Dear Gay Men,
I think it is fair to say that we love our divas almost as much as we love hot men. In light of the phenomenon of diva worship, we have decided to pay tribute to 10 of the greatest female gay icons of all time! Check out this list to see which diva managed to claw her way to the top of the list!
10. Lady Gaga
Number 10 on the list is none other than Lady Gaga! Since her debut, Lady Gaga has been a very vocal ally of the gay community and her music frequently emphasises themes of self-acceptance. ‘Born this way’ has become one of the greatest gay anthems of recent times and her bisexuality pretty much makes her a part of the LGBT community. In addition, Lady Gaga pretty much spelt out her support for the gay community with her immensely successful ‘Born this way’ album.
Strong, fierce and talented, the only reason why Lady Gaga isn’t ranked higher up on the list is because she is still relatively new and hasn’t firmly established herself yet.
9. Beyonce
With her big hair, big voice and big onstage persona, Beyonce possesses all the attributes of a female gay icon. Beyonce has been an ally to the LGBT community for decades, and together with her husband Jay-Z, have been vocal about her support for the gay community.
However, the only reason why Queen Bey isn’t higher up on the list is because she seems to be trying to appeal more to feminists as compared to the gay crowd. Beyonce has become well-known for her female-empowerment anthems like ‘Single Ladies’ and ‘Girls (Run the world)’ but she still hasn’t released any notable gay anthems yet. Since gay anthems are a fundamental element of any credible gay icon, Beyonce is our pick for the number 9 spot on this list!
8. Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera possesses all the traits of a typical diva; big hair, big voice and big personality. No wonder gay men love her! Plus, the fact that the powerhouse vocalist has also identified herself as a bisexual before has made her even more relatable to her many gay fans. And if that’s not enough, her signature song ‘Beautiful’ has also become one of the greatest gay anthems of recent times!
However, her waning star power brings her down a couple of notches and explains why she is number 8 on this list.
7. Mariah Carey
Gay men love divas and Mariah Carey epitomises the ultimate diva. With her angelic voice, big hair and penchant for fabulous things, it is not surprising that Mariah has a huge gay fan base. Her signature tune ‘Hero’ has been embraced by the gay community as a LGBT anthem while her struggles as an outcast during her childhood years has turned her into a very relatable gay icon.
While Mariah Carey does indeed support the gay community, the reason why Mariah Carey is not very vocal with her support for the gay community could be due to the fact that she doesn’t want to alienate the hip-hop fans that her music caters to.
6. Britney Spears
Britney Spears is the quintessential underdog and that is precisely what endears her to the gay community so much. Britney has been knocked down so many times throughout her career and yet, she always manages to bounce back every single time. It is this trait of her that perfectly encapsulates the saying ‘It gets better’. Thus, Britney makes it to number 6 on this list!
5. Barbra Streisand
With her star power and immeasurable talent, Barbra Streisand has long been revered as a gay icon. Just like all the other divas on this list, Barbra Streisand has a huge gay following and has long established herself as a gay icon.
4. Cher
Gay men love Cher and there are so many reasons that could possibly explain why Cher enjoys such a devoted gay fan base. It could be due to the fact that Cher is a long-time advocate for LGBT rights. It might also be due to her repertoire of infectious and campy dance hits. Perhaps its due to the fact that Cher herself comes across as a very likeable drag queen. Or maybe, it might be due to the fact that Cher has a transgender child. Regardless of whatever reason it might be, there is no doubt that Cher is one of the greatest gay icons ever and as such, is number 4 on this list!
3. Judy Garland
The quintessential gay icon, Judy Garland’s signature song ‘Somewhere over the rainbow’ has become one of the most iconic gay anthems of all time. In addition, her struggles with men endeared her even greater to the gay community. In fact, Judy Garland is often regarded as the greatest female gay icon of all time!
Now, before her ardent fans start sending us hate mail for not recognising Judy Garland as the greatest female gay icon of all time, let us explain ourselves first. While Judy Garland has undoubtedly had a huge impact on the gay community, she attained her gay icon status largely as a result of her image as a tragic figure. Since the depiction of gay people as tragic figures is becoming increasingly unfashionable, it follows logically that the gay community is finding it harder and harder to relate with tragic figures.
2. Kylie Minogue
Few singers have intentionally catered to the gay market like Kylie has. Although Kylie is completely straight and doesn’t have the typically tragic backstory that gay men seem to love, her campy image and infectious dance hits have won her legions of gay fans.
Although Kylie’s campy image is often cited as the reason behind her failure to conquer the American market, the fact that she remains devoted to her gay fans by catering to their tastes earns her the number 2 spot in this list of the greatest female gay icons of all time!
1. Madonna
Our choice for the greatest female gay icon of all time is none other than the Queen of Pop herself; Madonna!
Gay men love queens and so, it is no surprise that gay men would worship the Queen of Pop! An outspoken advocate for gay rights, Madonna earned the unwavering support from her gay fans with her strong personality and her provocative image. By giving the gay community numerous gay club anthems like ‘Vogue’ and ‘Music’, Madonna has transformed herself into one of the most revered gay icons of all time! The fact that her name has pretty much become synonymous with the term gay icon is the main reason why we are crowning her the number 1 female gay icon of all time!
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