF LARRY KRAMER’S BLISTERG AIDS PLAY THE NORMAL HEART—A BOUNTIFUL GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}RICHARD CHAMBERLA, 85JASON LAVERIS/FILMMAGICLOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 19: ACTOR RICHARD CHAMBERLA ATTENDS THE PREMIERE OF "TW PEAKS" AT ACE HOTEL ON MAY 19, 2017 LOS ANGEL, CALIFORNIA. (PHOTO BY JASON LAVERIS/FILMMAGIC){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A HEARTTHROB AS TELEVISN'S DR. KILDARE THE 1960S, CHAMBERLA WENT ON TO MISERI LIKE THE THORN BIRDS, AND HE PLAYED JASON BOURNE THE BOURNE INTY 1988, WAY BEFORE MATT DAMON. HE DIDN’T E OUT UNTIL 2003, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD A VERY STRONG FEELG—AND NOT JT BEE HE -STARRED A MIL VERSN OF BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DON BACHARDY, 85ADAM BERRY/GETTY IMAGBERLIN, GERMANY - OCTOBER 14: DON BACHARDY, ARTIST AND PARTNER OF THE LATE BRISH THOR CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD, SPEAKS AT A READG OF ISHERWOOD'S WORK ON OCTOBER 14, 2014 BERL, GERMANY. BACHARDY AND ISHERWOOD WERE A UPLE FOR A PERD OF 33 YEARS, UNTIL THE LATTER'S ATH, AND BACHARDY'S FIRST VIS TO BERL CIS WH THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PUBLITN OF 'GOODBYE TO BERL,' ISHERWOOD'S NOVEL ABOUT BERL THE EARLY 1930S, THE PERD WHICH ADOLF HLER BEGAN TO E TO POWER. (PHOTO BY ADAM BERRY/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE PARTNER OF THE LATE, GREAT THOR CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD (GOODBYE TO BERL, A SGLE MAN), BACHARDY IS A RENOWNED PORTRA ARTIST LIVG CALIFORNIA AND STILL CREATG NEW {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LARRY KRAMER, 84MELANIE BURFORD FOR THE WASHGTON POST VIA GETTY IMAGPLAYWRIGHT LARRY KRAMER OF THE PRODUCTN 'THE NORMAL HEART' HIS APARTMENT MANHATTAN, NEW YORK ON APRIL 22, 2012. (PHOTO BY MELANIE BURFORD FOR THE WASHGTON POST VIA GETTY IMAG.){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE FIERY ACTIVIST AND THOR (FAGGOTS, THE NORMAL HEART) IS STILL SHAKG THGS UP AND MAKG A DIFFERENCE BY TARGETG PLACENCY AMONGST HOMOPHOB AND PEOPLE OUR OWN MUNY, AS WELL. HE’S VALUABLE AS AN ONGOG FORCE OF NATURE WHO NEVER RTS ON HIS LRELS. HIS RECENT BOOK, THE AMERIN PEOPLE: VOLUME 2: THE BTALY OF FACT, IS OFFICIALLY SCRIBED AS PLETG “HIS RADIL REIMAGG OF HIS UNTRY’S HISTORY.” I’LL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHNNY MATHIS, 84PL ARCHULETA/GETTY IMAGUNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 05: SGER JOHNNY MATHIS VISS HALLMARK CHANNEL'S "HOME & FAY" AT UNIVERSAL STUDS HOLLYWOOD ON DECEMBER 05, 2019 UNIVERSAL CY, CALIFORNIA. (PHOTO BY PL ARCHULETA/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE VELVET-VOICED SGER OF CLASSICS LIKE “CHANC ARE,” MATHIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DIBLE VOIC EVERY HOLIDAY SEASON, THANKS TO HIS CROONG OF VAR CHRISTMAS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GEE TAKEI, 82TOMMASO BODDI/WIREIMAGELOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 11: GEE TAKEI ATTENDS THE 3RD ANNUAL SPORTS HUMANARIAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS AT THE