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In celebration of Pride Month, here's a list of some of the celebrities who've shared their sexual and/or gender identities publicly in 2022.
The Oscar-nominated actor said she had been out as bisexual to friends and colleagues but was shocked when no one asked her about wearing the word “queer” on her Dolce & Gabanna suit at the 2022 Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards.
“I was thinking, ‘Why didn’t more people pay attention to that?’ And I was like, ‘They probably thought it said ‘Queen,’” Ellis told Variety earlier this month. “It wasn’t that I was expecting any sort of major reaction or anything like that. One of my family members noticed, but nobody else did.”
"It's taken me a long time to come to terms with my transness because so much space has been taken up by my illness. My condition has caused me so much physical and emotional pain that my body became something I always wanted out of," the Drag Race season 14 contestant wrote on Twitter. Willow Pill has cystinosis, which is a disease that can cause issues with various vital bodily functions including her muscles.
"During quarantine, I started to explore my feelings about my illness and unpacked a lot of medical PTSD and self-hatred," Willow Pill wrote. "But only in the last year have I really started to realize that I'm not happy with my gender identity either. Much of that is due to being on Drag Race and feeling euphoria being Willow for the first time since quarantine and being around a bunch of queer and trans friends on set."
In February, Sawyer Fredericks, winner of season 8 of The Voice came out on Instagram.
“Hey everyone. it is time for my #Truthfultuesday,” his post began. “Since I have not publicly said this in a post, I wanted [to] say that I am Bisexual.”
The singer went on to explain how he came to this realization as he got older and understood that sexuality extends beyond the binary of straight or gay.
“When I was younger I thought I was straight, because I was more attracted to women, and I didn’t know there were more options besides Gay and Straight. So I just assumed I was Straight,” he said.
On an episode of Untucked in February, the Drag Race season 14 contestant shared her trans experience.
"I definitely feel like I am trans," Jasmine Kennedie said. "I've been so scared to say it. I have held back from it for so long because I didn't want to hurt my dad but I can't lie about it anymore. I am trans."
Rebel Wilson came out this month in an Instagram post, introducing her world to her girlfriend, Ramona Agruma.
“I thought I was searching for a Disney Prince,” she captioned the sweet pic, alongside a rainbow emoji and the hashtag #LoveIsLove. “But maybe what I really needed all this time was a Disney Princess.”
Shortly after Wilson came out, news broke that she did so because The Sydney Morning Herald had planned to run a piece about the relationship.
On his comedy show on HBO Max in April, comedian and actor Jerrod Carmichael came out.
While discussing catching his father cheating on his mother, Carmichael told the crowd, "After that was out in the open, I was left alone feeling like a liar because I had a secret."
"One that I kept from my father, my mother, my family, my friends, and you. Professionally, personally. And the secret is that I’m gay." he said. "I’m accepting the love, I really appreciate the love. My ego wants to rebel against it. I rebelled against it my whole life. I thought I’d never, ever come out. At many points I thought I’d rather die than confront the truth of that, to actually say it to people. Because I know it changes some people’s perceptions of me. I can’t control that."
“I’m attracted to…people!” Phillippe wrote in a Q&A on her Instagram account. “Gender is whatever.”
Philippe is the daughter of actors Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe.
Drag performer and RuPaul's Drag Race season 14 contestant, Bosco, came out as trans back in February. In a tweet, she told followers that she had started hormone therapy after filming of Drag Race wrapped up the previous summer.
"I'm now in a place where I'm surrounded by love and support," she wrote. "Love from my heaven sent boyfriend, stunning peers, and incredible friends. I'm not quite where I want to be yet, but I'm starting to see her [peek] through more and more."
The Hedwig and the Angry Inch co-creator and Joe vs. Carole actor came out as nonbinary in March.
In an interview with PRIDE, Mitchell said, "Lately I've been getting a little bit of flack from some people saying only trans people can play that role because it's a trans role."
He added, "I'm not trans, I'm non-binary, but that's a slippery slope because the character is forced into an operation and is not really trans."
Broadway vet and star of the musical Dear Evan Hansen Jessica Phillips spoke with People earlier this year about her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, including discovering her queer identity.
“When the pandemic hit, I was at the peak of all this self-discovery and exploration,” Phillips, who had previously identified as a straight cisgender woman, told the magazine. She now identifies as queer.
“It wasn't about changing identities, rather expanding my identity," she said.
U.K. artist and "Next to Me" singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé revealed in March that she was in a relationship with another woman.
“I never intended to do a big coming-out reveal or anything like that, but with the video [for "There Isn't Much"], it felt like a natural way to do it — especially with this song [with] me falling in love with a woman,” Sandé told The Advocate shortly after coming out. “I love being able to put out new music. I love the response from it. But then being able to come home and have somebody that truly loves and supports me, it just makes it 1,000 times better.”
“Since this song has been blowing up, I guess now is a good time to tell you all. I’m a lesbian,” the musician and TikTok creator said in a January video where she spoke about her song “God Is a Freak.”
While on the set of Red Table Talk, Grammy-nominated Janelle Monáe said they identified as nonbinary.
"I’m nonbinary, so I just don’t see myself as a woman, solely. I feel all of my energy," the pansexual star said. "I feel like God is so much bigger than the 'he' or the 'she.' And if I am from God, I am everything. I am everything. But I will always, always stand with women. I will always stand with Black women. But I just see everything that I am. Beyond the binary."
Trinity The Tuck wrote in an Instagram post in March that she identified as trans and nonbinary.
"Years ago after starting drag I seriously questioned how I identified with my gender," the Drag Race season 9 finalist and All Stars 4 co-winner wrote. "That's why I altered my body starting at the age of 21 to look more feminine and also started hormone therapy for a short period."
Trinity added, "I stopped because I personally don't know that I would be comfortable living as female with the way I'd physically look. Everyone has their own journey I suppose. I've spoken with many of my friends who are trans to get their thoughts and insight over the years. I still don't know where my journey will take me, but I am trans-NB. I wanted to share my feelings in hopes that others who felt like me would know they aren't alone. Sending out love! I hope it finds you."
In an April reunion special for the Netflix reality dating show The Ultimatum, Williams came out as bisexual.
"I have been with one person...she’s amazing. I had a really good connection with her but we kept it casual and I’m kind of figuring out myself and my sexuality, because I was very uncomfortable with being bi for a very long time," she said.
