In the Soviet Union, as you know, there was no sex. And discussing your sexual orientation was not only indecent, but also life-threatening. Since 1934, a criminal article for sodomy has been in force in the country.
But today we will talk about the outstanding personalities of Soviet cinema, theater and music, who did not neglect same-sex relationships.
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Faina Ranevskaya
Until now, there are many rumors around the personal life of the great actress. And many stubbornly conclude that Faina Georgievna still preferred to love women. Remember her famous saying: “Lesbianism, homosexuality, masochism, sadism are not perversions. There are, in fact, only two perversions: field hockey and ballet on ice!”
Georgy Millyar
"All the evil spirits of our cinema"- so the actor called himself. Due to the unsociable nature, colleagues and neighbors accused the actor of all mortal sins in reality. The lack of a personal life gave rise to many rumors regarding his orientation. Although, of course, Georgy Frantsevich himself never openly declared his homosexuality.
Yuri Bogatyrev
"At home among strangers, a stranger among our own"- this is how you can characterize the life of this amazing actor in the realities of Soviet life. Yuri Georgievich very painfully perceived his so-called peculiarity. The denial of his nature eventually led the actor to severe depression, and as a result - to alcoholism, which caused the sudden death of this great actor.
Rudolf Nureyev
Despite world fame and the worship of the most senior officials, one thing awaited Nureyev in his homeland - imprisonment with confiscation of property. Therefore, his famous "leap to freedom" at the Paris airport was rather a forced step. They say that Rudolf Khametovich had a very bad temper. For example, his favorite pastime in the West was kissing passionately when meeting people, and then ironically remarking that this was an old Russian tradition.
Julia Lemigova
The last "Miss USSR" Yulia Lemigova has been living in the USA for many years. Since the 2000s, the model began dating the famous tennis player Martina Navratilova. In 2014, after the US Open, Navratilova proposed to her lover, and a couple of months later the couple got married in New York.
Sergei Eisenstein
An innovator, the creator of cult films included in the golden fund of world cinema, Sergei Eisenstein never hid his tender feelings for men, despite the presence of a wife. In many of his films, he frankly admires the beauty of the male body. "If not for Marx, Engels and Lenin, I would be the second Oscar Wilde"- said the great director.
Vadim Kozin
It is known that Vadim Kozin received the Order of the Red Star for his performances on the front lines during the Great Patriotic War. But even this did not help the legendary singer avoid imprisonment. Moreover, Vadim Kozin is the only celebrity of the USSR who was convicted twice for homosexuality. In total, the artist spent about 15 years of his life in the camps.
One of the brightest Soviet bisexuals and one of the most famous people who were persecuted for homosexuality was an outstanding director Sergei Iosifovich Paradzhanov (birth name Sarkis Paradzhanyan, 1924-1990), who spent four years in prison after being convicted under the infamous Section 121.
Parajanov made eight films during his creative life and wrote four scripts. It would seem that this is not so much, but Parajanov's path in the art of cinema is as if torn into two worlds by a fifteen-year abyss of silence. From 1969 to 1984, the great director was not allowed to shoot. At the same time, in December 1973, the confrontation between the freedom-loving artist and the authorities ended in imprisonment. (Vladimir Kirsanov, "69: Russian gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals"(Ganimed, 2005), pp. 348-354).
It was a unique director who worked in different national cultures.
His film "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" became one of the pinnacles of Ukrainian cinema.
In Armenia, he is ranked among the classics of Armenian cinema. His film "The Color of Pomegranate" became the highest achievement of Armenian cinematography. The Parajanov Museum, opened in Yerevan, is one of the most visited.
In Georgia, he shot the film "The Legend of the Surami Fortress", which surprisingly accurately conveys the features of the Georgian character, which also became one of the best achievements of Georgian cinema. And a monument to him adorns one of the squares in the center of Tbilisi.
And finally, the most phenomenal is that he, an artist deeply connected with Christian cultural traditions, in his latest work "Ashik-Kerib" penetrated as deeply into the essence of the Muslim mentality and created a film that became an event in Islamic culture. Levon
Sergei Parajanov was born into an old Armenian family in Tiflis, as Tbilisi was then called. After school, he studied at the vocal department of the Tiflis Conservatory, then for a short time at the Institute of Railway Engineers ... In 1949, he got a job as an assistant director at the Kyiv film studio named after Alexander Dovzhenko, worked at Armen-Film and Georgia-Film until 1960.
In 1952, Parajanov graduated from VGIK and became a certified director. He frankly called his first works "trash", believing that he found his individual style only in the film "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" (1965) - a romantic fairy tale based on the works of M. Kotsiubinsky. After the release of "Shadows ...", the forty-year-old director woke up famous. For several years, the film collected 30 prizes at international festivals in 21 countries. The name of Paradjanov stood on a par with the names of Fellini, Antonioni, Godard, Kurosawa. The reputation of a cinematic genius was finally fixed on Parajanov immediately after the release of the film "The Color of Pomegranate" (original name "Sayat-Nova", 1967 - 1969). However, all subsequent scenarios of the director were rejected by Goskino with reference to the opinions of party and government members. (see ibid.).
Parajanov, apparently, was bisexual - he was married, and really married for love. Parajanov's first love was Nigar Seraeva. A modest girl, brought up in a patriarchal family, became not only his first love, but also his first wife. Alas, even legalized, their union did not save Nigar from the cruel court of her relatives, who did not forgive that she chose the “infidel” as her husband.
His second wife, Svetlana, a true Decembrist of our century, walked alongside him throughout his thorny path, even without being a wife. She was the first to support him during the years of camp and imprisonment and subsequent defamation.
Parajanov admired women and appreciated them, sincerely loved his wife, but homoeroticism was not alien to him. He was clearly not indifferent to male beauty, which he noticed among his acquaintances, and even in random people. Levon Grigoryan, "Parajanov"(M .: Young Guard, 2005), 351 pages - (ZHZL)
Friends and all of Parajanov's inner circle always knew that he was also attracted to male beauty. From this, he never made a secret, never went into a deaf conspiracy, moreover, he always drew the attention of those around him to a sample of beauty that attracted him.
Thus, cinematographer Vasily Katanyan shared the following memories of Sergei Parajanov: “Here he scolds me at the market that I bought tomatoes from the wrong person.
- And who needs it?
— Over there, that priest has a haircut. Look how handsome he is, you should buy from him!
We are coming. It turns out that this is not a pop cut, as Seryozha wanted, but a hairy horseman, and his tomatoes are useless, and his eye squints slightly - in a word, a complete fiasco. (Vasily Vasilyevich Katanyan, " Touching idols"(M.: Zakharov, Vagrius, 1997), p. 216.)