NOVO BY MICROSOFT ON JULY 11, 2017 LOS ANGEL, CALIFORNIA. (PHOTO BY TOMMASO BODDI/WIREIMAGE){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TAKEI IS BT KNOWN FOR PLAYG THE HELMSMAN SULU ON STAR TREK, BUT HE’S VELOPED A WHOLE NEW CHAPTER AS AN OPN MAKER WH SOME POTED POLIL TWEETS THAT HAVE AMASSED NEARLY THREE LN FOLLOWERS. TAKEI LOV TO STIR UP, AND HE DO SO RIVETG WAYS, ALWAYS THE HELMSMAN. HE MARRIED HIS PARTNER, BRAD ALTMAN, {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SIR DEREK JABI, 81DAVID M. BET/DAVE BET/WIREIMAGELONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 02: SIR DEREK JABI ATTENDS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF "MURR ON THE ORIENT EXPRS" AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL ON NOVEMBER 2, 2017 LONDON, ENGLAND. (PHOTO BY DAVID M. BET/DAVE BET/WIREIMAGE){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE ACCLAIMED SHAKPEAREAN ACTOR REGISTERED A CIVIL PARTNERSHIP WH DIRECTOR RICHARD CLIFFORD THE UNED KGDOM 2006. NE YEARS LATER, HE AND PAL IAN MCKELLEN (HIS -STAR VIC, THE BRISH S ABOUT A BICKERG GAY UPLE) WERE THE GRAND MARSHALS FOR THE NYC PRI MARCH. THEY WERE THE CLASSIT ON {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TERRENCE MCNALLY, 81BCE GLIKAS/WIREIMAGENEW YORK, NY - APRIL 18: PLAYWRIGHT TERRENCE MCNALLY POS AT A MEET AND GREET PHOTO LL FOR THE PLAY "FRANKIE & JOHNNY THE CLAIR LUNE" ON BROADWAY AT THE NEW 42ND STREET STUDS ON APRIL 18, 2019 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY BCE GLIKAS/WIREIMAGE){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE LONG-NNG PLAYWRIGHT HAS BROUGHT THE RZ (SET A GAY BATHHOE), LOVE! VALOUR! COMPASSN! (SET AT A HOLIDAY RETREAT FOR GAY IENDS) AND MASTER CLASS (ABOUT DIVA SUPREMA MARIA CALLAS). TACKLG GAY ISSU WH HUMOR AND HEART, MCNALLY HAS ALSO SERVED THE LIBRETTOS FOR THE RK, KISS OF THE SPIR WOMAN, RAGTIME, AND OPERAS, {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TOMMY TUNE, 80JARED SISK/PATRICK MCMULLAN VIA GETTY IMAGNEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 23: TOMMY TUNE ATTENDS METROPOLAN OPERA OPENG NIGHT GALA, PREMIERE OF "PY AND BS" ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY JARED SISK/PATRICK MCMULLAN VIA GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A SEVEN-TIME TONY WNER (FOR PERFORMG, DIRECTN, AND CHOREOGRAPHY, PL A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD), THE LANKY TEXAN WHIPPED UP MAGIL BROADWAY PRODUCTNS LIKE NE, GRAND HOTEL, AND THE WILL ROGERS FOLLI. HIS TASTE AND SKILL ARE MISSED ON BROADWAY, BUT HIS IMPACT IS FOREVER FELT. TOMMY TURNS 81 ON FEBARY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SIR IAN MCKELLEN, 80DAVID M. BET/DAVE BET/GETTY IMAG FOR PL SMHPARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 19: SIR IAN MCKELLEN WEARG PL SMH ATTENDS THE PL SMH AW20 50TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW AS PART OF PARIS FASHN WEEK ON JANUARY 19, 2020 PARIS, FRANCE. (PHOTO BY DAVID M. BET/DAVE BET/GETTY IMAG FOR PL SMH){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AN OPENLY GAY ACTOR WH TWO ANCHIS UNR HIS BELT (THE LORD OF THE RGS AND X-MEN), MCKELLEN—TWICE-OSR NOMATED—ME OUT 1988 AND HAS BEEN A FORCE THE CULTURE EVER SCE. AND, BY THE WAY, HE APPARENTLY TURNED DOWN DUMBLEDORE HARRY POTTER. HE ULD HAVE HAD THREE ANCHIS!