—McNichol comes out: Actress Kristy McNichol (TV's Family and Empty Nest) officially came out of the close. McNichol has lived with partner Martie Allen for the past two decades.
—Mizrahi gets hitched: Fashion designer/TV personality Isaac Mizrahi revealed on The Wendy Williams Show that he married boyfriend Arnold Germer. Mizrahi told Williams, "We didn't think we wanted to get married until they said we could in New York."
—Aussie support: Olivia Newton-John joined other prominent Australians, including Hugh Jackman and David Stratton, in backing the campaign for marriage-equality reform.
—Going Gaga: Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, launched the Born This Way Foundation at Harvard University's Sanders Theatre. The foundation has partnered with the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The California Endowment and The Berkman Center at Harvard.
—lang split: Singer kd lang and longtime girlfriend Jamie Price called it quits. lang filed to end her domestic partnership with Price; the two were together for almost nine years
—The Madonna Bowl: Madonna was the halftime entertainment at Super Bowl XLVI. During the 13 minutes, she performed new songs and older hits alongside Nicki Minaj, a gospel choir, LMFAO and rapper M.I.A. (who caused controversy with a middle-finger flash).
—Cynthia's controversy: Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon stirred controversy when she told the New York times that, for her, being gay was a choice. She later told The Advocate, "While I don't often use the word, the technically precise term for my orientation is bisexual. I believe bisexuality is not a choice, it is a fact. What I have 'chosen' is to be in a gay relationship."
—Protesting Ellen: Conservative group One Million Moms protested J.C. Penney's choice of Ellen DeGeneres as its spokesperson. The group actually lodged complaints twice, including a new Christmas ad featuring the lesbian talk-show host.
—Slamming Adele: As guest editor of a publication, out fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld said some controversial things about singer Adele, including "She is a little too fat, but she has a beautiful face and a divine voice." Several celebrities, including Madonna, came to Adele's defense.
—Goodbye, Rosie: The Oprah Winfrey Show retooled and then, after five months, axed The Rosie Show, featuring Rosie O'Donnell. O'Donnell filmed the show in Chicago and purchased a house in the city.
—Hello, Matt: Matt Bomer—the star of the USA series White Collar and part of the Magic Mike cast—officially came out of the closet at the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards. While accepting an award, he thanked his family: partner Simon Halls and their three children.
—Year of the woman: Two women took over this year's Grammys for very different reasons: Adele won six awards while the iconic Whitney Houston's life was remembered. Adele's eventful year continued with multiple honors, including various outlets naming her entertainer of the year—and, on top of that, she had a baby.
—'8' expectations: The American Foundation for Equal Rights and Broadway Impact premiered 8, an account of the federal trial Perry v. Schwarzenegger (now Perry v. Brown); the West Coast premiere included George Clooney, Jane Lynch, Brad Pitt, Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Bacon, among others. The production launched a series of readings around the country.
—Historic kiss: The daytime soap opera Days of our Lives made history Feb. 23 with the show's first same-sex kiss as college student Will (played by Chandler Massey), dealing with his sexuality, engaged in a steamy kiss with classmate Neil (Jesse Kristofferson, son of Kris). Since then, the show has also shown Will and his current boyfriend in a lovemaking scene.
—Net loss: Lesbian tennis legend Martina Navratilova was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. However, she was the first entrant bounced out of the competition.
—Changing ratings: More than 75,000 people joined a bullied high school student's online campaign urging the Motion Picture Association of America to change the rating of the new film "Bully" from "R" to "PG-13." Ultimately, the film received the latter rating.
—The Wright thing: The LIKEME Organization, founded by lesbian country music recording artist and Kansas native Chely Wright, opened its first LIKEME Lighthouse in Kansas City, Mo. The community center offers educational resources on topics such as the coming-out process, gender identity and bullying.
—Ill-fitting suit: Actress Nicolette Sheridan filed a suit alleging wrongful termination and battery against Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry. A judge threw out her battery claim, and a three-judge panel determined that she was not wrongfully fired. However, the jurists said Sheridan should be allowed to pursue claims that she was retaliated against after complaining that series creator Marc Cherry struck her in the head during an on-set argument.
—Toon time: The comic strip Doonesbury was in the middle of controversy, thanks to a weeklong series about a woman who enters a Texas abortion clinic and deals with various incompetent pro-life advocates. Approximately 50 newspapers asked for an alternate Doonesbury strip (out of 1,400 newspaper subscribers). Meanwhile, Funky Winkerbean featured a gay couple determined to go to their high school prom together and the consequences that ensue.
