Random Top Coolest Ways Famous Lesbians Came Out (9 items)

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  (#5) Ellen Page

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  In a Speech
  This Canadian actress made America proud when she attended the Human Rights Campaign's Time to Thrive Conference in 2014 and said those three brave words to the world: "I am gay." Ellen Page, who was nominated for an Oscar playing the title role in "Juno," said in the speech that she was "tired of hiding" and "tired of lying by omission." The then-26-year-old Page announced that she felt "a personal obligation and a social responsibility" to come out, and come out publicly. Page did not merely want to declare her homosexuality to friends and family, but wanted to be loud and proud about it in order "to make a difference."
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  (#7) Wanda Sykes

  • 54

  At a Rally
  Wanda Sykes nailed her coming out by doing it at the perfect event: a gay rights rally. Wanda Sykes' announcement of her lesbianism is awesome for the same reason as Melissa Etheridge: neither of them seemed to plan it at all. In yet another impromptu grabbing of the mic, the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star and comedienne (who later served as the comic at Obama's White House Correspondent's Dinner) said she came out of the closet out of a sense of political urgency. She said she "kind of shocked" herself and had "no intentions" of doing it. Sykes married a woman named Alex Niedbalski in 2008.
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  (#10) Portia de Rossi

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  On a Magazine Cover
  Lance Bass famously had the words "I'm Gay" over his face on People magazine, which was bold and awesome for sure. But Portia De Rossi, Ellen DeGeneres' wife and the star of "Arrested Development," however, put her face on the cover of a different magazine, The Advocate. What was also so cool about her coming out was her pride yet humility. "I've had my years of being not open, many years of it," she said in the 2005 interview. "It's an honor for me to do this; it's just nice to be asked." De Rossi, now Portia DeGeneres, has since appeared on "Better Off Ted" and "Nip/Tuck."
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  (#6) Robin Roberts

  • 62

  In a Facebook Note
  Robin Roberts had been dating San Francisco massage therapist Amber Laign for ten years, but it was all very hush-hush when it came to the "Good Morning America" anchor's audience. But in 2013, Roberts made a post on Facebook and clicked the "Public" option that expressed her gratitude to her "long time girlfriend Amber." The public coming out was a year after President Obama announced his support for gay marriage in an interview with, wait for it, Robin Roberts.Though her sexuality was kept private, Roberts had been very public about her battles with breast cancer and a blood disorder, which in fact was what she was writing about in that public Facebook post when she expressed her gratitude to Amber as well as family, friends, doctors, and God and encouraged all to "reflect on what you are grateful for too." And for many in the LGBT community, they are grateful for Roberts' public announcement!
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  (#3) Melissa Etheridge

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  At a Party
  In January of 1993, Oscar and Grammy winner Melissa Etheridge came out publicly as a lesbian. The event was an inaugural bash for then-first time president, Bill Clinton. Etheridge grabbed the microphone and cited K.D. Lang as her inspiration. Etheridge went on to say, "I'm really proud to have been a lesbian all my life." 
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  (#1) Ellen DeGeneres

  • 61

  On a Sitcom
  Ellen DeGeneres made history in her epic episode of the ABC sitcom "Ellen" in 1997 when her character came out of the closet. This was her extremely public admission to viewers that Ellen herself, not just the character, was a lesbian. Her show was canceled the following year. Jerry Falwell called her "Ellen DeGenerate." 

  Thankfully, she had Oprah by her side - not just in her real-life interview, but Oprah also stars as Ellen's therapist in the episode. The event made Ellen the first openly lesbian actress to play an openly lesbian character in the history of television.

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