Gay Pride Month
In past years, a long list of celebrities, athletes, politicians and television personalities have opened up about their sexual orientation. Here's how some notable and talented people told the world.
"True Blood" star Evan Rachel Wood joined a host of celebs who have come out of the closet when she announced in April that she is bisexual. Read about it here.
An anchor for this 24-hour news network, Don Lemon announced last month that he is gay. Find out more and watch him discuss it.
President and CEO of this NBA team and co-founder of the WNBA, Rick Welts did something rare in the world of sports last month: He came out as a gay man. Find out more and watch news coverage.
Scott Norton, a professional player in professional bowling, is thought to have become the first active athlete in professional sports to reveal his homosexuality. Read more about it here.
Former TV star, Geri Jewell, revealed that she is a lesbian in her new book, "I'm Walking as Straight as I Can", which also delves into her money problems and struggles with a disorder.
He was every young girl's dream guy in the late '80s as a member of one of the hottest boy bands. Early this year, the former pop star came out as a gay man. Read more about it, and watch him perform.
Former sitcom star Sara Gilbert officially came out as a lesbian last year. Read more about it.
Ending years of speculation, the Puerto Rican pop singer announced he was a gay man on his blog in March.
The daughter of a staunch Republican former vice president, Cheney almost quit her job as campaign adviser in the 2004 presidential campaign over her sexuality.
The country singer announced she was a lesbian last year, apparently to the surprise of many who know her, including her famous former boyfriend. Watch her music videos and see photos.
In 2005, this pro women's basketball player and MVP came out as a lesbian in a popular sports magazine, where she called life in the closet "miserable"
Though he will likely always be known as the little genius on "Doogie Howser, M.D.", he propelled his career even further with the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother", which started in 2006, just one year after he came out as a gay man
This famous '80s "Family Ties" mom and real-life mother of five revealed in late 2009 that she is attracted to women
The Minneapolis native and former "Grey's Anatomy" hot doc confirmed he was gay in 2006. Why did he leave "Grey's"?
In a rare event, the former NFL player came out in 2002 on HBO's "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel" and has since served as a board member of the Gay and Lesbian Athletics Foundation.
Best known as Mr. Sulu on the original "Star Trek" series, the actor, who spent his childhood in a Japanese-American internment camp, came out in 2005.
He played the gay character Jack McFarland on "Will & Grace", and after confirming last year he is in fact a homosexual, he said he'd "never" been in the closet
The "American Idol" Season 8 runner-up confirmed his sexuality on the cover of Rolling Stone last year and is credited with becoming the first openly gay mainstream artist to launch a career with a major U.S. label.
Once married to a man, this former women's tennis champ was the first professional women's athlete to come out as a lesbian
The financial guru announced in 2007 that she was a lesbian, calling herself a "55-year-old virgin"
The Hollywood actress who starred opposite this famous actor in "Top Gun" said she had struggled with her sexuality since the age of 12, finally telling the public at 51 that she was a lesbian
As Niles on "Frasier", he was infatuated with his father's housekeeper, Daphne, but in real life he confirmed in 2007 his sexuality and longtime relationship with television writer-producer Brian Hargrove
Born Amanda Lee Rogers, the Australian actress is married to talk show host and funnywoman Ellen DeGeneres and credits her wife for supporting her choice to come out.
Last year the ubiquitous superstar announced that she has had intimate relationships with both men and women. View a gallery of her outfits.
The "American Idol" runner-up came out as a gay man when he appeared on the cover of People magazine in 2008 holding his newborn son, saying, "I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things."
The "True Blood" star is married to her vampire-playing co-star, Stephen Moyer, and dropped a bombshell last year when she revealed she is bisexual
The host of MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" is the first outed lesbian to host a prime-time news show in the United States.
An often controversial and outspoken comedian, Rosie O'Donnell said she was a lesbian in a television interview in 2002
The popular talk show host famously came out on her sitcom in 1997 and on the cover of Time magazine the same year
A congressional Democrat who represents the 4th District of the Bay State, Frank made his sexuality public in 1987, after six years as an elected representative
Nominated by President Barack Obama to head the Office of Personnel Management, he is the highest-ranking openly gay official in the administration.