—Strike a pose: A lot of people made news for various feats, but only one person made news for a pose, as Angelina Jolie's Oscar-night stance with her leg resulted in everything from a viral video to the leg having its own Twitter account.
—Controversial Cameron: Eighties TV star Kirk Cameron (Growing Pains) stirred controversy when he commented that homosexuality is "unnatural." After all the heat the statement generated, he later said he loves "all people. When you take a subject and reduce it to a four-second sound bite and a checkmark on a ballot, I think that's inappropriate and insensitive."
—Hello, gorgeous: Gay icon and legendary entertainer Barbra Streisand turned 70. Among other things, she went on a concert tour this year and starred in the movie The Guilt Trip.
—Money matters: Tammy Lynn Etheridge said that she needs more than the $23,000 that ex Melissa Etheridge paid each month in child and spousal support. Tammy Lynn also claimed that she had "limited income and virtually no savings" and that Melissa—who is in a relationship with Nurse Jackie creator Linda Wallem—"has extensive resources at her disposal and a tremendous earning capacity."
—The play's the thing: Corpus Christi—Terrence McNally's controversial play that depicts Jesus as a gay man in 1950s Texas—again stirred passions on a tour, generating sometimes violent reactions in the United States and abroad.
—'Model' shake-up: Tyra Banks shook things up on TV's America's Next Top Model by firing longtime co-stars fashion photographer Nigel Barker, runway coach J. Alexander and creative director Jay Manuel. The following season featured new judges and fan input regarding voting.
—Stars and stripes: Celebrities showed their support for the presidential candidates—although most were solidly in Obama's camp. Ricky Martin, Sarah Jessica Parker, George Clooney and Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour were among those hosting fundraisers for Obama.
—Rubbed the wrong way: Two unidentified male massage therapists accused actor John Travolta of sexual battery. The masseurs alleged the Pulp Fiction actor touched them inappropriately, made advances and talked about sexual favors.
—Parsons out: Actor Jim Parsons, 39—well-known as genius Sheldon Cooper on the TV show The Big Bang Theory—officially came out of the closet. New York Times writer Patrick Healy wrote that Parsons "is gay and in a 10-year relationship, and working with an ensemble again onstage was like nourishment, he said."
—Skin game: The male-stripper movie Magic Mike (based on the life of star Channing Tatum) was out in theaters, to the delight of many women and gay men. The movie starred Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew McConaughey and out actor Matt Bomer, among others.
—Revolving door: Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler exited American Idol, which subsequently brought in three new judges: country singer Keith Urban, rapper Nicki Minaj and pop singer Mariah Carey. Some worried that the next season may be more about the judges than the contestants—especially in light of a supposed Minaj-Carey feud.
—Addressing rumors: Actress Raven-Symone (who first received national exposure as Olivia on The Cosby Show) took to Twitter to address rumors about her sexuality. Addressing rumors that she was living with AzMarie Livingston—a recent contestant on America's Next Top Model who is an out lesbian—Raven-Symone tweeted, "My career is the only thing I would like to put on display, not my personal life. Kisses!"
—Horning on: Three male caretakers sued Roy Horn—of the Vegas tiger-trainer duo Siegfried and Roy—for allegedly sexually attacking them. Horn reportedly pinched nipples, forcibly kissed a caretaker on the mouth and grabbed genitalia, among other things.
—Adam on top: Adam Lambert became the first out gay musician to top the Billboard chart after his latest album, Trespassing, debuted in the number-one spot. Trespassing sold 77,000 copies, making Lambert the seventh American Idol finalist to climb to the top spot on the chart.
—Express yourself: The rivalry between Madonna and Lady Gaga heated up in 2012. During Madonna's concert tour, she segued from the song "Express Yourself" to Gaga's "Born This Way." The Material Girl would also dedicate a song to Gaga, adding, "Imitation is the [sincerest] form of flattery."
—Carrie on: Country-music superstar Carrie Underwood spoke out in favor of gay rights. Talking with the British newspaper The Independent, the country singer said she believes, as a Christian, everyone has the right to "love publicly. ... As a married person myself, I don't know what it's like to be told I can't marry somebody I love, and want to marry."