Or else: “In Kyiv, he got a pipe for smoking and began to persuade Grisha Chukhrai to give it to Boris Barnet (a famous Soviet actor and director). Why Barnet? They were almost strangers, and in general for what reason? “How can you not feel - Barnet will go smoking a pipe like that. It will be so picturesque. Especially in profile. “Yes, he doesn’t seem to smoke.” - “It doesn't matter, just imagine: Barnet in profile with a pipe. He is beautiful. You have to give him. So it will be imposing - a profile, a pipe ... "And he showed." ( Ibid, p. 219).
For the first time, Parajanov had to suffer for his orientation even when he was an unknown student. In the summer of 1948, he was arrested as part of a group of young homosexuals who were said to have had sexual relations with Nikolai Mikava, a high-ranking official of the MGB (Ministry of State Security), head of the Georgian Society for Cultural Relations (GOKS). (James Steffen, “The Cinema of Sergei Parajanov”(University of Wisconsin Press, 2013), p. 29).
Parajanov was convicted in October, but in December 1948 his term was changed to a suspended one, and he was released. Subsequently, in an interview with French journalist Patrick Casal, he did not deny the very essence of the accusations of homosexual behavior, although he said that he himself had no relationship with Mikawa. (Patrick Cazals, “ Serguei Paradjanov”(Paris: Cahiers du cinema, 1993), pp. 32-33.
The fact that Paradzhanov did not hide his bisexuality from others was later mentioned in the case opened against the outstanding director.
It must be said that Parajanov did not develop relations with the Soviet authorities. In addition to the fact that the deep and thoughtful, lyrical style of his work was incomprehensible to the Soviet leadership, his civic position also played a big role. In 1965-1968, Paradzhanov, together with other well-known figures of Ukrainian science and culture, protesting against mass political arrests in the Ukrainian SSR, appealed to the highest party and state bodies demanding to clarify the reasons for the persecution of Ukrainian intellectuals and advocated holding open trials, which should have been ensure the fairness of the proceedings. In 1968, his signature under the "Letter of 139 Intellectuals" against illegal political processes was the first. Repeatedly spoke out for the observance of freedom of speech in the press. Becoming the object of persecution and trying to avoid arrest, Parajanov left for the Armenian SSR.
In many ways, the arrest of Parajanov in 1973 was the result of the desire of the Soviet authorities to put pressure on the director who was not objectionable to them.
On December 17, 1973, Sergei Parajanov was interrogated and then arrested on charges of sodomy with the use of violence (Article 122, parts 1, 2 of the Criminal Code of the Ukrainian SSR) and distribution of pornography (Article 211) and sent to the Lukyanovsky prison in Kyiv. An agonizing for the artist closed trial took place (“my apartment was confiscated, and I was deprived of the uniform of an artist and a man”).
In the 1970s, this article was more than a formidable tool in the hands of the authorities. That is why they chose not just punishment, not just humiliation, but the practical destruction of Parajanov as a creative person, assuming, perhaps, that this would be followed by physical destruction. And for the article, which was usually given a couple of years of general regime, he was given five years in strict regime camps. Levon Grigoryan, Parajanov"(M .: Young Guard, 2005), 351 pages - (ZhZL).
In 1973, he was already a well-known director with a worldwide reputation, and therefore, his case was able to attract the attention of the world community. Thanks to an international protest campaign (the appeals were signed by François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Federico Fellini, Luchino Visconti, Roberto Rossellini, Michelangelo Antonioni, Andrei Tarkovsky, Mikhail Vartanov and Louis Aragon, who personally addressed Brezhnev) Sergei Parajanov was released on December 30, 1977 . In view of the ban on living in Ukraine, Parajanov settled in Tbilisi. For his civil position and for the persecution to which he was subjected for it, Parajanov was called "an Armenian born in Georgia and who was in a Russian prison for Ukrainian nationalism." Sergey Parajanov also wrote scripts and was an artist - he created a huge number of drawings and collages.
Sergei Parajanov died of lung cancer on July 21, 1990 in Yerevan.
Another soviet gay Gennady Leonidovich Bortnikov (1939-2007)- an actor of the Soviet theater and cinema of the 1960-1980s - was a real idol of his generation. The roles of the 30-year-old Bortnikov in productions of the Mossovet Theater "On the Road" (1963), "Uncle's Dream" (1965), "Through the Eyes of a Clown" (1968), "Petersburg Dreams" (1969) brought him incredible success, sometimes on the verge of mass hysteria. Two works - Hans Schnier in "The Clown" based on the novel by Heinrich Böll and Raskolnikov in "Dreams" based on Dostoevsky - became decisive in the life of a bright young artist.
Gennady Bortnikov was fond of drawing since childhood, and it turned out that it was this passion that led him to the theater. After school, he designed several performances in a theater group, and then even played several roles. Although Bortnikov did not aim professionally at art: despite his creative interests, after the 7th grade he went to a mechanical engineering college, then even worked as a mechanic at a factory. But later he left the technical school and followed the path of the artist, enrolling in the Surikov Art School. He also did not finish, but he began to study at the youth theater studio. And only then he decided to enter the theater school, externally passed the exams for the course of the secondary school and was accepted by the studio school at the Moscow Art Theater. After graduation, he entered the Mossovet Theater, where he worked from 1963 until his death.
A key role in the creative life of Bortnikov was played by director Yuri Zavadsky (1894-1977), who largely supported and even patronized the young actor. By the way, it is curious that in 1965 Zavadsky warned Gennady, who went on tour in Paris to meet with the famous choreographer Serge Lifar (in the 1920s, Sergei Diaghilev's protégé and lover): “Be careful with Lifar. He has a bad reputation." Zavadsky obviously knew about the dancer's homosexuality, and any unnecessary talk on this topic could interfere with Bortnikov's success in Russia.
Bortnikov's personal life has always remained out of the public eye, and therefore it is covered with legends about unimaginable experiences and even tragedies. For example, they said that a certain student had poisoned himself with pills and left a touching letter with confessions addressed to Bortnikov. These stories, overgrown with details and turned into legends, reached the early 2000s, when the actor, almost forgotten, quietly ended his life.
In the performances "Through the Eyes of a Clown" and "Petersburg Dreams" the main star roles of Gennady Bortnikov were played. Raskolnikov is the loudest work of the actor, thundering throughout the Union. And the abandoned clown Hans Schnier is the longest: the performance ran for almost 20 years, and changed with the era.
After the death of director Yuri Zavadsky, Bortnikov was offered fewer and fewer roles. In 1980, he again flashed in the stage interpretation of Dostoevsky as Smerdyakov in The Brothers Karamazov. There were two or three more leading roles, and then silence. For ten years since 1990, he did not receive any roles at all. In 1999, he was also denied the opportunity to celebrate his anniversary on the stage of the theater, the glory of which he had been for several decades. For the first time in his life, a 60-year-old actor applied for "material assistance", he was given ... 290 rubles. From the pit into which the theater pushed him in the 1990s, the actor got out himself.
