Every year on Oct. 11, the LGBTQ+ community in the U.S. comes together to commemorate National Coming Out Day, celebrating the millions of people who have decided to open up to the world about who they are, while also providing encouragement those who have yet to speak publicly about their identity.
It’s an especially important day in 2024, at a time when queer artists are finding more success than ever on the charts. From Chappell Roan‘s rapid ascent to pop domination with to Billie Eilish‘s anthem for women who love women reaching the upper echelons of the Billboard Hot 100, 2024 has been a banner year for LGBTQ+ pop artists looking to prove that identity is an asset, not a barrier to success.
Yet in 2024, legislative attacks on LGBTQ+ people continue to rise. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is currently tracking over 500 anti-LGBTQ bills in the United States. Former president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, meanwhile, has doubled down on his anti-trans talking points in a recent set of advertisements.
But a June report from Axios points out that momentum for anti-trans and anti-queer legislation has slowed in 2024, signaling a light at the end of the tunnel for queer and trans advocates around the U.S. “There’s a lot of hope right now,” HRC president Kelley Robinson said. “Our opposition is overreaching. They are attacking not only our community, but our kids.”
To celebrate National Coming Out Day, Billboard is taking a look back at some of the artists who chose to open up about their identity in 2024:
Maren Morris
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When posting a set of photos from her RSVP Redux Tour stop in Phoenix, Ariz., Maren Morris decided to let her fans in on an important fact about herself. “Happy to be the B in LGBTQ+,” she wrote, before wishing her fans a happy Pride Month.
In a later interview with Billboard, Morris revealed that the moment didn’t feel especially bombastic to her — but she did feel a responsibility to share that she identified as bisexual with her fans. “I think it was one of those things where I thought, ‘Does this really require an Instagram post?’ It didn’t feel like, ‘Oh, this is going to be some big f–king bombshell,’ I just think that for any sort of public-facing artist that just, it does feel inclusive to let people know,” she said. “Also, I get to feel like I’m really not hiding any part of myself any longer. So that makes me sleep better at night.”
Chappell Roan
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While Chappell Roan has been open about being queer for years, the singer got more specific during a tour stop in Ohio earlier this year. “Some s–t’s changed but b–ch, I hope you’re happy, ’cause I’m a lesbian now,” the singer declared to the crowd in a fan-captured video.
Speaking to Rolling Stone for their September cover story, Roan confirmed that she came to terms with her sexuality recently, after examining why she never seemed to enjoy sleeping with men. “Finally it’s like, ‘Oh, I know why. It’s because I’m gay and nothing’s actually wrong with me,’” she said. “I just wasn’t supposed to be sleeping with men, and now I’m a little repulsed at the thought of even kissing a guy because no one’s going to be as good as girls.”
Reneé Rapp
Image Credit: John Nacion
Much like Chappell Roan, Reneé Rapp already publicly identified as queer before 2024 — but the “Not My Fault” singer made the decision to be more clear with her fans. During her appearance on Saturday Night Live, Rapp participated in a sketch where she was introduced as “our little lesbian intern Reneé,” which she later confirmed to Themwas a choice she made to officially come out.
“I didn’t want to do it and be like, ‘Oh my God, I’m not using the word bisexual,’ and make bisexual people feel s—ty. I also didn’t want to be like, ‘OK, I’m gay’ and have all the lesbians be like, ‘Say you’re bisexual, then,’” she said. “I stayed off my phone for a couple days because I was so f–king terrified and felt so sh–ty but then it was just, like, a thing, and it felt good.”
Julia Fox
Image Credit: Stephanie Augello
While Julia Fox may have risen to public prominence after her whirlwind romance with Ye (formerly known as Kanye West), the Uncut Gems actress revealed that she identifies as a lesbian in a TikTok video. Stitching her video with one from creator Emily Gracin who made a joke about closeted lesbians who “hate” their boyfriends, Fox confirmed that the joke was very real for her. “Hey, that was me,” she said. “I was that lesbian. So sorry, boys, won’t happen again.”
Johann Vera
Image Credit: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images
Back in August, Ecuadorian singer Johann Vera released his song “Closet,” in which he came out to the public as queer. “Why am I going to hate and fight with myself only because I love differently?/ How can a parent decide to lose a child only because they love differently?” he sings on the song.
In a subsequent interview with Billboard, Vera said that he resisted coming out for a long time, but ultimately decided he needed to speak his truth. “I realized now that all my life I had this idea that sexuality shouldn’t be touched in my music or my art. I wanted to be a private artist, and not talk about my personal life,” he said. “I wrote the song for everyone to understand the struggle. All throughout your life, you feel like you have this flaw, deep down it felt like there was an issue. It’s very tough to break that barrier.”
