Snakkle Celebrates Stars Who Have Come Out in Hollywood

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Wentworth Miller, 2013

On August 22, 2013, Wentworth Miller of the hit TV show Prison Break publicly came out as gay, by declining an invitation to a Russian film festival, stating: "As a gay man, I must decline," Miller continues, "I am deeply troubled by the current attitude toward and treatment of gay men and women by the Russian government. The situation is in no way acceptable, and I cannot in good conscience participate in a celebratory occasion hosted by a country where people like myself are being systematically denied their basic right to live and love openly." This makes us GLAAD!

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Zachary Quinto, 2011

Zachary Quinto had been a friend to the LGBT equality movements but had never acknowledged his own sexuality publicly until he was moved to do so after the suicide of a gay teenager. In 2011, he told New York magazine: “Living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality.” That same year he starred and produced in the film Margin Call and had a role on American Horror Story. He reprised his role as Spock in the last Star Trek movie.

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Raven Symone, 2013

On August 2, 2013, That's So Raven star Raven Symone tweeted to fans "I can finally get married! Yay government!" After years of tight-lipped secrecy surrounding her sexual orientation, Raven decided it was time to come out in celebration of Supreme Court's decision to overturn The Defense of Marriage Act.

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Matthew Bomer, 2012

Another celebrity that came out is White Collar star Matthew Bomer. For years he had declined to comment on his sexuality, but in February 2012, while receiving an award for his HIV/AIDS activism, he thanked his partner and children: "I'd really especially like to thank my beautiful family: Simon, Kit, Walker, Henry. Thank you for teaching me what unconditional love is. You will always be my proudest accomplishment.” As an out gay actor, naturally he completed his requisite guest role on Glee, as Blaine’s brother, and will be reprising his Magic Mike role.

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George Takei and Brad Altman, 2011

George Takei played Mr. Sulu on Star Trek, but these days he’s even more well-known for his Facebooking and his Howard Stern appearances. He also starred on a season of Celebrity Apprentice but didn’t make it very far. George came out in 2005 to Frontiers magazine. He said: "Brad’s my partner, we’ve been together for 18 years. I’ve been 'open,’ but I have not talked to the press."

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Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, 2012

Ellen paved the way for gay celebrities everywhere. She came out publicly to Oprah in 1997, and then her character came out a few months later on Ellen to a therapist, played by Oprah. Unfortunately her show only lasted one more season, but five years later she reinvented herself as a talk show host (and a darn good one). She also struck lesbian gold when she started dating Portia de Rossi in 2004. They married in 2008.

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Wanda Sykes, 2011

In 2008, Wanda Sykes was performing stand-up in Las Vegas for a rally against California’s Prop 8. Wanda said: "I'm proud to be a woman. I'm proud to be a black woman, and I'm proud to be gay." She revealed that she had just married her girlfriend Alex. Today they have two children.

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Jim Parsons, 2012

This Big Bang Theory star recently disclosed that he is gay and in a 10-year relationship in a New York TImes profile

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Rosie O’Donnell and Michelle Rounds, 2012

In 2002, Rosie O’Donnell told Caroline Comedy Club: “"I'm a dyke. I don't know why people make such a big deal about the gay thing…. People are confused, they're shocked, like this is a big revelation to somebody.” Four years later she joined the cast of The View but only stayed one season after a controversial fight with Elisabeth Hasselbeck. She returned to TV in 2011 with a new talk show on OWN, but it never quite clicked like her first talk show and was canceled in 2012. Rosie has four children with ex-wife Kelli Carpenter and is now remarried to New York City headhunter Michelle Rounds.

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Lance Bass, 2012

If you’re a celebrity and you want to come out, People magazine is the popular go-to. In 2006 Lance Bass came out with a cover story. The former ’N Sync-er said: "I don't think it's wrong, I'm not devastated going through this. I'm more liberated and happy than I’ve been my whole life. I'm just happy.”

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Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, 2012

In 2006, Neil Patrick Harris told People: “I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love.” Doogie has been with his partner David Burtka since 2004, became engaged in 2011, and have twins Harper Grace and Gideon Scott, who were born via surrogate in 2010.

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Clay Aiken, 2009

When Clay Aiken came out in 2008 it was a double whammy. He told People (who else?), “Yes, I’m gay,” and that he was a new father. He said, “I cannot raise a child to lie or hide things.” The boy, Parker, was conceived via in vitro fertilization with his best friend, music producer Jaymes Foster. These days Clay is still singing, and he appeared on Celebrity Apprentice. He recently ran for Congress in North Carolina.

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Meredith Baxter, 2011

Meredith Baxter was married three times and has five children (and we’re not even talking about the Keatons here), but she realized later in life that she was a lesbian. In 2009, she told Matt Lauer on Today. She said: "I am a lesbian and it was a later-in-life recognition. Some people would say, 'Well, you're living a lie,' and, you know, the truth is, not at all. This has only been for the past seven years." Baxter has lived with her partner, general contractor Nancy Locke, since 2005.

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Ricky Martin, 2012

Ever since he shook his bon bon, people speculated about Ricky Martin’s sexuality. But it wasn’t until 2010 that he decided to tell it to the world via his website. He said: “I am so proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man.” He has twin boys who were born through a surrogate in 2008, and today he is in a long-term relationship with an economist named Carlos Gonzalez Abella.

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Sara Gilbert, 2011

Why do lesbians make the best talk show hosts? In 2010, Sara Gilbert came out just in time to begin hosting The Talk. Gilbert has two kids, a son, Levi, and daughter, Sawyer, with ex-girlfriend Allison Adler. These days she’s dating music producer Linda Perry.

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Chely Wright, 2011

Chely Wright told People (good call, Chely) why she didn’t come out right away. She said: "There had never, ever been a country music artist who had acknowledged his or her homosexuality. I wasn't going to be the first." But in the end she got up the courage, and the country star had a change of heart. “Nothing in my life has been more magical than the moment I decided to come out.” In 2011, she married LGBT activist Lauren Blitzer and released a documentary called Wish Me Away, about her coming-out process.

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Jane Lynch, 2012

Jane Lynch was certainly inspired by Ellen to come out. She told the talk show host in 2010: “You were at the height of your fame and you came out and that just blazed a trail for me. It made it much easier for me what you did.” She blazed a trail for Jane Lynch and tracksuit-wearing gym teachers everywhere! Today Lynch is sadly separated from from former spouse, Lara Embry.