In order to somehow compensate for the “creative downtime”, Bortnikov began to pay more attention to painting and writing. His essays were published about the actors of the Moscow City Council theater - People's Artists of the USSR Rostislav Plyatt (1908-1989), Leonid Markov (1927-1991). He made several stage adaptations, planned to design a number of performances.
The actor did not have a family, although his home circle was, by his own admission, quite wide. (“Gennady Bortnikov. Small victories of a normal person” // Gay.ru based on the book by V. Kirsanov “+31: Russian gays, lesbians and transsexuals")
... Such were the fates of the gays and bisexuals of Soviet cinema - men who were born different and because of this were forced to hide their true selves. But even under such pressure, they created vivid works of cinematography, sometimes trying to at least slightly express their “otherness” in works without which it is impossible to imagine Soviet and Russian culture. It is impossible to delete these wonderful people and their creations from our history - we must remember that who they were, what they created and how difficult their fate was, hidden from the public.
The LGBT community is evolving every day. All public new faces come out and admit their orientation without hiding anything. This is a serious trend, as attitudes towards gays have completely changed in the 21st century. And now you can almost calmly talk about who you really are.
In Russia, unlike in the world, this is a little more problematic. While Australia and Germany legalized same-sex marriage, the Russian Federation passed a law banning LGBT propaganda among minors. Therefore, in Russia, openly public gays are mainly LGBT activists who defend the rights of homosexuals. There are only rumors among representatives of show business, politics and other fields of activity. But no one openly admits their sexual preferences.
The most famous "gays" in Russia according to society
As he says, not only the Earth is full of rumors. A lot of fans and the media have been investigating, trying to figure out Russian pop stars. But in the end - only rumors, conjectures and conjectures. To keep abreast of all the events, let's go through the main list of who is considered to be the LGBT community.
Sergey Zverev. Famous showman, winner of the World Championship in hairdressing. His appearance is described in one word - "outrageous". Due to his appearance and his occupation, Zverev is classified as a person of non-traditional sexual orientation.
According to the same criteria, the "rainbow community" is also Boris Moiseev. In fact, Boris Moiseev is a real gay, about which he spoke publicly more than once.
The information boom was caused by the news that Sergey Lazarev- homosexual. He is a famous singer, presenter, performed at Eurovision 2016. Not the first year he is credited with a passion for men. Especially this topic became relevant after he broke up with his girlfriend Lera Kudryavtseva. The media literally exploded with headlines that Lazarev was gay. According to them, this was confirmed by the mother of his ex-girlfriend, all his friends are talking about this. The singer himself has never said that he considers himself to be an LGBT culture. He only stands for support, but, according to him, is not part of it.
Maksim Galkin- comedian, presenter, husband of Alla Pugacheva, has two children from her. But the label "gay" hangs on him after the wedding. According to most of the media: a handsome, well-groomed, successful man is necessarily a homosexual.
On the same basis, he was included in the list Nikolay Baskov. According to the "Golden Voice" of Russia, the media traveled more than once: for the hairstyle, and for the behavior, and for the songs. Like others, Nikolai does not say anything about his personality in the context of homosexuality.
The list of possible "gays" on the Russian scene does not end there. But these are only guesses, and you should not pay much attention to them. Moreover, given what they like to call "unconventional" and Philip Kirkorov.
The most famous real gays in Russia
Moving from possible homosexuals to those who actually openly admit their orientation, it should be remembered that these are mostly activists who defend the rights of LGBT people. You cannot hear about them on federal channels, they are not actors, not singers. There is little, if any, information about these people. But they exist and are not ashamed to be themselves.
Pavel Samburov- Coordinator of the LGBT Rainbow Association. A simple, kind person. His organization is committed to promoting the ideas of tolerance, getting rid of various forms of discrimination at different levels of life - from everyday to political.
Igor Kochetkov- LGBT activist, public figure. Considered one of the founders of the Russian LGBT Network. By education - candidate of historical sciences.
Initially, Igor became known as a publicist. Worked in such projects as GayNews and GayRussia. After the creation of the LGBT Network, he was its executive director. Currently, he is the head of the LGBT organization Exit.
Igor Kochetkov is a well-known human rights activist, author of reports and articles on the situation of LGBT people in Russia. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. Married. But, since it is impossible to conclude a same-sex marriage in Russia, he got married in New York with his beloved.
Igor Kochetkov is a very vile and aggressive person. He is very hostile towards non-gays.
Evgeny Pisemsky- Head of the Phoenix PLUS organization, the main directions of which are informing about sexual health and LGBT relationships. Talks about HIV in the gay community.
Maxim Lapunov is an LGBT rights activist who suffered at the hands of homophobic offenders. He spoke at a conference on LGBT persecution in Chechnya. He was forced to openly speak out against the current situation, as he was subjected to torture and death threats. According to him, Maxim is far from the only one who ended up in a Chechen prison on suspicion of homosexuality. But he is the only one who was not afraid to declare this to the whole world and at least somehow try to change the situation.
The most famous homosexuals in the world
Unlike Russia, in the rest of the civilized world things are much more positive with open gays. Many representatives of the LGBT community can be found among actors, singers, cultural figures and politicians.
Sir Elton John- Composer, musician, singer. He received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II herself. At the same time, he periodically acts in films. Elton John is 70 today. In addition to his work, he is known as a public figure. Especially with his participation in the fight against the AIDS epidemic.
In 1994, Elton John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Initially, he declared his bisexuality (gives the same preferences to both sexes), but later called himself a pure homosexual. In 2005, he legalized his relationship with David Fisher. Over time, the couple used the services of a surrogate mother, and their first son was born in 2010, the second in 2013.
Elton John is also known for writing the soundtracks for the cult cartoon The Lion King.
Sir Ian McKellen- the magnificent Magneto, the mysterious Gandalf ... And this is not all of his roles! For his excellent acting talent, he was awarded the title of knight in 1990. At the age of 78, he does not leave his acting career, having just recently starred in the film Beauty and the Beast.
McKellen came out back in 1988 live on the BBC radio station. At that time, extraordinary courage was required for this step. Ian risked public anger and a lot of problems. However, his talent could not be stopped - and after the recognition of his homosexuality to the whole world, the actor received his best roles.
Ian McKellen is a civil activist. He does not ignore the events concerning the LGBT community. Including in the Russian Federation. He even called Sergei Sobyanin a coward when he decided to cancel the gay parade in 2011.
Neil Patrick Harris- the main "playboy" of the series "How I met your mother." For this role, he received two Golden Globe nominations and four Emmy nominations.
Also known for the paintings "Gone Girl", "Starship Troopers". He became the first openly gay person to host the Oscars in 2015.
The actor admitted his orientation in 2006 in an interview with People magazine. The actor said that he was glad to finally dispel misconceptions and rumors. And that he can openly declare that he is gay and lives a happy and fulfilling life.
Neil Patrick Harris married actor David Burtka in 2014.
Jim Parsons He became famous for his role in the TV series The Big Bang Theory, where he played Sheldon Cooper, a theoretical physicist who believes that he knows everything, that he is a genius, and loves to teach other characters.
