Jane Lynch made us laugh as hopeful era of pop culture continued in 2012

Scroll To Top

Jane Lynch made us laugh as hopeful era of pop culture continued in 2012

Andrew Rannells, Boy George and Sharon Needles were also featured as Out100 cover stars that year.

President Barack Obama was reelected in 2012 for his second term, which meant that this era of hopeful and inclusive pop culture went ahead at full steam. From the release of "Let's Have a Kiki" by the Scissor Sisters," to Lana Wachowski's first public outings as a trans woman to promote Cloud Atlas, to the first-ever edition of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars on Logo TV, this year opened a lot of doors for the celebration and visibility of the LGBTQ+ community in mainstream media. Fittingly, Andrew Rannells, Boy George, Jane Lynch, and Sharon Needles were the 2012 Out100 honorees featured as cover stars.

After originating the role of Elder Price on Broadway's The Book of Mormon in 2011, Andrew Rannells had a huge 2012, playing one of the lead gay characters on NBC's The New Normal, the hunky Manny in the Kirsten Dunst-starring comedy Bachelorette, and Hannah's queer ex-boyfriend from college on HBO's Girls. Rannells' career only skyrocketed since then, with subsequent acting credits in films such as The Intern, A Simple Favor, The Boys in the Band, The Prom, and Our Son; TV shows like Big Mouth, Girls5Eva, and Welcome to Chippendales; and theater work that includes Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Hamilton, The Boys in the Band, and Tammy Faye.

Rannells started dating fellow actor Tuc Watkins before they were cast to play a couple in the Broadway revival of The Boys in the Band in 2018 — which won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play the following year. Rannells and Watkins, who are still together, reprised their respective roles as Larry and Hank in the Netflix film adaptation of the play. As of 2024, Rannells is attached to various upcoming projects that include the sequel to A Simple Favor, the limited series Too Much, and the film Miss You, Love You alongside Allison Janney.

ANDREW RANNELLSwww.out.com

Boy George had a long legacy as the lead singer of Culture Club in the 1980s and launched his solo career by the end of that decade, which made him a clear honoree for the Out100. George, who maintained an androgynous aesthetic while fronting Culture Club and officially came out as a gay man in his 1995 autobiography Take It Like a Man, was a trailblazer for people in the LGBTQ+ community for several decades.

Over the years, George did face his fair share of controversies, such as an arrest in 2005 on suspicion of drug possession and reporting a false burglary, as well as prison time due to an assault and false imprisonment of a male escort in 2007. George spent the next few years performing in special events and releasing studio albums like 2010's Ordinary Alien and 2013's This Is What I Do. He also joined The Voice franchise in 2016 and became a mainstay coach for The Voice Australia between 2017 and 2020.

BOY GEORGEwww.out.com

Emmy Award-winning actress, singer, and comedian Jane Lynch was a breakout star in Christopher Guest films such as 2000's Best in Show, 2003's A Mighty Wind, and 2006's Consideration, as well as blockbuster comedies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Role Models. She then landed recurring roles on hit shows like Two and a Half Men and The L Word, and ultimately became the iconic Glee antagonist known as Sue Sylvester.

Lynch's place in the Out100 Hall of Fame was a given, and she's continued to be one of the hardest-working stars in all of Hollywood since making Out's annual list in 2012. Noteworthy credits include her standout characters on Manhunt, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Criminal Minds, Only Murders in the Building, The Good Fight, as well as a boundless list of voice acting roles. In recent years, Lynch has also received commercial and critical acclaim for hosting Hollywood Game Night and playing Mrs. Brice in the 2022 revival of Funny Girl on Broadway.

Jane Lynchwww.out.com

Sharon Needles was honored in the 2012 Out100 after winning season 4 of RuPaul's Drag Race and redefining what fans could expect from the long-running drag competition series. Following a string of traditionally-polished and fashion-forward winners in the first three seasons of Drag Race, Needles broke boundaries, pushed the envelope, and connected to people in the LGBTQ+ community who also considered themselves "spooky" and "weirdos."