{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOEL SCHUMACHER, 80MIKE PONT/FILMMAGICNEW YORK, NY - MAY 28: FILM DIRECTOR JOEL SCHUMACHER ATTENDS THE 12TH ANNUAL SAME WORKSHOP BENEF GALA AT CIPRIANI 42ND STREET ON MAY 28, 2014 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY MIKE PONT/FILMMAGIC){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A POPULAR NEW YORK PRENCE, SCHUMACHER WAS A STUME SIGNER BEFORE HE TURNED TO MOVIE WRG (SPARKLE, THE WIZ) AND DIRECTG (ST. ELMO’S FIRE, THE CLIENT, AND TWO NTROVERSIAL BATMAN MOVI). AND THAT’S NOT ALL. IN AN TERVIEW LAST YEAR, SCHUMACHER TIMATED THAT HE HAD SLEPT WH ABOUT 20,000 MEN—SO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}EDMUND WHE, 80LEONARDO CENDAMO/GETTY IMAGEDMUND WHE, WRER, LERARY CRIC, PLAYWRIGHT AND SAYIST, MANTOVA, ITALY, 2010. (PHOTO BY LEONARDO CENDAMO/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WH HIS CLASSIC BOOKS CLUDG THE BETIFUL ROOM IS EMPTY AND THE FAREWELL SYMPHONY, EDMUND WHE HAS PROBABLY WRTEN MORE ABOUT SAME-SEX LOVE THAN ANYONE ON EARTH. AND MORE KNOWGLY, {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PETER BERL, {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:75%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SORT OF A KEN DOLL BY WAY OF TOM OF FLAND, THE POLAND-BORN BERL WORE TIGHT-FTG CLOTH THAT SHOWED OFF HIS THROBBG ARMS AND OTHER BULG, AND BEME A TOP MOL AND PORN ACTOR THE HORMONALLY WILD 1970S. AT THE TIME, HE ALSO GOT BEHD THE LENS AND TOOK SOME EROTIC PHOTOGRAPHS THAT HE SHOWED OFF A 2015 NYC GALLERY SHOW, WHICH HE FLEW OM SAN FRANCIS TO HOST. “I GAVE PEOPLE A LOT OF GOOD CLIMAX,” BERL TOLD ME, {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DAVID GEFFEN, 76STEPHEN LOVEK/GETTY IMAGNEW YORK - MARCH 15: INDUCTEE DAVID GEFFEN ATTENDS THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME 2010 DUCTN CEREMONY AT THE WALDORF ASTORIA HOTEL ON MARCH 15, 2010 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY STEPHEN LOVEK/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HE -CREATED GEFFEN RERDS AND DREAMWORKS PICTUR AND HE’S BEEN SO SUCCSFUL AT THAT HE’S WORTH ABOUT $8 BILLN, BUT HE’S ALSO KNOWN AS A PHILANTHROPIST AND A PATRON OF THE ARTS. COMG OUT 1992, GEFFEN BEME ONE OF THE MOST HIGH PROFILE GAY POWER BROKERS THE WORLD, AND HE’S NOT ABOUT TO BUDGE OM THAT THRONE. DAVID TURNS 77 ON FEBARY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BARRY MANILOW, 76NICHOLAS HUNT/GETTY IMAG FOR MICHAEL KORSNEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 13: BARRY MANILOW PERFORMS ON THE NWAY DURG THE MICHAEL KORS COLLECTN FALL 2019 RUNWAY SHOW AT CIPRIANI WALL STREET ON FEBARY 13, 2019 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY NICHOLAS HUNT/GETTY IMAG FOR MICHAEL KORS){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE CHART-TOPPG SGER OF “MANDY” AND “I WRE THE SONGS” KEPT HIS SEXUALY A SECRET OM HIS FAN BASE FOR S. BUT 2015, HE FALLY REVEALED THAT HE’D MARRIED HIS LONGTIME PARTNER, GARRY KIEF, AND THE FANS WERE FE WH . I GUS HE N’T SE WHOUT HIM...