For this role, the actor received four Emmy awards and a Golden Globe award.
Rumors about his orientation circulated for more than one day. And only in 2012, he spoke about his relationship with the New York Times. His partner Todd Spivak is the art director. Jim also shared that he does not consider his life to be something special. He never considered himself an activist. The actor lives with Todd an ordinary life: they have breakfast, drink coffee, walk the dogs.
Matt Bomer- an actor who was remembered by people in the role of the charming swindler Neil Caffrey from the White Collar series. He also played in the film "Ordinary Heart", dedicated to the problems of sexual minorities.
The actor's coming-out was quite simple - a correspondent for Details magazine simply asked him about Matt's orientation. However, the actor decided not to answer directly, but only hinted that he was gay. And only two years later, Bomer admitted his homosexual orientation publicly.
Xavier Dolan- A film director who left school at 16 and was left without education, but at the age of 20 he received the Cannes Film Festival award for the film I Killed My Mother. He is extremely talented. In 2015, Xavier was already on the jury of the Cannes Film Festival - this is unthinkable quickly. In addition to his directing career, he sometimes acts as an actor, but only in his own films - for example, "I Killed My Mom."
Xavier Dolan's homosexuality is nothing new. The director never hid his orientation. His films often contain discourse on homosexuality. But that's not all he shoots about. The paintings are deep.
Zachary Quinto remembered as the villain Sylar from the TV series "Heroes" and as the unsurpassed Spock from "Star Trek". There was also an unusual, even somewhat tragic role - in American Horror Story, Zachary appeared in the role of a homosexual cast. During life, it committed suicide along with its lover, and now gay ghosts are unable to rest.
In 2011, Quinto publicly came out as a homosexual in an interview with New York Magazine. It all started innocently enough - with a simple discussion of the prospect of legalizing same-sex marriage in the United States. But then he expressed his opinion from the point of view of a gay, which was the beginning of his confession.
Moriarty also did not stand aside. Andrew Scott is an openly gay man who played the role of the main antagonist in Sherlock Holmes. Andrew is a native Irishman who plays in television, film, and theater. Won a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also participated in the next James Bond film, which was released in 2015.
Speaking of the gay community, there's no way you can't let it out of your sight Stephen Fry. He is best known as a British comedian. But he is also an actor, writer, playwright. He gained fame on such series as Black Adder, Jeeves and Wooster. Also, creativity brought him together with Hugh Laurie. Stephen has repeatedly been included in the ratings of the funniest people on the planet. He played the role of a gay man in the dystopian film V for Vendetta, written by the Wachowski brothers (now transgender women, the Wachowski sisters).
For a long time, Fry hid his orientation. He discovered it for himself a very long time ago, when he was at school. But information about his homosexuality became public only in 1997, when the actor was already 40 years old. Fry writes about this in his autobiography. From 1995 to 2010 he lived with his colleague Daniel Cohen. Since 2010, he met with another actor - Stephen Webb.
In the future, Stephen had a new relationship. And on January 6, 2015, he announced his future marriage to comedian Elliot Spencer, who at that time was 27 years old. Officially, the relationship was formalized on January 17. It is Spencer who is called the man who gave Fry a new thirst for life, thereby helping him get rid of depression and loneliness.
Fry is no less famous as an LGBT activist. He is interested in the problem of the homosexual community in Russia. In particular, in 2013, Stephen personally met with Vitaly Milonov, a homophobic deputy of the Russian Federation. Moreover, he expressed support for a campaign against Russia's human rights-violating gay propaganda law.
The world did not stop at the opponent of Sherlock Holmes. Hodor from Game of Thrones joined the rainbow ranks. Rather, the actor Christian Nairn. His character is stupid, but strong and loyal to the Starks. The fact that he is gay, the actor admitted when they were shooting the fourth season of the famous series. This happened when the topic of same-sex marriage was raised on the Game of Thrones forum. To all those who were dissatisfied, Christian replied that when they try to offend the LGBT community, they offend his community.
After that, he stated that he was never shy about his orientation. And, moreover, did not make a secret out of it. They just didn't ask him. What pleased Nairn the most was that he was able to break everyone's favorite stereotype of what gay people are. After all, many see them as cute boys who, for some reason, are more prone to feminine clothes, that they are so fragile and cute. And it was Christian who, with his powerful shoulders, destroyed this stupid stereotype, showing that gays are different. And for this, in the "rainbow" community, he was thanked more than once or twice.
Wentworth Miller- the main sex symbol of all prisons. Lead actor in the series "Escape". Where, in order to save his brother from execution in the electric chair, he himself ends up in prison. And then he pulls him and himself, relying on his brilliant mind and cunningly designed plan. After that, Wentworth can be found in such series as The Flash, where he plays Captain Cold. He plays the same character further in Legends of Tomorrow, where he kisses the hero Lucha with pleasure.
And, even though today Miller is openly gay, he had to go a long way to admit it. In 2007, Wentworth proudly announced that he was going to get married, after which he would have children and continue to build his family life happily. There has never been any suspicion in the media about his orientation. And he explained the absence of a girl quite easily - he was too busy filming.
The actor opened up to society in 2013, when he refused to attend a film festival in St. Petersburg. With this, he supported the action against the new Russian law "on the propaganda of homosexuality." It was wild for him to attend an event in a country where it is forbidden to openly love, and where there are no ideas about basic human rights.
Later, the actor honestly stated that it was difficult for him to admit to himself that he was homosexual. And when he was 17 years old, he even tried to commit suicide, afraid of how society would react to his coming out. As an adult, Miller was frightened that an open confession could harm his career or simply end it.
Ben Whishaw- a person who is easily recognizable by the role of a maniac in the film "Perfume". This film brought him fame in 2013. Like many stars, he did not hide his personal life, but simply did not talk about it. In August 2012, he entered into a civil partnership with Mark Bradshaw, an Australian composer. They met while working together on the film Bright Star in 2009. Mark did the music and Ben played the lead role. And they had an office romance, which eventually became something more. The fact that he has an official partner (civil spouse), Ben said through his agent.
Ruper Everett (The Quiet Flows the Flows), Richard Chamberland (The Thorn Birds, also played an older gay man on Desperate Housewives), Jesse Ferguson (Class, Modern Family) are also part of the rainbow community.
The list of openly gay people in the world does not end there. But to describe all the people who are openly ready to confess their love and real themselves, even a few volumes the size of Les Misérables will not be enough.
Homosexuals have existed since the dawn of mankind. Even in the biblical laws of Moses it is mentioned: "Do not lie down with a man, as with a woman - this is disgusting." Although the instruction did not stop anyone. Gays met among the Romans, and Jews, Greeks. The indigenous inhabitants of the black continent and undiscovered America found pleasure in truly male love.
