10 legendary gay icons and how they earned their titles

David Bowie

Nobody said this list would be only women, and there’s no man better to start off with than David Bowie.

Bowie was known for being an eccentric, androgynous, trailblazing rock star who wasn’t afraid of what people thought about him. He wore makeup and flamboyant stage costumes, and that’s part of why he became such a gay icon.

Decades ago, even if you were straight, you didn’t want to stray away from the norm, because then people would talk and it could ruin your career. Even a rumor about being gay could have ruined a rising star’s chance, but Bowie didn’t care.

Early on in his career in 1972, he declared in an interview that he was gay. Years later, in 1976, Bowie corrected himself in an interview with Playboy when he revealed he was actually bisexual. “It’s true — I am a bisexual. But I can’t deny that I’ve used that fact very well. I suppose it’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Bowie was right, he did use the fact that he was bisexual to his advantage. For years, he used his androgyny to keep people guessing. He enticed male and female fans, and he inspired generations of people to be different.

In 2002, Bowie was asked if he regretted his public declaration of bisexuality. While he didn’t feel like it was a mistake in Europe, he did feel like the “puritanical” United States didn’t react the same way, and he felt like it definitely stood in his way.

Whether he was vocal about his sexuality or not, Bowie would still be a gay icon due to his dedication to going against the grain and always preparing audiences to expect the unexpected.