{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FELICE PINO, 75JU DOMSKI/WIREIMAGENEW YORK, NY - JUNE 04: WRER FELICE PINO ATTENDS THE 2012 LAMBDA LERARY AWARDS AT THE GRADUATE CENTER AT CY UNIVERSY OF NEW YORK ON JUNE 4, 2012 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY JU DOMSKI/WIREIMAGE){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE NYC WRER/CRIC HAS NOT ONLY HAD HIS WORDS FEATURED JT ABOUT EVERY MAJOR QUEER PUBLITN THERE IS, BUT HE’S STARTED PUBLISHG HO THAT HAVE SHOWSED THE WORKS OF UP AND G QUEER ARTISTS FOR YEARS. HE IS SENTIAL. PINO TURNS 76 ON FEBARY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ARMISTEAD MP, 75SOPHIE BASSOULS/SYGMA VIA GETTY IMAGWRER ARMISTEAD MP, THOR OF "TAL OF THE CY" SAT MALO'S FTIVAL S ETONNANTS VOYAGRS, 20TH MAY 2018 (PHOTO BY SOPHIE BASSOULS/SYGMA VIA GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A LERARY LEGEND AND A GAY VOICE, MP IS BT KNOWN FOR WRG TAL OF THE CY, A SERI OF QUIRKY SAN FRANCIS–SET {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GORDON THOMSON, 74PL ARCHULETA/FILMMAGICLOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 16: ACTOR GORDON THOMSON ATTENDS THE PREMIERE OF "WTERTHORNE" AT THE RENBERG THEATRE ON AUGT 16, 2015 LOS ANGEL, CALIFORNIA. (PHOTO BY PL ARCHULETA/FILMMAGIC){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE CANADIAN ACTOR WAS SENSATNALLY SEXY AS THE SNARLG ADAM CARRGTON ON THE PRIME TIME SOAP DYNASTY, STARTG 1982. HE ME OUT 2017, TELLG THE DAILY BEAST, “IT’S NOT SOMETHG I’VE EVER ANNOUNCED. I’M ASSUMG THAT PEOPLE KNOW, AND NOW THAT I’M MY AGE, THAT’S FE.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ANDRé DE SHIELDS, 74TAYLOR HILL/FILMMAGICNEW YORK, NY - JUNE 09: ANDRE DE SHIELDS ATTENDS THE 2019 TONY AWARDS AT RAD CY MIC HALL ON JUNE 9, 2019 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY TAYLOR HILL/FILMMAGIC,){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE ORIGAL WIZ THE WIZ, DE SHIELDS HAS HAD A STORIED BROADWAY REER, LAST YEAR WNG A TONY FOR HIS SPARKPLUG PERFORMANCE AS HERM, THE SALTY NARRATOR OF HASTOWN. HIS TRIP TO THE PODIUM WAS ONE OF TONY’S ALL-TIME FEEL-GOOD {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHN WATERS, 73ROB MARCHANT/GETTY IMAGNEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 13: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE/SPECIAL RATES APPLY) JOHN WATERS ATTENDS A JOHN WATERS CHRISTMAS 2013 AT STAGE 48 ON DECEMBER 13, 2013 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY ROB MARCHANT/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE MAN WHO CHANGED THE WORD WH LICLY MENTED MOVI LIKE PK FLAMGOS AND FEMALE TROUBLE, THE BALTIMORE-BASED WATERS WENT ON TO SUCCSFULLY SWCH TON WH THE SOCIALLY NSC HAIRSPRAY. HE DON’T MAKE FILMS ANYMORE, BUT YOU N TCH UP WH HIM VIA HIS BOOKS AND HIS SPEAKG ENGAGEMENTS, WHICH ARE A SPLENDID MIX OF HIGH- AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SIR ELTON JOHN, 72DIA DIPASUPIL/GETTY IMAGBEVERLY HILLS, CA - FEBRUARY 24: ELTON JOHN ATTENDS THE 2019 VANY FAIR OSR PARTY