How does libido affect the fate of a person? Based on the facts of history, conclusions suggest themselves. Many talented people were bi- or homosexual. Freud also argued that in sexual fantasies there is a hidden, true "I-image", without the brakes of culture and education. What is the reason for versatility or the desire to learn new things? Gays in the history of Russia are found at every step of the textbook.
Gays in the history of Russia, as well as other countries, created masterpieces, ruled the strange and danced until you drop, led the army. They made this story despite their sexual orientation and constant hostility from heterosexuals.
1. Ivan the Terrible. One of the first controversial homosexual images in Russian history is Ivan the Terrible. In his book The Other Side of the Sun, Lev Klein mentions the strict king's homosexual inclinations. The writer brings interesting facts from Lithopisi 13: 450. It says that Ivan (at that time still a prince) did not want to marry a girl from another state. He refers to the difference in morals, possible conflicts. Although I could talk about religious differences, politics. Soon the king marries Anastasia. She gives birth to six children for him. Only two survived - son Ivan and Fedor. They said about the king's wife that she was a patient, affectionate woman. She was only jealous of the king-husband for the priest Sylvester. Ivan the Terrible intimidated the queen, fearing the spread of his betrayals. The fragile woman began to get sick and died before reaching the age of thirty. The assistant to the sovereign, Adashev, and the unfortunate priest Sylvester, were blamed for the early death of the queen. Soon the boyars advised Ivan to marry again. In the future, the king married nine times. According to historical statistics, he could only experience sexual pleasure with his first wife, Anastasia. All others were only temporary substitutes. Three of Ivan's wives died early, he killed one himself, imprisoned two in the walls of the monastery. I wanted to send another wife, but she died earlier.
2. N.V. Gogol. Some facts indicate that N.V. Gogol had a passion for men. Conclusions suggest themselves after reading the autobiographical, little-known novel "Nights at the Villa". The work describes love feelings for Count Joseph Vielgorsky, who died in the hands of the writer. The second strong passion of Nikolai Vasilyevich was the artist Ivanov Alexander Andreevich, known for writing the canvas “The Appearance of Christ to the People”. Quite a few literary critics claim that Gogol was the first Russian metrosexual. He was gay, but it is not known whether he accepted himself as such? From early childhood, little Kolya was surrounded by the world of men. First, brother Vanya, with whom they were inseparable. Then Sasha Dinilevskiy, Kolya Prokopovich, Vanya Pashchenko are friends from the Nizhyn gymnasium. And later the actors who played female roles with him in the theater. Nikosha (that was the name of Gogol in his family and friends) was not much favored. The appearance of the young man was strange - long straight hair, a nose, a deep, piercing look. Critics either loved Gogol or terribly hated it. They referred to a detailed description of the writer's personal life, his dissimilarity to others.
3. P.I. Tchaikovsky. Various homosexual games were very fond of the composer P.I. Tchaikovsky. The most favorite of them is the collective masturbation for a bun. According to the rules of the game, who finished last had to eat it. The biography of the composer recalls that he cohabited with many childhood and school friends: Vladimir Meshchersky, Vladimir Adamov, Alexei Apukhtin.
4.Sergei Diaghilev became famous not only for his relationship with Tchaikovsky. He was the ballet's mission at the time. He was called the most European Russian man of the twentieth century. Diaghilev was a comprehensively developed person, a talent in the flesh, without postscripts and conjectures. Even at the beginning of his career, he wrote music, created an opera, wrote books, played in performances. These activities have not become the core of life. He was looking for himself, both in creativity and love. First, he made a splash with the help of modernist artists, then he took up ticket productions. Already at the end of his journey, Diaghilev sought to create a family. In his understanding, it was a union of three - Boris Kakhno, Sergei Lifar and him - Sergei Diaghilev. But Lifar sharply protested against the love of the three, did not want to share his Seryozha with no one. At the end of his life, only Sergey Lifar remains with him, supports him, helps to collect a library of old books, and together they fight nicotine addiction. Perhaps this was exactly the family life that the ballet guru of the 20th century, Sergei Diaghilev, dreamed of.
5. L. Bakst. The famous homosexuals of Russia also include the artist Leon Bakst. Perhaps the close cooperation on the art exhibition with Sergei Diaghilev and Alexandre Benois affects. Then they cooperated for many years, communicated closely. Before his death, due to the growing conflict, Leon left the corpse of Diaghilev. The artist's biographers do not know the exact facts that would confirm or refute Bakst's sexual orientation.
6. Felix Yusupov was a very rich man. He inherited capital from his father, which brought 10 million rubles a year. At one time, he wrote "Memoirs", in which he spoke about his sexual whims. Felix wrote that homosexuality began to manifest itself in his youth, during a duel, when the elder Yusupov, Nikolai, was shot dead. When the boy was left alone in the family, he enjoyed all the charms of permissiveness, sometimes reaching a moral extreme. The mother of Yusupov Jr. was waiting for her daughter, so she had a whole chest of pink dowry. To dispel the chagrin, Felix was dressed up as a girl until the age of five. The boy liked to play with his mother's jewelry, try on dresses, comb his hair. In "Memoirs" it is recalled that a mother's whim left a significant imprint on the formation of Felix's personality. At the age of 13, Yusupov lost his virginity with an Argentine. In a cocktail of childish fun, it completely formed a transvestite guy. Reincarnation as a woman for Felix became a necessity, an addiction, and not just fun. Yusupov became famous for delivering Russia from Rasputin. The queen mother longed for the death of the brave man, but the king only sent him into exile. In 1919, he left Russia and went first to Malta, and then bought a house in the Bois de Boulogne. Shortly before his death, he adopted a boy, Victor Contreras, who later became a popular sculptor.
7. Vaslav Nijinsky called the mad king of dance. He had a difficult fate, a life divided into several stages. The first ten years are childhood. Then ten years of teaching and ten years of all-consuming glory. After - the abyss ... and thirty long years in the captivity of schizophrenia, nervous breakdowns, darkness. In his diary "Feelings", which he wrote while terminally ill, he paid much attention to early sexual feelings for men. Wenceslas considered them a vice. He often accused Diaghilev, as if he were a tempting snake and forced the young dancer to intimacy. In fact, Vaclav was already quite rich and popular at the moment when fate pushed him against Sergei Diaghilev. Pavel Lvov fell in love with Nijinsky, he was ready for a lot for the sake of his god of dance. But the real Vaclav disappointed him in sex, because he was absolutely not experienced in same-sex love. Lvov kept Vatslav for several months until he cooled off. After the break, the young dancer went from hand to hand, but Pavel was the first man who made him suffer. Communication with Diaghilev, and soon a joint project in Paris, slammed the doors of a new golden cage. Vaclav was very worried about his homosexuality, his passive position. He lied in the Feelings diary that Sergei allowed him to move to the asset, but these were only attempts to justify himself. Nijinsky lived a closed life, outside of society and outside of reality, in the golden cage of dance and dependence on rich lovers.
