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A list of over 500 living, famous or distinguished people who have publicly acknowledged that they are lesbian, gay or bisexual. Version 1.3.1 -- February 1994

Compiled by Mark Hertzog, Washington College, Chestertown, Maryland mark_hertzog@washcoll.edu 

• Roberta Achtenberg, Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Clinton (first open les/bi/gay person ever confirmed for a subcabinet post by the Senate); former San Francisco city supervisor
• Margie Adam, folk singer; founder of Women's Music movement
• Edward Albee, playwright
• Paula Gunn Allen,
• Native American writer and activist
• Dorothy Allison, novelist
• Pedro Almodovar, filmmaker
• Sasha Alyson, publisher
• Angunquac, Native American activist
• Tom Ammiano, schoolteacher, comedian, San Francisco School Board president
• Cal Anderson, Washington state legislator
• Emily Anderson, photographer
• Gloria Anzaldua, Latina writer
• Virginia Apuzzo, New York state government official; former head of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
• Gregg Araki, Japanese-American filmmaker
• John Ash, poet and literary critic
• John Ashbery, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet
• Don Bachardy, artist; life partner of the late novelist Christopher Isherwood
• Guido Bachmann, writer
• Joan Baez, singer
• Ann Bancroft, explorer and teacher (*not* the actress Anne)
• Paul Bartel, filmmaker
• John Bartlett, fashion designer
• Robert Bauman, conservative gay activist; former Republican Congressman from Maryland
• Bruce Bawer, poet and neoconservative journalist (A Place at the Table)
• Bishop Carl Bean, founder of the Unity Fellowship Churches
• Amanda Bearse, actress (Marcie on Married...With Children)
• Alison Bechdel, cartoonist
• Pia Beck, singer and pianist
• Andy Bell, lead singer of Erasure
• Dodie Bellamy, writer
• Lisa Ben, singer/songwriter and retired secretary; created L.A. lesbian newsletter "Vice Versa" in 1940s
• Miriam Ben-Shalom, sued military for reinstatement after expulsion for being lesbian; head of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Veterans of America
• Eric Bentley, critic, theater director and translator
• Sandra Bernhard, comedian
• Troix Bettencourt, prominent teenage gay activist
• Joan E. Biren ("JEB"), filmmaker; director of 1987 and 1993 March on Washington videos
• George Birisima, actor and playwright
• Blackberri, African-American singer
• Mr. Blackwell, fashion designer; creator of annual "Ten Worst Dressed" list
• Marie-Claire Blais, French-language Canadian novelist
• Nayland Blake, artist
• Robin Blaser, writer
• Angela Bocage, cartoonist and writer
• Dirk Bogarde, actor
• Chastity Bono, rock musician; daughter of Sonny Bono and Cher
• John Boswell, historian
• Sharon Bottoms, Virginia woman stripped of custody of her son solely because of her lesbian relationship
• Roddy Bottum, keyboardist of Faith No More
• Angela Bowen, African-American lecturer
• Angela Bowie, poet and performance artist; ex-wife of David Bowie
• David Bowie, rock star and actor
• Paul Bowles, writer
• Boy George, pop star
• Rev. Malcolm Boyd, Episcopal priest and writer
• Joe Brainard, poet and artist
• Lily Braindrop, writer, editor and "vixen"
• Marlon Brando, actor
• Robert Bray, speaker for National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
• Susie Bright, writer
• Jos Brink, Dutch television host
• Harry Britt, former President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
• Nicole Brossard, novelist
• James Broughton, poet, filmmaker and playwright
• Olga Broumas, poet
• Forman Brown ("Richard Meeker"), writer and puppeteer
• Julie Brown, comedian
• Rita Mae Brown, novelist
• John Brunner, writer
• Ed Buck, Arizona businessman; led drive to recall Gov. Evan Mecham from office
• Ron Buckmire, founder of the Queer Resources Directory; Afro-Caribbean
• Jm J. Bullock, actor
• Glenn Burke, ex-Major League baseball player
• William S. Burroughs, novelist
• Scott Burson, artist
• Charles Busch, writer, director and actor
• Aldo Busi, Italian novelist
• Dick Button, Olympic athlete
• Paul Cadmus, artist
• Jerome Caja, artist
• Pat Califia, advice columnist and magazine editor
• Simon Callow, actor
• Jack Campbell, millionaire bathhouse owner and activist
• Margarethe (Greta) Cammermeyer, discharged longtime National Guard officer
• Renaud Camus, French novelist
• Scott Capurro, comedian and actor
• Craig Carver, artist 
• Casselberry & Dupree, African-American singers 
• Maggie Cassella, comedian and lawyer 
• Marilyn Chambers, porno actress 