HOSTED BY RADHIKA JON AT WALLIS ANNENBERG CENTER FOR THE PERFORMG ARTS ON FEBARY 24, 2019 BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA. (PHOTO BY DIA DIPASUPIL/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE SEQUED ROCKETMAN [WHO RECENTLY PICKED UP A SEND OSR] HAS NOTHG TO PROVE ANYMORE, HAVG LONG BEEN AN OPENLY GAY HMAKER AND FASHN PLATE. BUT HE’S NOT EXACTLY RTG ON ROYALTI OM “CRODILE ROCK” AND THE LN KG. HE’S WRTEN THE MIC FOR A DEVIL WEARS PRADA MIL HEAD TO BROADWAY NEXT SEASON, AND EVEN IF DON’T GET A LOT OF VERAGE VOGUE, SOUNDS LIKE A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BCE VILANCH, 71DJALA ROSA COCHRAN/WIREIMAGEBCE VILANCH DURG 19TH ANNUAL BROADWAY'S STARS THE ALLEY AT SHUBERT ALLEY NEW YORK CY, NEW YORK, UNED STAT. (PHOTO BY DJALA ROSA COCHRAN/WIREIMAGE){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}VILANCH WROTE FOR BETTE MIDLER, HE WROTE THE JOK ON THE OSRS, HE KNOWS EVERYONE ON BOTH ASTS, AND HE’S JT DAMNED FUNNY. AND IF A GAY N’T BE FUNNY, HE DON’T SERVE TO LIVE LONG!{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SIR ANTONY SHER, 70DAVID LEVENSON/GETTY IMAGOXFORD, ENGLAND - MARCH 17: ANTONY SHER, ACTOR AT THE FT WEEKEND OXFORD LERARY FTIVAL ON MARCH 17, 2018 OXFORD, ENGLAND. (PHOTO BY DAVID LEVENSON/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE SOUTH AIN BORN OLIVIER AWARD-WNG ACTOR ENTERED TO A U.K. CIVIL PARTNERSHIP WH GREGORY DORAN, A DIRECTOR WHOM HE HAS WORKED WH MANY TIM. THEY MAKE A GOOD LLABORATN. Y, SIR!{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BILL T. JON, 68HNNY NUNEZ/WIREIMAGENEW YORK, NY - MAY 21: HONOREE BILL T. JON SPEAKS AT THE BROTHERHOOD/SISTER SOL VOIC 15 GALA AT THE ZIEGFELD BALLROOM ON MAY 21, 2019 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY JOHNNY NUNEZ/WIREIMAGE){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A LEGEND THE DANCE MUNY, JON IS THE -FOUNR OF THE BILL T. JON/ARNIE ZANE DANCE COMPANY. (ZANE, HIS LOVER AND LLABORATOR, DIED OF AIDS 1988.) JON’ PERSONAL AND PROBG WORK HAS EXTEND TO BROADWAY PRODUCTNS LIKE SPRG AWAKENG AND FELA!, BOTH OF WHICH HE WON A TONY AWARD FOR. JON IS MARRIED TO BJORN AMELAN, WHO IS THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR FOR JON/{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LET’S ALSO CLU BOB MACKIE (80), WHO HAD A WIFE THE 1960S AND LATER WAS PARTNERED WH FELLOW SIGNER RAY AGHAYAN; AND TWICE-MARRIED LATE BLOOMER CALV KLE (77).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LONG MAY THEY FLOURISH!{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}MTO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

The seri is creded wh lnchg the Aocentric, gay, hip hop love genre.

\r(Photo: Rob Loud/Getty Imag)31 / 37Kev Aviance - New York female impersonator, signer and dance mician Kev Aviance is popular the New York Cy gay scene. He is a member of the gay performers' group Hoe of Aviance.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* BILL T JONES GAY

The Universe Verse: Bill T. Jon Performs Poet Ross Gay’s O to Our Hight Human Potentiali – The Margalian .

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