—Change: Weeks after coming out as transgender, Against Me! singer Tom Gabel performed her first show as Laura Jane Grace. Grace sang and played a 40-minute set at San Diego's Humphreys Concerts by the Bay as the band played six new songs, including "Transgender Dysphoria Blues."
—All that Chaz: Trans celebrity Chaz Bono split from fiancee Jennifer Elia, pointing to "deep-seated issues around substance abuse and stuff like that that had been really a problem almost since we first got together. … We just wanted different things out of life." Bono later made news for publicly expressing his desire to lose at least 50 pounds, and seeking out famed physician Dr. Travis Stork to help.
—Frenchie kiss: Frenchie Davis—who has competed on American Idol and The Voice—revealed her sexuality. She told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that she's been dating a woman for the past year: "I dated men and women, though lesbians weren't feeling the bisexual thing. Now I'm in love with a woman I think I can be with forever."
—No piece of 'Cake': Former RuPaul's Drag Race contestant Carmen Carrera was the butt of a joke on the TLC's Cake Boss, with Buddy Valastro saying "That's a man, baby," to Cousin Anthony after trying to set them up. Valastro reportedly apologized for the joke.
—Adam's edict: Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine told MTV that if he were president of the United States, "First I'd make gay marriage legal, because that's just archaic and ridiculous." The singer and judge on the NBC series The Voice is a favorite of the gay community and he has family ties—his brother, Michael, is openly gay.
—Shy girl no longer: Jamaican reggae singer Diana King—known for hits such as "Shy Guy" and her remake of "I Say A Little Prayer"—came out as lesbian on her Facebook page. Part of the post reads, "I AM … WOMAN … MOTHER ... AUNT … JAMAICAN … AMERICAN ... INTERNATIONAL ARTIST ... GODDESS! among other things AND YES!!! ... I AM A LESBIAN."
—Kicking things off: U.S. women's soccer standout Megan Rapinoe came out of the closet as well. Rapinoe, 27, did so in an interview with Out magazine, saying she knew she was lesbian by her first year of college.
—Being Frank: Frank Ocean—an R&B singer who is part of the hip-hop collective Odd Future, and who has also written songs for Justin Bieber, John Legend and Beyoncé—came out on his blog, saying that his first lover was a guy. His album, Channel Orange, subsequently became a critical and commercial hit.
—Muppets miffed: The Muppets have ended their partnership with Chick-fil-A after having sold the company's Creature Shop toys for the chain's kid's meals. The Jim Henson Company posted a statement on Facebook that read, "The Jim Henson Company has celebrated and embraced diversity and inclusiveness for over fifty years and we have notified Chick-Fil-A that we do not wish to partner with them on any future endeavors."
—The bitch is back: Singer Elton John verbally attacked Madonna several times, saying at one point that she looked like a "fairground stripper." In an interview that took place in Australia, John said of Madonna, "Why is she such a nightmare? Her career is over, I can tell you that. Her tour has been a disaster and it couldn't happen to a bigger [expletive]." Although they've reportedly feuded for years, her criticism of Lady Gaga (godmother to John's son, Zachary) has infuriated him.
—Matter of the heart: Rosie O'Donnell suffered a heart attack. In a blog post, she wrote, "i became nauseous my skin was clammy i was very very hot i threw up." She also revealed that a cardiologist put her in the hospital, where she had a stent implant. O'Donnell also said the type of heart attack she had was called a "widow maker." She later revealed that she married fiancee Michelle Rounds in New York June 9.
—Lucky star: Ellen DeGeneres received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Sept. 4. Along with her current talk show, she has done everything from acting in a self-titled sitcom (1994-1998—where she came out) to judging on American Idol to hosting the Emmys and Oscars.
—Forgiveness: Award-winning singer-actress Jennifer Hudson has forgiven estranged brother-in-law William Balfour for murdering her mother, brother and nephew. Talking with Oprah Winfrey on the show Oprah's Next Chapter, Hudson said that although she hold Balfour "very responsible" for the 2008 killings, she added, "I feel like, for the most part, it's not his fault. It's what he was taught."
—One "Voice": Chicago-area lesbian De'Borah Garner became a national darling while competing on the NBC show The Voice. Talking with Windy City Times, she revealed that she began being barred from singing in front of church congregations as her appearance became more masculine.