• Rt. Rev. Otis Charles, retired Episcopal bishop of Utah
• Claude Charron, journalist and former Quebec cabinet minister 
• Neneh Cherry, singer 
• Abigail Childs, video maker 
• Margaret Cho, comedian
• Meg Christian, singer 
• Christopher Ciccone, artist and set designer; brother of Madonna 
• Craig Claiborne, food writer 
• Joe Clark, Canadian journalist (*not* the former prime minister)
• Karen Clark, Minnesota state legislator 
• Michelle Cliff, Jamaican writer
• Kate Clinton, comedian; life partner of Urvashi Vaid
• Gary Cohen, physician and AIDS columnist 
• Arch Connelly, artist 
• Janet Cooling, artist 
• Dennis Cooper, writer 
• John Corigliano, classical composer 
• Alfred Corn, poet 
• Tee A. Corrine, artist
• Midge Costanza, White House aide to President Carter 
• Quentin Crisp, writer, actor and humorist
• Michelle Crone, comedian 
• Mart Crowley, playwright 
• Joe Dallesandro, actor in Andy Warhol films
• Mary Daly, feminist writer 
• Gasparino Damata, Brazilian writer 
• Betsy Damon, artist
• Jaye Davidson, actor 
• Juan Davila, writer 
• Angela Davis, African-American professor and Communist leader 
• Craig Dean and Patrick Gill, couple suing D.C. government for a marriage license
• John DeCecco, psychologist and journal editor 
• Ellen DeGeneris, comedian 
• Donna Deitch, filmmaker 
• Samuel R. Delany, African-American science-fiction writer
• Lea DeLaria, comedian
• John D'Emilio, historian
• David Diamond, classical composer 
• Rev. Johannes Willem DiMaria-Kuiper, minister
• Thomas M. Disch, poet and science-fiction writer
• Alix Dobkin, folksinger 
• Tanya Domi, kicked out of military for being lesbian; now head of NGLTF Military Project 
• Ron Donaghe, writer
• Tom Donelan, cartoonist 
• Cecilia Dougherty, video maker 
• David Drake, playwright and actor 
• Jerry Dreva ("Jerri Bonbon"), writer 
• Tom Duane, New York City Council member
• Martin Duberman, historian and autobiographer
• Michael Duffy, chair of Mass. Commission Against Discrimination, appointed by Rep. Gov. William Weld 
• Robert Edward Duncan, poet
• Andrea Dworkin, radical feminist writer and anti-pornography activist
• Sally Edwards, athlete and businesswoman 
• Kenward Elmslie, writer and librettist 
• Evelien Eshuis, former member of Dutch parliament 
• Melissa Etheridge, rock star 
• Rupert Everett, actor, rock musician and novelist 
• Lillian Faderman, historian
• Perry Farrell, lead singer of Jane's Addiction
• Justin Fashanu, British pro soccer star
• David B. Feinberg, novelist 
• Dominique Fernandez, French novelist 
• Ferron, folksinger
• Edward Field, poet 
• Harvey Fierstein, actor, playwright and female impersonator 
• William Finn, Tony-winning Broadway actor
• Members of The Flirtations Gary Floyd, leader of Sister Double Happiness 
• Katherine Forrest, writer and editor 
• Barney Frank, U.S. Congressman (Democrat from Massachusetts)
• Tyler Franz, openly gay Bush campaign staffer who alleged being demoted and fired after complaints from religious conservatives
• Aaron Fricke, writer (Reflections of a Rock Lobster); as teenager got court order allowing him to bring a male date to his high school prom 
• Job Friszo, Dutch TV news reporter 
• The members of Funny Gay Males Ed Gallagher, former college football lineman
• Jedd Garet, artist
• Jean-Paul Gaultier, French fashion designer
• Sally Gearhart, professor, writer and activist
• David Geffen, billionaire record and film magnate 
• Gordon Getty, classical composer
• Sir John Gielgud, award-winning actor
• Ronnie Gilbert, folksinger, member of The Weavers 
• Gilbert and George, visual artists 
• Allen Ginsberg, poet
• Barbara Gittings, longtime lesbian activist
• Peggy Glanville-Hicks, classical composer 
• Deborah Glick, New York state legislator 
• John Glines, Broadway producer 
• Rev. Peter Gomes, chaplain of Harvard University; African-American 
• Jewelle Gomez, African-American writer 
• Marga Gomez, Latina comedian 
• Juan Goytisolo, Spanish novelist 
• Annemarie Grewel, Dutch politician and scholar
• Barbara Grier, writer and publisher 
• Susan Griffin, feminist writer and poet
• Larry Gross, writer (The Contested Closet) 
• Doris Grumbach, writer and critic 
• Thom Gunn, poet 
• Allan Gurganus, novelist
• Marilyn Hacker, poet 
• Pam Hall, African-American folksinger 
• Barbara Hammer, filmmaker 
• Christopher Hampton, playwright 
• Michael Hardwick, challenged Georgia's sodomy law; the U.S. Supreme Court, on a 5-4 vote, upheld the law in 1986 
• Joy Harjo, Native American poet 
• Sherry Harris, Seattle City Council member; first African-American lesbian elected official in U.S. 