Needles released four studio albums over the years and was featured as one of the subjects in the 2019 documentary The Queens. In recent years, however, Drag Race fans and queens alike have held Needles accountable for her long-standing use of racist language and overall racist behavior toward people of color who have since spoken out. While Needles still works as a drag performer, her public image in 2024 is rather different from how she was perceived as an Out100 honoree in 2012.

See All 2023's Most Impactful and Influential LGBTQ+ People

Artists

Disruptors

Educators

Groundbreakers

Innovators

Storytellers

In 2015, Barack Obama showed us what it truly meant to be an ally

Also honored in the Out100 were Dan Levy, Candis Cayne, Russell Tovey, Roxane Gay, and Cynthia Nixon.

Barack Obama, Ally of the year. When he was sworn into presidency on January 20, 2009, there were only TWO states where same-sex marriage was legal. By the end of the 44th president's second term, same-sex marriage was legal NATIONWIDE. From the historic legalization of same-sex marriage across the nation to the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in the military, Obama's unwavering commitment to equality continues to resonate. Barack Obama continues his advocacy for equality and is a major supporter of President Joe Biden's campaign.

2015 was a massive, groundbreaking year for the LGBTQ+ community. Same-sex marriage became legal nationwide, progress was finally being made. The power was taken from the states and it forced the ugliest parts of America to see that love is LOVE. Turning over the marriage laws in 13 states, on the day thousands of couples rushed to get married, even in the most conservative towns across the country.

It was also a transformative year for trans visibility, as Laverne Cox was on the cover of TIME and Caitlyn Jenner came out on Vanity Fair's cover. Both making huge leaps for the trans community.

Although it was a year of progress for many, the climate created a lot of tension. In November, the attacks on Paris took the world by storm. A massive attack, with the loss of 103 lives and hundred other civilians wounded. Not too long after the attacks, Donald Trump became a frontrunner in the 2016 presidential election, causing more division in the country.

In 2015, LGBTQ+ media reached new heights of visibility and influence, with groundbreaking moments in television, film, and politics that explored the diversity of LGBTQ+ experiences.

Television saw the rise of trailblazing shows. Transparent, an Amazon Prime series created by Joey Soloway, The show centers around a family's journey after their patriarch comes out as a transgender woman, played by Jeffrey Tambor, won numerous awards, including a Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. Its portrayal of gender identity and family dynamics resonated with audiences and sparked important conversations about transgender issues.

Orange Is the New Black, the Netflix series that already made waves with its diverse cast and complex characters, continued to shine in 2015. The show featured several LGBTQ+ characters, including the groundbreaking representation of a transgender woman, Sophia Burset, played by Laverne Cox. Cox's performance and visibility furthered the conversation around transgender rights and representation in the media. Shows like Empire, Supergirl, Rosewood, The Royals, and Blindspot also showed incredibly fluid and diverse characters throughout the year.

In films, Carol directed by Todd Haynes stunned audiences with its portrayal of a romantic relationship between two women in the 1950s. Starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, the film received critical acclaim and multiple award nominations, highlighting LGBTQ+ love stories. Also in the film genre, Eddie Redmayne had been nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in The Danish Girl. A biographical film inspired by the life of trans woman Lili Elbe.

Social media also played a pivotal role in LGBTQ+ media in 2015. YouTube and other digital spaces became important platforms for queer voices and stories. Content creators like Tyler Oakley, an out gay YouTuber, continued to grow their audiences, using their platforms to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and share personal experiences. Additionally, the rise of web series such as Her Story, which focused on the lives and loves of trans women, showcased the power of social platforms in promoting underrepresented voices.

In music, out LGBTQ+ artists continued to make cultural contributions. Halsey, a bisexual singer-songwriter, released her debut album Badlands, which received commercial success. Her openness about her sexuality and mental health issues resonated with fans and added to the growing representation of LGBTQ+ individuals in the music industry.

2015 was a year of transformation, change and movements. A year that proved to be tough but also beautiful in many ways. With representation soaring in the press, in the government and in the media.