8. Leonid Myasin. Another dancer from the corpse of Diaghilev had real male eroticism. His name is Leonid Myasin. When a dancer appeared on the Parisian stage in only one loincloth and a skin, it caused a sensation. The caustic French journalists even renamed the name of the ballet - "Legends of Joseph", into "Joseph's Thighs". Biographers and the dancer himself claims to have been heterosexual. Although at the time of working with Diaghilev he had experience of a homosexual relationship.
9. Sergei Eisenstein was a revolutionary director. His father was a talented architect. In Riga, there are still houses in the Art Nouveau style, built according to his designs. The boy received a good education, read a lot, attended exhibitions and other cultural events. The search for himself led Eisenstein from the theater to the cinema, where he truly revealed his talent to the world. Little is known about the director's personal life. Once, during a rehearsal, he met an actor, his name was Grigory Alexandrov. Just Grisha. Soon they became not only comrades-in-arms, but partners in cinema. Grisha was Sergei's assistant when Strikes, October, and Darkness were filmed. Then Grisha plays a strange role as Eisenstein. He becomes his confidant, hidden in relationships with women, in personal relationships. A huge impression on Sergei was made by the return of his mother, who tried in every possible way to protect him from mistakes, to control his life.
10. Pavel Chelishchev was not only a popular and talented artist. Surrounded by the meter was the famous snake tempter - Sergei Diaghilev. They met in Berlin. After the artist went to work in Paris with Gertrude Stein, his serene patroness. Before World War II, Chelishchev's activity was attributed to the homosexual direction of the avant-garde. Critics saw in his paintings a psychoerotic desire, a homo energy conflict.
Let's continue our story.
11. Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily III added to the list - gays in the history of Russia. He sent his first wife to a monastery, because in 20 years of marriage they had not had a single child. Biographers claim that through the fault of her husband. Then he married Elena Glinskaya, who bore him two children. One boy was mentally retarded, and the second was Ivan the Terrible. Vasily could perform conjugal duty with his wife only on the condition that there would be a naked officer in the chambers. The prince's favorite was Fyodor Basmanov, who skillfully danced in front of the tsar in women's dresses. Many facts of homosexual biography are revealed in Tolstoy's historical novel Prince Silver.
12. During the reign of Peter I, sexual pleasures of men with men were not uncommon. Many historians, despite the facts, are silent about this side of the life of the Great Tsar. Some details of the biography are revealed in the book about homosexuals in the history of Russia, The Other Side of the Sun, written by Lev Klein. Peter Alekseevich reigned when he was 17 years old, and there are a lot of assumptions and rumors that by this age, he was already familiar with non-traditional sexual relations. Contributed to this, allegedly, a native of Alpine Switzerland Franz Yakovlevich Lefort. Say, only after becoming the royal lover, he was granted the rank of admiral, he also brought the young sovereign to a street vendor of pies named Sashka Menshikov. Until the very death of Lefort in 1699, this trinity was tightly bound by something, and this something was not only state affairs.
13. Alexander I was the beloved grandson and successor of Catherine the Great. It was him she wanted to see on the throne after her death. Alexander came to power only as a result of a palace coup. Sex games at that time were quite popular, both heterosexual and homosexual. The orientation of the king was not disclosed, but there is a fact that Alexander more than once twisted love with husbands. According to other sources, the young prince loved and respected his wife, Elizabeth. Their marriage was both happy and sad at the same time. Two children of young spouses died immediately at birth. A lot of strength and energy was invested in Alexander by his grandmother, Catherine the Great. She attracted the best teachers of Russia to the upbringing, she herself taught her grandson. The reign of her grandson did not disappoint her - he was a good king for his state, defeated Napoleon, took care of the peasants and nobles, competently conducted foreign political affairs. Perhaps in his practice there were same-sex love affairs. But most likely this is the speculation of enemies.
14. Modest Mussorgsky, the creator of the now popular opera Boris Godunov, loved men in his youth. The musician often fell into depression due to an unfulfilled career. His creations were not recognized in society. Modest was looking for himself both in personal and love terms, and in creative endeavors.
15. Another popular homosexual in the history of Russia is Lenin's People's Commissar Georgy Chicherin. He was a famous diplomat. Even Trotsky himself claimed that Chicherin was a talented worker, he was able to quickly and efficiently organize a team, to select personnel. In connection with the simulated righteous life of the communists, Gregory's homosexual inclinations were furiously hidden by the party and associates.
16. M.I. Kutuzov was considered by many to be lovers of same-sex relationships. From the school bench, he is known to all of us as the famous Russian commander. Mikhail Illarionovich spent his whole life side by side with the same military men as himself, and died at the moment when his own Russian soldier pleased him. The commander's heart could not stand it, and he left the earthly world, leaving his penis in the mouth of a batman.
17. Georgy Millyar was a famous Soviet actor, Baba Yaga from children's fairy tales and a homosexual. The actor put on the image for a reason. It was child's play, obscene gestures from the point of view of the party, blue pants that saved the actor from a trip to Kolyma. When in his youth he was caught not quite in a dexterous position with one colleague. Then the young actor was kept in a common cell with thieves for several days, and then released, threatening not to do this again. And Georgy found a way out to save his internal priorities, not to hide, and at the same time not to end up in exile. He became an actor in children's films! After the incident, the Soviet government did not punish the actor, but did not encourage either. He was given a small apartment (when the actor turned 80), was not allowed to spend evenings, an anniversary, and was not allowed to go abroad for prizes and awards. And Millyar received the People's Artist only at the age of 85. George lived an unhappy life, despite the great popularity and love of the audience. At the beginning of his career, he hid his aristocratic roots, after homosexuality. He was a lonely man.
18. Rudolf Nureyev is a Russian genius, without whom the picture of post-war Russia does not emerge. He never hid his orientation, was rude, was infinitely brilliant and unbearable. They said he was a disgusting person. No matter how they called him - an upstart, a miser, a greedy hoarder, without a tribe ... At the same time, God's spark smoldered in him, which absorbed all the minuses of a dancer. He was a true gay who never hid his love and passion. Rudolf Nureyev died of AIDS. He was a big kid who was amused by toys and spontaneity.
19. Nikolai Yezhov is known for his "Yezhovism". A person whose hands are covered in blood. He was the head of the NKVD during the years of the Red Terror - 1937-38. Subsequently, he was accused of many things, including sodomy (homosexuality). Yezhov said that in his youth he worked as an apprentice for a tailor. There, the guy was mocked, beaten, and then one tailor entered into a sexual relationship with him. To Nikolai's surprise, he liked it, even though Yezhov considered pederasty to be a vice. Soon his passion for men was renewed in the tsarist army. According to his autobiography, Nicholas resisted his nature as best he could. Tried to fill up my time with work. The chiefs of the people's commissar appreciated his work, even tried to treat him. At one time, Yezhov was sent to Germany to exchange experience, in fact, to psychiatrists, in order to save the head of the NKVD from pederasty. Nikolai Yezhov was shot in 1940, accused of treason and other blunders.
