Billboard
declared Ariana Grande ‘the gay icon of her generation,’ and the
internet’s divided.
Whether you
love her music or not, there’s no doubt Grande is a huge supporter of the LGBTI
community.
Her
unconditional love for her gay brother matched with her continued
fight for equality across the board is truly inspiring.
But just
because she’s straight, does that mean she’s disqualified as a gay icon?
Numerous viral
tweets in response to the original tweet seem to think so.
One read: ‘Wow,
that’s so progressive I’m so happy to be living in a world where a fucking
straight girl can be a gay icon.’
Another
tweeted: ‘Rather than recognizing a straight woman as your gay icon, here is a
list of some LGBT artists that can be your gay icon instead.’
They then
listed LGBTI artists and celebrities, like Troye Sivan, Adam Lambert, Halsey
and Frank Ocean.
It’s an
interesting question and I think the answer lies in the generational divide.
My experiences
of gay icons are shaped through my own cultural lens, but this may vary for
other people in the LGBTI umbrella.
As a
20-something queer cis male, my gay icons are Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Joan
Crawford, Kylie Minogue and Carly Rae Jepsen.
These pop and
on-screen princesses have all made commitments to the LGBTI community in some
way and speak to me on a personal level.
They’re
flamboyant, feminine and glamorous – all qualities I suppressed growing up, but
have since come to embrace. They were everything I wanted to be, but too scared
to commit to while still not out.
Older
generations might classify Cher, Judy Garland, Bette Midler, Bette Davis, Donna
Summer etc as their gay icons.
But there’s
an emergence of young, out and proud artists who are unapologetically LGBTI.
Of course, this
is wonderful news, but is there an expectation to only lift up LGBTI artists as
gay icons? Similarly, men can be feminists but the masses may not warm to the
idea of Justin Trudeau being the feminist icon of our generation.
Definitions of
gay icons
By its very
definition: ‘A gay icon is a public figure (historical or
present) who is embraced by many within lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender communities.
‘Some of the
main qualities of a gay icon often include glamor, flamboyance,
strength through adversity, and androgyny in presentation.
‘Such icons can
be of any sexual orientation or gender; if LGBT, they can
be out or not,’ Wikiwand states.
This is
certainly true for Kylie Minogue. I saw her live in concert and was instantly
in love. The costumes were crazy and her fans were even crazier.
She has a
longstanding commitment to the LGBTI community and even refused to get married
to her partner until same-sex marriage was legal in Australia.
She’s also
overcome breast cancer and heartbreak, with the tenacity of a fighter.
She’s loyal to her LGBTI fanbase, through her natural charm and
unbelievably positive attitude.
She told
the Advocate: ‘I didn’t become a gay icon or become popular in
the gay community for doing something specific. That happened just because I
was being myself.
‘When I’m on
tour, I think there’s a little bit of everything there. From a row of muscle
Marys and drag queens to dads, moms, grandmas, and three generations of girls –
everyone is there,’ she said.
I could go on,
but I digress.
The definition
continues by explaining the historical aspect of gay icon status. It
says gay icons were typically elevated to the status because their
sexuality remained a mystery. This was certainly true for Marlon Brando and
James Dean.
This reluctance
to live free and openly is on the decline, as newer generations grow up on out
and proud celebrities.
No one can tell
you who you idolize is wrong
This shift in
mentality proves a strong shift in the definition, so it’s really up to you as
an individual.
Gay icons are a
personal choice. There will never be one universal icon that the whole LGBTI
community agrees on.
You and your
collective group of friends may consider someone a gay icon, but you cannot
tell a whole generation who their gay icon should be.
So if you want
Ariana Grande as the gay icon of your generation, go for it. But if you want to
raise the voices of queer artists, then by all means, give the title to someone
like Troye Sivan or Sam Smith.
Heck, these days
even a cult horror movie character, Babadook, can be a gay icon.
You do you.
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