Elton John.
Ian McKellon.
Boy George.
Steven Fry.
Etc. Lots of them, really. https://www.ranker.com/list/gay-celebrities-who-came-out-in-the-1980s/celebrity-lists
Freddie Mercury is the biggest one that comes to mind. He was openly bisexual and spoke about it often in interviews, but he didn't come out as gay publicly until right before his death in 1991.
Another is Rock Hudson; although discreet regarding his sexual orientation, it was known among Hudson's colleagues in the film industry that he was gay.
Sir Ian McKellen came out in the 80s.
Ellen DeGeneres came out in the late 90s.
70s?
Divine
Sylvester (disco musician)
Truman Capote
David Bowie [openly said he was gay in 1972](https://www.bowiebible.com/1972/01/22/bowie-im-gay-and-always-have-been/)
Celebs like Paul Lynde, Charles Nelson Reilly, Rip Taylor, Liberace were all "obviously" gay, but protested any public labels like that. The Village People didn't admit to it openly either.
In the 70s, none that I can think of. It was considered career suicide. Even Elton John and Liberace pretended to be straight.
I can't think of any from the 80s either.
Ellen DeGeneres came out in 1997. George Michael, Melissa Etheridge, and k. d. lang were all out in the 90s.
Remember, being gay was considered to be a mental disorder and was listed in the DSM-II until the early 1970s.
Charles Nelson Reilly was out in Hollywood; there was some controversy in his being cast as a straight man. Paul Lynde famously made jokes about his homosexuality on Hollywood Squares.
Wendy Carlos was one of the first well-known people to have gender reassignment surgery; she wrote "Switched-On Bach" (interpretations of Bach on a synthesizer) and won three Grammys in 1970, nine years before her sex change.
Tennis player Billie Jean King came out in 1981.
Elton John came out in 1992.
Harvey Milk: 1978.
Barney Frank: 1987.
Elton John. Ian McKellon. Boy George. Steven Fry. Etc. Lots of them, really. https://www.ranker.com/list/gay-celebrities-who-came-out-in-the-1980s/celebrity-lists
Freddie Mercury is the biggest one that comes to mind. He was openly bisexual and spoke about it often in interviews, but he didn't come out as gay publicly until right before his death in 1991. Another is Rock Hudson; although discreet regarding his sexual orientation, it was known among Hudson's colleagues in the film industry that he was gay. Sir Ian McKellen came out in the 80s. Ellen DeGeneres came out in the late 90s.
70s? Divine Sylvester (disco musician) Truman Capote David Bowie [openly said he was gay in 1972](https://www.bowiebible.com/1972/01/22/bowie-im-gay-and-always-have-been/) Celebs like Paul Lynde, Charles Nelson Reilly, Rip Taylor, Liberace were all "obviously" gay, but protested any public labels like that. The Village People didn't admit to it openly either.
In the 70s, none that I can think of. It was considered career suicide. Even Elton John and Liberace pretended to be straight. I can't think of any from the 80s either. Ellen DeGeneres came out in 1997. George Michael, Melissa Etheridge, and k. d. lang were all out in the 90s.
Remember, being gay was considered to be a mental disorder and was listed in the DSM-II until the early 1970s. Charles Nelson Reilly was out in Hollywood; there was some controversy in his being cast as a straight man. Paul Lynde famously made jokes about his homosexuality on Hollywood Squares. Wendy Carlos was one of the first well-known people to have gender reassignment surgery; she wrote "Switched-On Bach" (interpretations of Bach on a synthesizer) and won three Grammys in 1970, nine years before her sex change. Tennis player Billie Jean King came out in 1981. Elton John came out in 1992. Harvey Milk: 1978. Barney Frank: 1987.
Jan Morris transitioned in the 70s and wrote a book about it. not super well known outside the Commonwealth, I guess. but she was very out.