30 women from across the decades that made us realize we're gay
| 02/27/25
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It all started with these celebs!
Paramount Television; Columbia Records; Taylor Hill/Getty Images for Boston Calling; Nickelodeon; FOXWhether you knew you were queer from a young age or it took a bit longer for you to figure it out, there is always that one crush — usually a celebrity — that gave you that a-ha moment.
Maybe it was Gillian Anderson in the X-Files rocking a power suit, or Beyoncé shaking it just so in a music video, or the entire Charlie’s Angels cast. The point is, when we saw them we learned something very important and exciting about ourselves.
Recently the conversation about lesbian roots came up on the ActualLesbiansOver25 subreddit and the users revealed which celebs first made them realize they were queer. Thier answers were illuminating, to say the least,and so relatable.
Answers are lightly edited for length and grammar.
The cast of 'Living Single'
female cast of Living Single
Warner Bros. Entertainment
“The female cast of Living Single. And still today I’m trying to find me a woman that looks like Khadija, has money like Maxine, taste like Regine, and a personality like Sinclair."
Renée O'Connor from 'Xena: Warrior Princess'
Syfy
"Gabrielle from 'Xena: Warrior Princess.' I wanted to marry her. lol"
In fact, Xena: Warrior Princess was responsible for a lot of queer awakenings:
"Cleopatra from Xena. There was a scene with her in the bath and little me was totally besotted."
"I was always [into] Xena and Callisto. I never missed an episode of Xena, there were signs."
"Gabrielle on 'Xena.' I'm that cliché dyke."
Eliza Dushku & Kirsten Dunst in 'Bring It On'
Universal Pictures
"Eliza Dushku and Kirsten Dunst in 'Bring It On.'"
Kate Beckinsale in 'Underworld'
Screen Gems/Sony Pictures
"Mine was Eliza Dushku in 'Buffy.' Then Kate Beckinsale in Underworld...that skin-tight ensemble was enlightening."
Gillian Anderson in 'X-Files'
FOX
'Dana F-ing Scully. I have loved Gillian Anderson since I was 11 (I'm 39 now lol).'
t.A.T.u. in the 'All the Things She Said' music video
Universal Music Group
"t.A.T.u. 100% .HAHHAHA! Especially cause I’m European our uniform was the same style. My dream kiss: a girl on the rain at school."
Shego from 'Kim Possible'
Disney Studios
"Shego from 'Kim Possible' when I was a kid. Then Catherine Zeta Jones and Queen Latifah in 'Chicago' a few years later."
Michelle Pfeiffer in 'Catwoman'
Warner Bros. Entertainment
"Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman."
Haley Williams
Logan MacKenzie and Hayley Williams of Paramore perform during the 2023 Boston Calling Music Festival at Harvard Athletic Complex on May 28, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Taylor Hill/Getty Images for Boston Calling
"Genuinely as a teenager I thought 'Riot' era Hayley [Williams] was everything and now in my twenties, modern-day adult Hayley is STILL everything."
"Very glad my lil 13yr old brain latched on to her, aging like fineeeee winneeeee.""I'd definitely had crushes on girls before her but that was the first time I knew my feelings were full-blown attraction and not just admiration."
"when my room posters started changing from the full band pics to just her… my sexuality flourishing like the autumn leaves."
Drew Barrymore in 'Charlie's Angels'
Columbia Pictures
"'Charlie's Angels,' Drew Barrymore."
Charlies Angels was another popular queer awakening for the Sapphics, and you can understand why. OG and films are pure lesbian eye-candy!
"'Charlie's Angels': Jaclyn Smith (OG), Lucy Liu and Demi Moore."
Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire at the CMT Giants honoring Reba McEntire. Kodak Theatre, Hollywood, CA.
s_bukley/Shutterstock
"Tara from 'Buffy 'and Shego. Also, Reba McEntire, don’t come for me.'
Alyssa Milano in 'Charmed'
Warner Bros. Entertainment
"Alyssa Milano in 'Charmed.' Yet it still wasn't until years later that I realized I was gay. Had her poster in my room yet parents were still shocked I was gay."
Charmed itself was a lesbian root.
'Rose McGowan for me, but I already knew."
Alyssa Milano, too.
"Alyssa Milano in 'Who’s the Boss.' Sharon Stone in 'Basic Instinct.'
Sigourney Weaver in 'Holes'
Walt Disney Pictures
"Sigourney Weaver as the Warden from 'Holes.'"
Mulan in 'Mulan'
Walt Disney Pictures
Mine was Mulan. She’s just got me so bad.
Kelly Brown in 'Hey Dude'
Nickelodeon
'Melody was hot too, but Brad (Kelly Brown) cemented my lifelong love of mean, dark haired women.'
Sara Gilbert in 'Rosanne'
ABC
"Darlene from "Roseanne.'"
Jenette Goldstein in 'Aliens'
20th Century Studios
Ellen Ripley and — I know she's problematic —Vasquez from 'Aliens.'"
Esmeralda in 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'
Walt Disney Pictures
"Esmerelda from Disney's 'Hunchback.' (,,>﹏<,,) It is my type. Charismatic, compassionate, strong sense of justice, and great dancer."
Rachel Leigh Cook in 'Josie and the Pussycats'
Universal Pictures
"Rachel Leigh Cook in 'Josie and the Pussycats' (terrible movie). Milla Jovovich in 'The Fifth Element.'"
Katie McGrath in 'Merlin'
BBC One
"Katie McGrath as Morgana from 'Merlin.' Honestly was both my 'I like women,' and 'I am a woman' awakening/realization."
Naya Rivera & Dianna Agron in 'Glee'
FOX
"Santana and Quinn from 'Glee.'"
Sailor Moon
Viz Media
"Sailor Moon."
Kate Winslet in 'Titanic'
Paramount Pictures
"Kate Winslet in 'Titanic.'"
Missy Peregrym in 'Stick It'
Touchstone Pictures
"Haley Graham (Missy Peregrym) from 'Stick It.'"
Beyoncé in the 'Crazy in Love' music video
Columbia Records
"Beyoncé in the 'Crazy in Love' video."
Melissa Joan Hart in 'Clarissa Explains it All'
Nickelodeon
"Melissa Joan Hart in 'Clarissa Explains it All.' Even as a kid I still liked aloof-looking cool girls. lol"
Joanne Whalley in 'Willow'
20th Century Studios
"Joanne Whalley as Sorsha in 'Willow. 'I watched that all through my childhood."
Jurnee Smollett on 'Full House'
ABC
"I’ve known ever since I can remember but one of my first crushes was on Michelle’s best friend, Denise (Jurnee Smollett) on 'Full House' and Melanie Parker from 'My Brother and Me' (a '90s Nickelodeon show). They definitely made little me super sure I was [not] like the other elementary school kids!"
Miranda Otto in 'Lord of the Rings: Return of the King'
New Line Cinema
"Miranda Otto as Éowyn."
Terry Farrell in 'Star Trek: Deep Space 9"
Paramount Television
"Terry Farrell as Dax in 'Star Trek: Deep Space 9, 'followed quickly by Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle in 'Xena.' Strong beautiful women??? Who want to wrestle???????????? They still got it (power over me)!"