• Beverly Wildung Harrison, Christian theologian 
• Lou Harrison, classical composer
• Nina Hartley, porno actress and feminist
• Bob Hattoy, Interior Department official, campaign adviser to President Clinton; spoke at 1992 Democratic convention 
• Harry Hay, founder of the modern gay-rights movement; organized the Mattachine Society (1950) and the Radical Faeries (1979) 
• Bruce Hayes, Olympic gold medallist in swimming
• Christopher Hayes, actor 
• Todd Haynes, filmmaker 
• Lawrence Helman, film producer (Sex Is....) 
• Essex Hemphill, African-American poet
• Nona Hendryx, pop singer 
• Joseph Herzenberg, former vice-mayor of Chapel Hill, N.C.
• Rev. Carter Heyward, lesbian Episcopal priest and writer
• Billy Hileman, schoolteacher and organizer; co-chair, 1993 March on Washington 
• Marjorie Hill, African-American psychologist; formed head of New York City Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns 
• Jon Hinson, gay-rights activist; former Republican Congressman from Mississippi 
• David Hockney, painter 
• William S. Hoffman, playwright and librettist 
• Andrew Holleran, novelist
• James Holobaugh, expelled from ROTC for being gay (author of Torn Allegiances) 
• The Hollywood Kids (John and Lance), gossip columnists
• Jeff Horton, member of Los Angeles School Board 
• Richard Howard, poet, translator and editor
• Mark Huestis, filmmaker (Sex Is....) 
• Tom Hulce, Oscar-nominated actor 
• David Hutter, painter 
• Kate Hutton, seismologist 
• Janis Ian, singer 
• Gary Indiana, writer
• Robert Indiana, artist 
• Patricia Ireland, president of the National Organization for Women (NOW) 
• Bob and Rod Jackson-Paris, pro models/bodybuilders 
• Marc Jacobs, fashion designer 
• Tove Jansson, Finnish children's writer and cartoonist; created the Moomins
• Elton John, pop star
• Jasper Johns, artist
• Holly Johnson, lead singer of Frankie Goes to Hollywood
• Phillip Johnson, architect
• Bill T. Jones, African-American dancer 
• Cleve Jones, founder of The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt
• Grace Jones, singer, actress and diva 
• June Jordan, African-American writer and educator
• Jose and Luis, Latino pop singers; former dancers for Madonna 
• Lani Ka'Ahumanu, bisexual activist and writer
• Frank Kameny, longtime activist; first openly gay person to run for Congress (1971) 
• Robin Kane, NGLFT "Fight the Right" coordinator 
• Arnie Kantrowitz, writer, teacher and activist 
• Jonathan Ned Katz, historian 
• Michael Kearns, actor and writer 
• Dennis Kelly, poet 
• Maurice Kenny, poet 
• Kevin Killian, writer 
• Billie Jean King, pro tennis champion 
• Tommy Kirk, actor in Disney films
• Gwen Kirkpatrick, writer
• David Kopay, retired NFL player 
• Kris Kovick, cartoonist and writer
• Joseph Kramer, founder of Body Electric massage schools
• Larry Kramer, playwright and AIDS activist; founder of ACT UP and Gay Men's Health Crisis 
• Friedrich Krohnke, German writer 
• Sheila James Kuehl, actress and journalist 
• Hanif Kureishi, novelist and screenwriter 
• Tony Kushner, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright
• Robert LaFosse, ballet dancer 
• Kay (Tobin) Laheusen, longtime lesbian activist and writer
• Lili Lakich, artist 
• Michael Lane and Jim Crotty (The Monks), magazine publishers and adventurers
• k. d. lang, country/crossover singing star 
• Steve Langly, African-American singer 
• Peter Lankhorst, Dutch member of parliament, leader of Green Party
• Jack Larsen, actor (Jimmy Olson on TV's Superman) 
• Lynn Lavner, comedian
• Susan Leal, San Francisco city supervisor