20. The famous director Vsevolod Meyerhold delighted cinema connoisseurs and not only. Ivan Ignatiev dedicated poetry to him, confessed his sincere feelings. It is not known whether they had an open relationship or if it was just one-way love.
Despite such an ancient and rich past of blue Russia, in our society, non-traditional sexual orientation is still referred to as condemned vices, mental disorders. According to this, homosexuals still have to hide their nature and defend themselves from the attacks of homophobes. Despite the ongoing struggle, gays are a calm people who know how to love tenderly and appreciate their feelings.
No matter how carefully censorship concealed the details of the intimate life of Soviet society, information still leaked out. Today we will talk about Soviet celebrities who had an unconventional orientation.
1. Georgy Millyar
Georgy Frantsevich was very unsociable. Various rumors circulated around the actor's lack of personal life. Some attributed this to the trauma of youth due to the betrayal of the first wife, others said that Millyar was not interested in marriage, because he knew that he could not have children. Of course, the actor was also credited with love for men.The actor himself did not admit this, but his personal description of himself is alarming: "I am all the evil spirit of our cinema."
As a result, Millyar married at the age of 65 - to his neighbor in a communal apartment, with whom he had been friends for many years. Until the end of their lives, the couple maintained a warm relationship.
2. Sergei Eisenstein
A world-class director, Eisenstein, turned out to be a homoxualist. Sergei had a wife, but he spent almost all his time with men. He once declared: "If it were not for Marx, Engels and Lenin, I would be the second Oscar Wilde."
3. Yuri Bogatyrev The magnificent actor could not accept his true nature. He himself perceived it as a disease. His behavior can be described as "a friend among strangers, a stranger among his own."
Internal torment led Yuri to severe depression and alcoholism, which significantly shortened the life of the famous actor.
4. Faina Ranevskaya
The personal life of the famous actress is being discussed even now. Most come to the conclusion that Faina still preferred women. This becomes clear if you carefully study her biography and statements. Just remember the famous one: “Lesbianism, homosexuality, masochism, sadism are not perversions. There are, in fact, only two perversions: field hockey and ballet on ice!”
5. Julia Lemigova
Lemigova was the last Miss USSR. She moved to the United States a long time ago and has been dating tennis player Martina Navratilova since the early 2000s. In 2014, the lovers decided to get married in New York.
6. Sergei Parajanov
The brilliant director was an open bis*xual. Marriage did not prevent him from going to bed with men. In 1974 he was convicted of sodomy. Parajanov spent 4 years in prison, during which he tried to commit suicide several times.
7. Rudolf Nureyev
World fame would not have helped Nureyev escape punishment for sodomy, so he had to flee to the West. This act was even symbolically called the "leap to freedom." Rudolf loved kissing strangers passionately, calling it an old Russian tradition.
8. Vadim Kozin
The legendary singer received the Order of the Red Star for inspiring the fighters on the front line. But former merits did not help Kozin when they came for him with accusations of homosexual relations. He was the only Soviet artist convicted of sodomy twice. As punishment for his orientation, he spent 15 years in the camps.
It is a pity that great people had such a hard time because of the persecution by the state. Orientation should not be a reason for imprisonment. After all, if they felt safe, they could do art, continue to please their fans.
The Richest portal has compiled a rather unusual list - the TOP 15 richest gay celebrities. Many of the names may seem unfamiliar to you, but among them are the CEO of Apple, the music mogul, the famous Armani and others. Let's go in order...
15. Bella Thorne - $2 million
therichest.imgix.netOnce upon a time, 18-year-old Bella Thorne made a coming out that fit in one tweet (to the fan's question "are you bisexual?", she answered simply "yes"). And it seems that just a week after breaking up with Gregg Sulkin, whom she dated for a year, Miss Thorne was already promoting a connection with her friend Bella Pendergast. Be that as it may, this beauty is already worth a couple of million bucks, and her most notable film, by the way, is called Dirty Wet Money (2007).
14. Clay Aiken - $7 million
therichest.imgix.net Clayton Aiken - American singer, winner of the American Music Award and Billboard Music Awards, started on a folk show similar to The Voice. He is completely unknown here, but in the US he is very popular and is considered one of the most beloved alumni of the American Idol contest in its history. Aiken came out in 2008 after his son was born, and he appeared on the cover of People magazine with a child in his arms, and told the whole world that he could not raise him, living a lie. Previously, the same "People" asked Aiken about his sexuality, and he replied like this: "What I say does not matter, because people will still continue to believe in what they want to believe." A well-known gay portal writes sadly about Akin: “alas, we still live in a world where all people are considered heterosexual by default, so a famous person’s coming out is counted only if she commits it publicly.” Well, we believe that this trickster will earn and the 8th million will go far!
13. Ellen Page - $14 million
therichest.imgix.net Well, the first real actress on the list, let's talk about her roles, not about coming outs ... Ellen is known for starring in many great films: "Juno" (for this role she was nominated for an Oscar), "Inception", "Tallulah", "Face to Face" and a dozen others. She does a great job with complex, psychologically believable characters. And it is logical that her fees are growing year by year.
Most recently, she starred opposite Evan Rachel Wood in Into the Woods and earned $1.16 million. Well done Ellen!
12. Neil Patrick Harris - $16 million
therichest.imgix.net Oh times, oh morals! Neil Patrick Harris is best known as an actor on How I Met Your Mother and a couple of rom-coms. As reported in 2013, Harris is taking home $225,000 for each episode of How I Met Your Mother, which certainly says a lot about times in general and decent pay in particular. His partner, David Burtka, a news and entertainment correspondent, has a net worth of $2 million. They have been openly dating since 2007 and have two children. What we wish you - and millions, and kids!
11. Anderson Cooper - $100 million
therichest.imgix.net Now the Russians will recognize this name - Anderson Cooper. But this is a highly respected person in the global news industry. His show, Anderson Cooper 360, has over 1,500 episodes on CNN. And that's not to mention his rich reporting experience. Cooper has won multiple Emmy awards throughout his career, covering major events such as the death of Princess Diana, the death of Pope John Paul II and the wedding of Prince Charles.
Anderson made a public confession in 2012: "The thing is, I'm gay, always have been and always will be, and I've never been so happy and proud of myself, I'm comfortable being gay." He told the DailyMail that his loved ones always knew about his "secret", and he did not consider it necessary to bring this fact to the public, because the main thing is that he always strived to be a good and honest journalist.
The American publication OUT included Cooper in the rating of "The Most Influential Gay Celebrities of 2012", and in this list he took sixth place.
