It’s been a meaningful year for LGBTQ+ visibility, with a number of high-profile stars publicly embracing their identities for the first time or sharing new labels that better reflect who they are today. From deeply personal social media posts to memoir revelations and candid interviews, these coming out stories have highlighted that there’s no single timeline for self-discovery.
Caleb Shomo (Gay)
Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo came out as gay in an emotional social media statement after years of privately grappling with his identity. The singer said sobriety helped him confront feelings he had buried for years and described his upcoming album as his most honest work yet. He also encouraged others questioning their identity to give themselves “grace” and “patience” as they navigate their own journeys.
“I spent a decade burying feelings with alcohol, and honestly, when I decided to put it down and focus on exploring why I felt this way for so long, it’s been a direct path to me reconciling with my sexuality in hopes that it will eventually lead me to experiencing self-love,” he explained.
Keke Palmer (Asexual)
Keke Palmer revealed she’s “almost 100% sure” she’s asexual in a candid Instagram post. The actor, who has long resisted putting a label on her sexuality, previously spoke about never feeling “straight enough” or “gay enough.” This year, she said she finally feels more confident identifying as asexual while acknowledging she’s still learning about herself.
Hayden Panettiere (Bisexual)
In her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, Hayden Panettiere publicly came out as bisexual for the first time. The Heroes and Scream star explained she delayed sharing her sexuality because she feared it would be dismissed as a trend and worried about losing her privacy while growing up in the spotlight. She also revealed she has dated women in the past but never felt safe enough to speak openly about those relationships until now.
“It’s sad I had to wait until I was 36 years old to share that part of me, but better late than never, right?”
Thora Birch (Bisexual)
At The Abbey’s 35th anniversary celebration in West Hollywood, Hocus Pocus and Now and Then star Thora Birch publicly identified as bisexual. Birch said she wanted to support the LGBTQ+ community that had helped shape her identity, calling herself “a bi person” while celebrating her hometown’s queer community.
“I’m always here to show my support for the community, which shaped so much of who I am and my identity as well, being a bi person.”
Cara Delevingne (Lesbian)
Cara Delevingne embraced a new chapter in her journey this year when she publicly came out as a lesbian. During a viral onstage “confessional” with Rosalía at a London concert, the actor and model told the crowd, “If you didn’t know already, I’m a lesbian,” before joking about her past attraction to straight women. The moment quickly spread across social media.
While Delevingne publicly identified as pansexual in 2020, she later explained in an interview that she now feels happiest identifying as a lesbian. Reflecting on her relationship with girlfriend Minke, she said she can now see herself spending the rest of her life with one woman and starting a family together. She also opened up about overcoming internalized homophobia, admitting that “lesbian” was once a label she struggled to embrace but now wears with pride.
Kandi Burruss (Bisexual)
After years of speaking candidly about her attraction to women, The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burruss said she now feels comfortable identifying as bisexual. The reality star explained that embracing the label reflects who she is and noted that her sexuality has never changed how she approaches committed relationships.
Dayna Kathan (Lesbian)
Former Vanderpump Rules personality Dayna Kathan revealed that she identifies as a lesbian after previously describing herself as bisexual. She shared that her recent relationship helped her better understand herself and said discovering love from a new perspective brought a sense of clarity she hadn’t experienced before.
Layla Taylor (Bisexual)
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Layla Taylor opened up about being bisexual during a podcast interview, saying she no longer wanted to keep that part of herself private. By sharing her story publicly, Taylor said she hopes to live more authentically and encourage others to do the same.
As more celebrities continue to share their journeys throughout the year, we’ll keep this list updated.