• David Leavitt, writer 
• Paul de Leeuw, singer, comedian, and Dutch TV show host 
• Ursula LeGuin, novelist 
• Bruce Lehman, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce 
• Raymond Leppard, conductor and classical composer
• Simon LeVay, medical researcher; found physiological differences between brains of gay and straight men 
• Denise Levertov, poet 
• Jeffrey Levi, activist; former head, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, now heads AIDS Action Council 
• Mitchell Lichtenstein, actor 
• Marvin Liebman, conservative activist, close ally of William F. Buckley
• Derek Charles Livingston, co-chair, 1993 March on Washington; African-American
• Jenny Livingston, filmmaker 
• Lance Loud, columnist; came out to his family on TV during 1973 PBS documentary series "An American Family" 
• Greg Louganis, actor; three-time Olympic gold medallist in diving 
• Susan Love, breast-cancer surgeon and famous lesbian mother
• Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, co-founders of the Daughters of Bilitis, first known lesbian organization in the U.S.
• Donald Maclean, British spy
• Jean Marais, French actor
• Eric Marcus, writer and television producer
• Miriam Margoyles, actress 
• Johnny Mathis, singer 
• Armistead Maupin, writer 
• Glen Maxey, Texas state legislator
• Bernard Mayes, journalist, priest and university dean; founding chair of NPR 
• Stephen McCauley, novelist 
• Rev. Renee McCoy, African-American minister and activist
• David McDermott, artist
• Tim McFeeley, head of the Human Rights Campaign Fund 
• Peter McGough, artist 
• Sir Ian McKellen, award-winning actor
• Rod McKuen, poet and songwriter 
• Brian McNaught, writer 
• Rev. John J. McNeill, Jesuit priest, scholar and writer 
• Taylor Mead, poet and actor
• Robert Medley, painter 
• Mary Meigs, painter 
• Herman Meijer, architect; member of Rotterdam (Netherlands) City Council 
• Keith Meinhold, Navy officer fighting expulsion for being gay who has won reinstatement by a federal court 
• Gian Carlo Menotti, opera composer 
• William Meredith, poet 
• James Ingram Merrill, poet 
• Duane Michaels, photographer 
• Carole Migden, San Francisco city supervisor
• Jeff Miller, country singer
• Tony Miller, acting California Secretary of State
• Kate Millett, writer 
• Donna Minkowitz, Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist 
• Issac Mizarahi, fashion designer
• David Mixner, millionaire businessman and gay-rights activist; estranged friend and advisor of President Clinton
• Paul Monette, novelist
• Cherrie Moraga, writer 
• Timothy Morange, former president, National Association of Black Psychologists 
• Mary Morgan, San Francisco municipal judge; life partner of Roberta Achtenberg 
• Robin Morgan, feminist writer and editor 
• Tom Morgan, New York Times reporter; former president, National Association of Black Journalists
• Mark Morris, dancer and choreographer
• Morrissey, rock star 
• Dee Mosbacher, public health administrator and activist; daughter of ex-President Bush's campaign chairman and Secretary of Commerce
• Thierry Mugler, fashion designer
• Alex Munter, Kanata, Ontario, city councillor
• Michael Nelson, Carrboro, N.C., alderman 
• Diane Murphy, child actress (Tabitha on Bewitched) 
• George Nader, actor and science fiction novelist 
• Nalty, comedian 
• Martina Navratilova, pro tennis champion
• Three of the "NEA Four" (John Fleck, Holly Hughes and Tim Miller), performance artists whose federal grants were cut off because of homoerotic content in their work during the Bush administration 