—Parental advisory: Out gay actor Rupert Everett (My Best Friend's Wedding, Shakespeare In Love) caused quite a stir by saying that gay men don't make good parents. He told Britain's Sunday Times Magazine that he agrees with his own mom, who says a child needs a father and a mother, adding, "I can't think of anything worse than being brought up by two gay dads." He later received hate emails and even death threats.
—"Modern" flair: ABC's Modern Family—which features a gay couple among its characters—dominated the 64th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, with its third consecutive Emmy as best comedy in addition to acting awards. In addition, Jessica Lange won best supporting actress for her turn on American Horror Story, which Ryan Murphy (Glee) created.
—Tie one on: Out actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family) has announced his engagement to attorney Justin Mikita and announced a new marriage-equality organization. In a video, Ferguson tells viewers about his foundation Tie the Knot and then reveals, ""It's true. I popped the question." Mikita then adds, "I said yes!"
—Madonna angers Obama: What's Madonna without some controversy? At a concert, she called President Obama a "Black Muslim" while urging concertgoers to vote for him—but she angered his team with the inaccurate term. She later said that she was being "ironic."
—Honey talks: Six-year-old reality-TV star Honey Boo Boo showed her love for the LGBT community. On the season finale of her hit show, she jumped into the arms of "Uncle Poodle," which is her pet name for her gay uncle Lee. She later told the cameras, "Ain't nothin' wrong with bein' a little gay; everybody's a little gay."
—You gotta have "Faith": George Michael, plagued by "major anxiety" following his battle with pneumonia last year, cancelled the Australian leg of his tour. On his website, Michael said that cancelling the nine shows "breaks his heart." Last year, he suffered from severe pneumonia and spent a month in a Vienna, Austria, hospital.
—Fern this: Kathleen Pryer, a professor of biology at Duke and director of the school's herbarium, named 19 new species of fern after Lady Gaga. Pryer said in a statement to the New York Times that she honored Gaga "because of her fervent defense of equality and individual expression. We think that her second album, Born this Way, is enormously empowering, especially for disenfranchised people and communities like LGBT, ethnic groups, women…"
—Show yanked: After two seasons, Warner Bros. Domestic TV cancelled Anderson Cooper's Anderson Live!. The producers tried a revamp after the first season with a new venue, new title and all-live format; however, the series still struggled to find viewers. In a statement, Cooper said, "I am very proud of the work that our terrific staff has put into launching and sustaining our show for two seasons."
—Hiatus: The band Scissor Sisters told fans in London that the members are going on an indefinite hiatus—but promised they'll be back to continue the "kiki." The band members have no immediate plans for a follow-up to the latest album, Magic Hour, which features the gay anthem "Let's Have a Kiki."
—Clash of activities: At least four individuals accused Kevin Clash —the gay puppeteer who voiced Elmo on Sesame Street—of improper relations when the alleged victims were minors. In the wake of the accusations, Clash resigned.
—Train wreck: Lindsay Lohan was constantly in the news—and rarely for a good reason, it seemed. Whether it was for a fight in a club, or even for the critically maligned Lifetime movie Liz & Dick (based on the lives of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton), Lohan rarely stayed out of the headlines.
—Ace of race: Gay couple Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge—formerly known as The Fabulous Beekman Boys because they starred in their own reality series for two seasons on Discovery's Planet Green—won the latest edition of CBS' The Amazing Race.
—Ricky's revelation: Superstar Ricky Martin said at a United Nations conference on homophobia that he wished he could come out again so he could tell people struggling with their identities that "it's just beautiful—you find love."
—Hot Summer: The late disco queen Donna Summer will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. It was the sixth try for the "Bad Girls" singer. Among the others who will also be inducted are satirist Randy Newman, rap group Public Enemy, rock band Heart and Canadian act Rush.
—Rolling in the props: Adele was named the top Billboard artist of 2012. She also claimed the publication's top-album award for 21, which has sold more than 10 million copies in the United States. Adele received both awards two years in a row, becoming the first artist to achieve that honor.
—With this ring: ABC News weather editor and Good Morning America anchor Sam Champion married photographer Rubem Robierb in an intimate ceremony at Champion's New York City apartment. They had a subsequent ceremony in Miami New Year's Eve.
—The giving spirit: David Geffen, the openly gay individual who has produced records for musicians such as Bob Dylan and John Lennon, donated $100 million to the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical School's scholarship fund. UCLA's medical school had been named after Geffen after he donated $200 million in 2002.
