Gay Twitter would like a word about who gets labeled a queer icon
One need not be queer to be a queer icon. Take Cher “Do You Believe in (Heterosexual) Love After (Heterosexual) Love” Sarkisian. Or Madonna “Justify My (Straight) Love” Ciccone.
In a way, the mantle of “queer icon” is like a lifetime achievement award for the straights. And we can get touchy when people are too hasty in deeming someone — or, cringe, themselves — a queer icon. (Remember when Lena Dunham said she wanted her casket to be part of the NYC pride parade when she dies?)
Below, Twitter users share their thoughts on who is and is not a queer icon, naming everyone from actual LGBTQ pioneers and heroes to fictional characters who just give off that vibe.
Even a chemical element makes the list:
James Baldwin, a queer black literary icon. His words impacted many people & made us think about race, class, and what queer black liberation really looks like. #pride #jamesbaldwin #queericon pic.twitter.com/Sy0sm8M6w4
— jotxs y recuerdos_podcast (@jotxsyrecuerdos) June 8, 2018
leslie jordan was a genuine queer icon and a goddamn legend. so grateful for his life and his work. he will be terribly missed.
— caleb hearon (@calebsaysthings) October 24, 2022
Also, let’s no forget to exalt Little Richard as a queer icon who showed generations of young people m, particularly black ones, what bravery looked liked, what being ones self, conformity be damned, looked like.
— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) May 9, 2020
Gay Icon Judy Garland didn’t strap on her Ruby Red kitten heels in a groundbreaking 3-strip TECHNICOLOR FILM PROCESS for yall to film this in the DARK https://t.co/CdIt5iliCJ pic.twitter.com/DYy4lIk90Z
— Nicole Nichelle (@alamanecer) April 16, 2023
John Leguizamo has been a gay icon since the 90s when he starred in “To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar,” playing a drag queen
it warms my heart to see his support for our community 🏳️🌈❤️ https://t.co/LZtJMmUkZS pic.twitter.com/U4cQoS0aEo
— Jerrica, Local Sports Lesbian (@JinkiesJerrica) April 15, 2023
Today we lost an icon. An Black queer powerhouse. A man who saved tens of thousands of Black queer lives during the height of the HIV epidemic and beyond. A catalyst for my activism
Dr. Ron Simmons. A pioneer. A legend. A Black queer icon. A mentor. My friend. Rest well. ?? pic.twitter.com/c8esxSYy9N
— George M Johnson (Garçon) (@IamGMJohnson) May 29, 2020
Yeah am gonna take my horse to the Old Town Road ?
For Snatch Game @dragraceukbbc I decided to do @LilNasX . He will always be an inspiration to me being a BLACK, unapologetic queer icon! ? pic.twitter.com/dozGYOcEv4
— BL?CK PEPP? ??????? (@iamblackpeppa) November 2, 2022
Joe Locke being the queer icon we all deserve ????; an appreciation thread #JOELOCKE @joelocke03 pic.twitter.com/VJwlQG8sqS
— rei ?? (@heartstperxjoe) September 24, 2022
Let’s talk about a queer icon and pioneer… pic.twitter.com/YfuYO3ENYD
— Kalen Allen (@TheKalenAllen) November 3, 2021
EMMA CORRIN QUEER ICON YET ANOTHER WIN SECURED FOR FRUITY COMMUNITY pic.twitter.com/RMfumiIMUj
— ?? (@biglttlefleabag) April 7, 2021
And miss Joy ATE!!!! Queer icon pic.twitter.com/8bhJRg4vFC
— ? (@heyjaeee) December 8, 2022
sarah paulson is a real life queer icon who has been openly dating women for years, has played several queer characters and some of y’all still insist on calling a bunch of straight women ‘gay icons’ smh
— carol (@lenaspaulson) February 5, 2019
every dyke: [screaming, weeping] eeeeeee spit on us Rachel! choke us! slap us! eeeeee our queer icon!!
Rachel Weisz: [elsewhere, lounging, being fed grapes by a Bond] wot
— LESS LONELY on tour: more soon ? (@jestom) February 15, 2019
lena dunham: gay people call me a gay icon
gay people: pic.twitter.com/Q8MYj6tqeN
— hugeasmammoth.films (@hugeasmammoth_) October 3, 2022
wow thats so progressive im so happy to be living in a world where a fucking straight girl can be a gay icon https://t.co/5e4XTtT0eU
— groove tube (@RATKlNS) July 19, 2017
it’s honestly SO weird the obsession y’all have with making harry styles some kind of gay icon when there are plenty of actually gay men who are doing the damn thing
— sippin on that (@vivafalastin) April 22, 2021
this absolute queer icon pic.twitter.com/WMynh6UrEk
— jaik olson (@puppyteeth) April 27, 2020
the true gay icon pic.twitter.com/egzLCQtbea
— bec (@sspresomartini) June 5, 2017
we do not give this childhood queer icon enough credit tbh pic.twitter.com/4b5UWdlHD9
— yanu ? (blue check) (@theyangarciaa) March 27, 2023
Mr. Ratburn is the gay icon I never knew I needed pic.twitter.com/wp4o5TLr1p
— lover of all whores (@extraspicee) May 13, 2019
this guy is a gay icon pic.twitter.com/pUjEj29WlM
— pj (@peterjmarshall) February 22, 2020
Wishbone is a gay icon. Feeling stifled and ignored, he retreated to the worlds of classic literature and theatre. He would fully immerse himself in these elaborate fantasies and was always committed to the lewk. pic.twitter.com/XfjqkQ62eN
— Fran Zaya the pickle enthusiast (@salmattos) February 8, 2018
ditto’s only two moves are “transform” and “struggle”………a queer icon pic.twitter.com/EKOeBXmO7n
— sara david (@SaraQDavid) September 27, 2019
remember when the twitter gays made the babadook a gay icon? wild pic.twitter.com/ROuCdjkJE7
— dak (@darlenesdom) July 22, 2019
Best chemical elements ranked:
13. you
12. cant
11. rank
10. them
9. because
8. they’re
7. all
6. interesting
5. and
4. special
3. in their
2. own way
1. Bismuth, queer icon pic.twitter.com/735GXR2KIE— Panic! at The Seminar ?? (@cuffedjeans83) July 3, 2018
And then there’s Oliver Button, OG queer icon 🌈😭💜 pic.twitter.com/QRiW20lXJg
— a spooky little meatball (@madsgobbo) March 31, 2020