• Holly Near, folksinger 
• Joan Nestle, writer 
• Leslea Newman, children's writer (Heather Has Two Mommies, Gloria Goes to Gay Pride) 
• Simon Nkoli, South African anti-apartheid and gay-rights activist 
• Elaine Noble, first openly lesbian or gay person elected to a state legislature (Massachusetts, 1974) 
• Pat Norman, African-American organizer; co-chair of 1987 March on Washington and Stonewall 25 
• Harold Norse, poet 
• Richard Bruce Nugent, writer and artist 
• The members of The Nylons, Canadian all-male a capella singers
• Ron Nyswaner, Academy Award-nominated screen writer (Philadelphia)
• Erwin Olaf, photographer 
• Todd Oldham, fashion designer 
• Mary Oliver, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet 
• Jenni Olsen, filmmaker, writer and curator
• Donald Olson, writer 
• Torie Osborn, former head of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
• Annemiek Onstenk, member of Amsterdam City Council 
• Antonio Pagan, member of New York City Council; Latino 
• Camille Paglia, writer
• Dave Pallone, ex-Major League umpire 
• Juan Palomo, newspaper columnist; Latino
• Robert Patrick, playwright 
• Charlotte Patterson, research psychologist and professor; studies children of lesbian and gay parents
• Larry Paul, Atlanta municipal judge
• Ross Paxton, artist 
• Darcy Penteado, Brazilian writer 
• Rev. Troy Perry, founder of the Metropolitan Community Churches 
• Robert Peters, poet, critic and teacher
• Roger Peyrefitte, French writer
• Phranc, folksinger 
• Felice Picano, writer 
• Charles Pierce, female impersonator
• Marge Piercy, writer 
• Jody Pinto, artist 
• The members of Pomo Afro Homos, African-American gay comedy troupe
• Iggy Pop, rock star 
• Jill Posner, photographer 
• Minnie Bruce Pratt, poet and teacher
• Rosa von Praunheim, German filmmaker
• Benno Premsela, designer and early European gay movement leader 
• Deb Price, Gannett newspapers columnist 
• Edward Reynolds Price, novelist 
• Rev. Dusty Pruitt, MCC minister; sued military for reinstatement after expulsion for being lesbian 
• Peri Jude Radecic, head of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
• Anne-Imelda Radice, acting head of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) under ex-President Bush; denied grants for homoerotic art 
• Anthony Rapp, actor (Dazed and Confused, Six Degrees of Separation)
• Toshi Reagon, African-American folksinger
• John Rechy, writer 
• Donna Red Wing, led campaign to defeat Ballot Measure 9 in Oregon; Advocate Woman of the Year 1992
• Lou Reed, rock star 
• Kenneth Reeves, mayor of Cambridge, Mass.; African-American
• Reno, comedian 
• Gerard Reve, Dutch novelist 
• Frank Ricchiazi, campaign co-chair for California Gov. Pete Wilson, 1990 
• Adrienne Rich, poet and critic 
• Marlon Riggs, African-American filmmaker 
• Herb Ritts, photographer 
• Larry Rivers, painter and sculptor 
• Svend Robinson, member of the Canadian Parliament 
• Tom Robinson, singer/songwriter
• Robert Rodi, novelist 
• Edouard Herbert Roditi, writer 
• Eric Rofes, writer 
• Romanovsky and Phillips, folksingers 
• Ned Rorem, classical composer and writer
• Jan Rot, Dutch pop musician
• Gabriel Rotello, New York Newsday columnist, former editor of OutWeek 
• A. L. Rowse, historian 
• William Rubinstein, gay-rights lawyer
• Paul Rudnick, playwright and screen writer Jane Rule, writer
• RuPaul, African-American drag entertainer extraordinaire 
• Joanna Russ, feminist and science-fiction writer 
• Paul Rutherford, singer, Frankie Goes to Hollywood 
• Leigh Rutledge, writer (The Gay Book of Lists, etc.) 