10. Christina Aguilera - $130 million
therichest.imgix.net Christina, how did she get here? She, of course, collaborates with representatives of the LGBT (Linda Perry, and Seah with Le Tigre) ... In 2005, Aguilera said in an interview, without thinking, they start her scenes of lesbian love: “Two women in bed are more sexy than two men. I love experimenting with my sexuality. Sex is a wonderful thing, I love having sex." And then many considered her as bisexual, but since then she has married twice and became a mother, and the public has finally lost interest in her orientation. Yes, and Christina herself did not speak out on this topic anymore, and even more so - she never considered herself to be LGBT. But, nevertheless, they brought it to the list ...
Her career peaked in 2013 when she brought home $82 million from various royalties, performances and a concert tour. Aguilera was also quite successful in 2010 when she appeared in Burlesque, which grossed over $100 million at the box office and proved that Aguilera is not only a star in the recording studio.
9. Miley Cyrus - $165 million
therichest.imgix.net This girl is all right with both brains and a sense of humor. When she appeared on the cover of Maxim's men's magazine, readers voted her number one on their list of hottest girls. Miley rightly notes: “Everyone says that I am a lesbian, and I say that for me this is a compliment, and if you want to offend me, then call me something else. People think that if I have a short haircut, then I'm a lesbian ... But it was after I cut my hair that I got on the cover of Maxim magazine, in the list of which I took first place.
Miss Cyrus told the press, which is so worried about her orientation, that she is pansexual: the sex and gender of her partner do not matter to her. However, many celebrities have begun to declare themselves as pansexual - this is such a new fashion among celebrities who do not want to identify themselves as heterosexuals or the LGBT community. Pansexuality means being interested in a person regardless of their gender, orientation, or gender identity. And bank accounts... but Miley is doing just fine with that! She decently earns both as a musician and as an actress. When she was on Hannah Montana, she received $15,000 per episode. By the age of 17, she had already earned over $100 million. Quite good, isn't it?
8. Lady Gaga - $280 million
therichest.imgix.net A shocking singer and actress (did you see her in American Horror Story?), having earned a net $ 280 million, Gaga, in principle, can already retire. She earned $33 million in 2014 and her biggest year so far was 2015 ($59 million). And the question of the orientation of the freaky Gaga does not concern us too much. She herself says this about it: “I love sex, and it doesn’t matter to me what gender my partner is, but not all of my boyfriends understand this. They are afraid that I like women. Having learned about this, they begin to feel out of place, they whine that we are good together and we don’t need a third in our relationship.
7. Ellen DeGeneres - $400 million
therichest.imgix.net DeGeneres is the host of the entertainment talk show Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show and a favorite of the American public. She has written three books, opened the Eleveneleven record company, and won thirteen Emmys." Ellen became the first openly lesbian character to play a lesbian character in a movie. Ellen's popularity peaked in February 1997, when the comedian on The Oprah Winfrey Show (The The Oprah Winfrey Show has been open about being gay and has made over $70 million in the last three years, if you're wondering her partner and fellow actress Portia de Rossi has a net worth of $20 million.
6. Tim Cook - $400 million
therichest.imgix.net You probably guessed that Apple's CEO jobs pay well. But so good! Tim Cook has made $400 million so far. Prior to that, Cook was COO and made $73.9 million in 2013. As you can imagine, Cook's income is pretty closely tied to iPhone sales (sorry, not the quality of their chargers). ).
If you care about his personal preferences, then he talks about it like this: “I am proud to be gay, and I believe that this is God's greatest gift.”
5. Sir Elton John - $480 million
therichest.imgix.net This guy is known and loved all over the world, which, in fact, confirms the size of his fortune. After all, $480 million doesn't fall from the sky.
Sir Elton John says he has never spoken about his sexual orientation before because no one has ever asked him about it. Yes, they did not ask him about the details of his personal life until 1976, when his interview was published in Rolling Stone magazine. He is currently married to David Furnish and is happy to tell the press about himself and his life. The couple has two children, Zachary and Elijah. Interestingly, the millionaire is not going to leave his children a large inheritance. "Children must learn to appreciate hard work, wealth can ruin their lives." Here is the original!
This very wealth of Elton John would have been even more solid if he had not littered money right and left. He can't deny himself a bunch of different expensive collections (photos, glasses, art and antiques, etc.), and owns real estate around the world.
4. Michael Kors - $1 billion
therichest.imgix.net Billionaire, number one on the American special celebrity list... Michael Kors may be an incredibly wealthy fashion designer, but as you'll see below, he's not the richest on this list. However, with $1 billion in the bank, there is nothing in this world that is out of Mr. Kors's reach. Under his brand, a line of clothing, bags, accessories, jewelry, shoes and fragrances is produced. Also, it may have helped him that he was a judge on Project Runway for five seasons.
In 2011, the tabloids of the United States (and not only) were full of funny headlines like "Michael Kors is getting married." Michael Kors never hid his orientation. Together with Lance Leper, he has been living for about 20 years (Lance is the creative director of the Michael Kors brand). An office romance, practically: once upon a time, young Lance came as an intern to Korsa's company.
3. Jennifer Natalia Pritzker - $1.76 billion
therichest.imgix.net According to Forbes, Jennifer Natalia Pritzker became the first transgender billionaire. Prior to her gender reassignment, she was known as James Pritzker, a retired lieutenant colonel who served 11 years on active duty in the US Army and 16 years in the National Guard. Jennifer is one of 11 members of the Pritzker family on the Forbes richest list. In 2007, the family sold its stake in industrial conglomerate Marmon Holdings to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway fund for $4.5 billion, but continues to control the Hyatt Hotels chain. So for the first time a woman got into the top of the richest Americans ...
Natalia donated $1.35 million to a transgender military service project that aims to improve the quality of public dialogue on the issue. Open trances in the American army are still prohibited from serving: the abolition of the "don't ask - don't tell" policy concerned only gays, lesbians and bisexuals.
2. Giorgio Armani - $6.8 billion
therichest.imgix.net His biography is well known to the general public, we will not repeat ourselves. From the latest reports of the paparzzi, it is known that the world-famous Italian couturier, 81-year-old Giorgio Armani, rested with his young lover Jano in the ski resort of Sir Moritz. The old man is still hoo!
1. David Gaffan - $7 billion
therichest.imgix.net When it comes to the bigwigs of show business and the most influential people in the music industry, one cannot but mention David Gaffen. He created the labels Asylum Records (1970), Geffen Records (1980) and DGC Records (1990), which record The Eagles, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Shar and many other stars. Elton John, Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses and Nirvana are just some of the big names that have signed with his company. He sold Asylum Records in 1990 for $550 million.
They say that when Gaffen took up cinema, Tom Cruise became his lover for many years. And Tom soared to the very top of the Hollywood Olympus, and Gaffen helped him get into the films of cult directors such as Coppola, Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Scorsese, Barry Levinson and Oliver Stone. They say, but we don't believe.
Perhaps the most impressive fact about Gaffen is this: he was kicked out of college for having a fake UCLA degree, which he faked to get a job with the William Morris Agency.
In 2007, OUT magazine named Gaffen the most influential gay man in America (congratulations!).
