Benjamin Rivera
Artists
J. Harrison Ghee
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
J. Harrison Ghee’s acclaimed performance in the Broadway musical Some Like It Hot, in which they portray the gender-bending Jerry/Daphne role, moved the needle forward when it comes to onstage representation. This year, Ghee and Alex Newell of Shucked became the first nonbinary actors to take home Tony Awards.
The North Carolina native didn’t see much of that kind of representation in the past. So after moving to New York City in 2007 and starring in celebrated projects (including Mrs. Doubtfire and Kinky Boots), Ghee has made it their mission to help folks feel seen.
“These days, queer visibility means so much more. I think about what it would mean to my younger self because it is a dream to see me here now, living in such an authentic way and being celebrated for that,” they say. “Queer visibility is something I cherish and being able to make that space not only for myself but for others in the world is so important to me.”
Though they admit it can be an everyday battle to face their own fears and doubts, Ghee chooses to overcome those hurdles by continuing to fight for and walk in queer joy. “It’s not easy for any individual to make the choices they make every day, but it can get tough as a Black queer human in this world,” Ghee says. “I choose to push through to walk in truth, joy, and love every day.”
And with more new projects coming in the near future, Ghee wants the world to know that LGBTQ+ people deserve all the love and respect for them that the world has to offer. “It’s so simple, yet it can be so difficult for people,” they say. “I want everyone to just come to the table with a little more consideration of humanity.” @jharrisonghee
Photo by Stuart Winecoff
Troye Sivan
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
Photo by Stuart Winecoff
It’s been five years since Troye Sivan’s second studio album, Bloom, was released to much acclaim. And Something to Give Each Other, which came out this October, was well worth the wait.
Sivan and his art routinely spark conversation in pop and LGBTQ+ culture. “Rush,” the album’s lead single that dropped in July, is no exception. It became (along with Kylie Minogue’s “Padam Padam”) the queer song of the summer. The steamy music video, an explosion of dancing, abs, and hedonism, unleashed its own rush of think pieces about popper use and body diversity in queer spaces.
Sivan, who as an actor had a role this year on The Idol — Max’s much-skewered scripted show on pop stardom— also made headlines for his candor this year. He revealed on the High Low podcast that, despite the reputation he received from 2018’s “Bloom,” which was widely received as a bottom anthem, he is, in fact, not a “power bottom.”
Whatever his preferences, Sivan has proven himself a versatile artist. The release of Something to Give Each Other was Troye’s proudest accomplishment of 2023 — along with the launch of Tsu Lange Yor. The Australian lifestyle and homeware brand, for which Sivan serves as creative director, sells candles and scents as well as home objects. “My brother and I started it together, had to trust our guts, find incredible people to work with, and have learnt so much along the way,” the 28-year-old says.
In art and in life, Sivan remains inspired by his community. “Through so much adversity, the LGBTQ+ community pushes to be a safe space for all — pulled together by pillars of love, support, chosen family, and freedom,” he says. “Queer people everywhere need to be protected and be able to celebrate themselves as loudly as they want.” @troyesivan