• Keith St. John, alderman, Albany, N.Y.; African-American 
• Yves Saint-Laurent, fashion designer 
• Dick Sargent, actor (second Darrin on Bewitched) 
• Jose Sarria, drag entertainer; first openly gay candidate for public office in U.S. history (San Francisco, 1961) 
• May Sarton, writer 
• Benjamin Schatz, lawyer and activist 
• John Schlafly, son of anti-gay conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly and lawyer for her organization, the Eagle Forum 
• John Schlesinger, filmmaker
• Maria Schneider, actress 
• Sarah Schulman, writer and activist 
• James Schuyler, poet 
• David Scondras, former Boston City Council member 
• Scout, lesbian activist and organizer; co-chair, 1993 March on Washington
• Antony Sher, South African-British novelist and actor 
• Siegfried and Roy, animal trainers and illusionists 
• Michelangelo Signorile, journalist, activist, co-founder of Queer Nation
• Aguinaldo Silva, Brazilian writer 
• Charles Silverstein, psychologist and writer; co-author, The Joy of Gay Sex
• Roy Simmons, former New York Giants tackle 
• Ingrid Sischy, editor of Interview magazine 
• Dave Slattery, former general manager, Washington Redskins 
• Christopher Smith, member of the British Parliament 
• Barbara Smith, African-American publisher 
• Mike Smith, co-founder (with Cleve Jones) of The Names Project 
• Nadine Smith, co-chair, 1993 March on Washington
• Jimmy Somerville, pop singer 
• James Spada, writer 
• Allan Spear, president of the Minnesota State Senate Stephen Spender, poet and critic 
• Martin Sperr, German writer
• Stephen Spinella, actor 
• Annie Sprinkle, writer and erotic photographer 
• Starhawk, feminist theologian and spiritual teacher 
• Joe Steffan, top Naval Academy cadet expelled for being gay, now suing for reinstatement 
• Doug Stevens, country singer; leader of The Out Band 
• Samuel Steward ("Phil Andros"), writer 
• Tom Stoddard, gay-rights lawyer; former head of Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, now heads Campaign for Military Service
• Jeff Stryker, star of gay, straight and bi porno films 
• Gerry Studds, U.S. Congressman (Democrat from Massachusetts) 
• Suede, blues singer and trumpet player
• Andrew Sullivan, editor of The New Republic magazine David Surber, co-host and producer of Network Q 
• Terry Sweeney, comedian 
• Rich Tafel, former head of Log Cabin Federation, gay Republican group which refused to endorse George Bush for re-election 
• Mutsuo Takahashi, Japanese poet 
• Carla Tardi, artist 
• Valerie Terrigno, first mayor of West Hollywood, Cal. 
• Karen Thompson, obtained custody of her disabled lover Sharon Kowalski after six-year court battle
• Scott Thompson, comedian 
• Tracy Thorne, U.S. Navy lieutenant discharged after coming out on Nightline
• Andrew Tobias ("John Reid"), Wall Street Journal editor and writer
• Jonathan Tolins, playwright (Twilight of the Golds) 
• Lily Tomlin, comedian/actress
• Michel Tournier, French writer 
• Pete Townshend, lead guitarist of The Who, composer 
• Michel Tremblay, Quebecois novelist and playwright
• Arthur Tress, photographer 
• Monika Treut, German filmmaker 
• C. A. Tripp, psychologist 
• Tommy Tune, Tony-winning Broadway singer/actor 
• Robin Tyler, first "out" comedian; rally/festival producer and activist 
• Urvashi Vaid, national movement leader; former head, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; life partner of Kate Clinton 
• Annelize van de Stoel, member of Amsterdam City Council
• Gus Van Sant, filmmaker 
• Rev. Herman Verbeek, Catholic priest, Dutch member of European Parliament 
• Gore Vidal, novelist 
• Most members of Village People Linda Villarosa, editor of Essense magazine
• Jane Wagner, playwright; life partner of Lily Tomlin 
• John Waters, filmmaker
• Sgt. Perry Watkins (ret.), won Supreme Court case for reinstatement to Army after expulsion for being gay; African-American 
• William Waybourn, head of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund 
• George Weinberg, psychologist; coined the term "homophobia" in his book "Society and the Healthy Homosexual" 
• Suzanne Westenhoeffer, comedian
• Edmund White, novelist 
• Rev. Mel White, former aide to Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson; now MCC minister, writer and lecturer against Religious Right 
• John Wieners, poet 
• Gale Wilhelm, novelist 
• Michael Wilhoite, children's writer (Daddy's Roommate)
• Danny Williams, comedian
• Jonathan Williams, poet and teacher 
• Karen Williams, comedian; co-host, PBS's In The Life 
• Cris Williamson, folksinger 
• Val Wilmer, photographer and writer
• Barbara Wilson, writer and publisher 
• Millie Wilson, artist 
• Phill Wilson, AIDS director for City of Los Angeles; founder, Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum 
• Fran Winant, artist 
• Jeanette Winterson, novelist 
• Monique Wittig, writer 
• B. D. Wong, Tony-winning Broadway actor; Asian 
• Holly Woodlawn, actor in Andy Warhol films
• James D. Woods, professor and author (The Corporate Closet) 
• Ivy Young, head of NGLTF Family Project; African-American 
• Bohdan Zachary, filmmaker 
• Jose Zuniga, U.S. Army sergeant,1992 6th Army Solider of the Year; discharged for saying he was gay after Clinton took office.