Lee Gumbs
Innovators
Miguel Zárate
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
On paper, Miguel Zárate is a choreographer and creative director. However, he’d prefer to describe himself as “a movement architect for some of your favorite pop stars, models, and TV shows.”
Zárate is a first-generation Mexican-American gay man from field-working (campesino) parents. As expected, explaining to his parents that he wanted to pursue dance as a profession turned out to be a pretty difficult pitch. “Not getting their blessing initially was the largest obstacle I’ve ever faced,” he says. “I overcame it by being the best and succeeding in such a huge way that their blessing and support was undeniable.”
As of 2023, Zárate has been featured several times as a choreographer on both flagship and All Stars seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race, working with all kinds of drag performers with different skill levels and strengths. His past on-screen work includes The X Factor and the 2011 version of Footloose.
Looking ahead, Zárate’s dreams are somewhere in between “choreographing Lady Gaga’s next world tour, being a guest judge on Drag Race, and creating a new gay fragrance exclusively for bottoms.” He adds, “But the reality is that I have no fucking clue. I’m an artist with no agent or management backing me, but I’m a man of faith and I have no doubt in my mind that God will open the biggest doors for me to stomp through like Naomi Campbell.”
When asked about his biggest accomplishment of 2023, Zárate says that making the Out100 list is certainly the one. “I never saw it coming,” he explains. “To be recognized by my community in this way is the biggest dream come true.” @migzmigzmigz
GLAAD
Michael Anderson
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
GLAAD
It feels like all our lives changed on November 19, 2022, when an anti-LGBTQ+ shooter took the lives of five people and injured scores more at Colorado Springs’ Club Q. But for Michael Anderson, the nightclub’s only bartender to survive the attack, the mental wounds of that day will never heal. Still, Anderson is rebuilding his life, working to finish his degree in political science and journalism, and sharpening his skills as an activist for gun control and LGBTQ+ equality.
“I am a political advocate,” Anderson says. “However, I never set out to become one. It was through the horror and trauma of surviving the mass shooting attack at Club Q in Colorado Springs, which was my employer, and watching my friends and patrons die, that led me down this path. I knew after the shooting occurred, that I would never allow someone else to tell my story for me. While it has not been easy at times, I have used my voice to advocate for change as I refuse to have such violence have happened in vain.”
Just weeks after the massacre, Anderson gave testimony to the U.S. House Oversight Committee, describing how attacks like Club Q are meant to deter queer people from living our authentic lives. He insists the community needs to go in the opposite direction. “With the increased attacks on our community by politicians and on social media…we must remain confident in who we are, for who we are is exactly who we are meant to be,” Anderson says.
Anderson could never have imagined that months after the shooting, his hero, Christina Aguilera, would ask him to present her with GLAAD’s Advocate for Change Award at the organization’s awards ceremony in Los Angeles. “Christina has been my hero since I was young, it was her music that helped me accept myself,” he says. “It was truly surreal to present her with such a well-deserved honor, and to be able to sit with her during the awards show.”
Anderson is concentrating on finishing college and perhaps starting a political career.
“I remain focused on ensuring that the future of Club Q is one inspired by resilience, strength and persistence,” he says. “I believe it is time the younger generations rise up and take our place in the halls of government. It is the youth that will save our climate, create a safe country through gun reform, and ensure equality for all.” @michaelanders0n