Table of Context

What being you means...                  P. 3-4

A-Z Icons that shape our world...    P. 5-30

Closing remarks...                              P.31-32

What Being You Means

To be you is defined as; being true to your core identity rather than faking a different one because you think it will be attractive to others. 

No matter who you are, or how you show yourself to the world you are meant to be here. You can be anyone you want in the world. This book is just an example of all of the amazing role models in the world past and present that have been true to themselves no matter what people said. These people are just as loved as you are and will be no matter how you sexually identify. 

Alice Wu

Alice Wu is a director and screenwriter who is one of the first to have a film centered around Chinese-American lesbian characters, paving the way for the Asian-American and Lgbtq+ in the cinema. 

Barbara Gittings

Barbara Gittings was the mother of the LGBT civil rights movement. A prominent activist in America, and even started the first national lesbian magazine.

Chaz Bono

Chaz Bono grew up as the golden child of Hollywood. He knew from a young age he was different and continues to share his story of transitioning to inspire young LGBTQ students to be themselves.

Don Lemon

 Don Lemon is an award-winning Journalist, news anchor, and author.  In Lemon's memoir, he came out as gay; as well as discussed colorism in the black community.

Elton John

Sir Elton John CBE is an English singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer. He has sold more than 300 million records, making him one of the world’s best-selling music artists. He came out as bisexual in 1976 in an interview with Rolling Stones. 

Frank Kameny

Franklin Edward Kameny was an American gay rights activist and astronomer. He has been referred to as "one of the most significant figures" in the American gay rights movement.

George Hosato Takei

George Takei is an American actor, author, and activist. He is best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, a helmsman of the USS Enterprise in the television series Star Trek. He later came out in the early 2000s to talk about the changes needed so he could marry his partner.

Harvey Milk

Harvey was one of the first openly gay politicians elected, and he opened the door for many to follow him. During his time spent in the office, he actively campaigned for gay liberation, including advocating a bill that banned discrimination for housing and employment on the basis of sexuality.

Indya Moore

Indya Moore is an American actress and model.  Time named them one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2019. Moore is transgender and non-binary and uses they/them and she/her pronouns.

Jack Dylan Grazer

Jack is an American actor and voice actor, starring in movies like IT and Luca. In July 2021 he came out as bisexual on Instagram live to spread awareness. 

Kevin Conroy

The first gay Batman. Being gay helped Kevin become Batman because he resonated with the superhero because of the “mask of confidence” Wayne displayed to the world while also struggling in private to overcome the agony of maintaining his dual personality.

Lil Nas X

Montero Lamar Hill, also known as Lil Nas X is an American rapper and singer.  Lil Nas came out as gay, becoming the only artist to do so while having a number-one record "Old  Town Road".

Marlene Dietrich

A German-born American actress and singer whose career spanned from the 1910s to the 1980s. In 1920s Berlin, Dietrich performed on the stage and in silent films. Marlene was openly bisexual, though kept it out of the public eye.

Nikkie de Jager

Nikkie de Jager-Drossaers, better known by her YouTube channel name NikkieTutorials, is a Dutch makeup artist and beauty vlogger. Nikkie used makeup to help her get over her identity issues as a transgender woman. 

Oscar Wilde

Wilde was married with two sons, he was a homosexual, something that was illegal in the UK until the 1960s. Along with this Wilde was an Irish Poet and later became one of the most famous playwriters in London during the 1890s.

Phillip Schofield

Schofield is an English television presenter who works for ITV. He is currently the co-presenter of ITV's This Morning and Dancing on Ice alongside Holly Willoughby. Schofield gained national attention working for the BBC, first as a continuity presenter for Children's BBC on weekdays from 1985 to 1987.