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Allies: Celebrities Who Support The LGBT Community  was originally published on globalgrind.com

1. President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama

POTUS says, “I wrestle with and think about because I have a whole host of friends who are in gay partnerships. I have staff members who are in committed, monogamous relationships, who are raising children, who are wonderful parents. And I care about them deeply. And so, while I’m not prepared to reverse myself here, I think it’s fair to say that it’s something that I think a lot about.”

2. Fat Joe

Fat Joe

Fat Joe went as far as to say, “Gays run hip-hop,” and encouraged rappers to come out of the closet. ““Keep it real [and say] ‘I’m gay.’ What the f***? That’s your preference. F*** it if the people don’t like it… If you’re gay, rep your set.”

3. Kanye West

Kanye West

Early on in his career, some questioned West’s own sexuality, but instead of denying claims, he questioned why it even matters at all, saying, “Not just hip-hop, but America just discriminates. I wanna just, to come on TV and just tell my rappers, just tell my friends, ‘Yo, stop it.’”

4. Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige

When asked about a performance at a gay club, the songstress said, “I love it. I just love my brothers and I love my sisters. I love them all. We’re all in this together. And I have gay friends. It’s a beautiful thing to be able to heal together the way we’ve been healing over the years.”

5. Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg

The actress and show host thanked the gay community for her success, saying, “You know, no one was trying to claim me, nobody wanted me. Black folks didn’t want me. Nobody wanted me. But I’ve always been claimed by the gay community. Always.”

6. Shonda Rhimes

Shonda Rhimes

The TV powerhouse made news when she made this statement. “I just got asked ‘WHY ALL THE GAYS ON MY TV SHOWS?’ Okay, here’s my answer: Because I believe everyone should get to see themselves reflected on TV. EVERYONE,” she said. “And because I love all my gay and lesbian friends. AND because I think same-sex marriage is the civil rights fight of our era.”

7. Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington

When honored at the 2015 Vanguard Award, the “Scandal” actress said, “We need more LGBT characters and more LGBT storytelling. We need more diverse LGBT representation, and by that I mean lots of different kinds of LGBT people living all different kinds of lives…We have to continue to be bold and break new ground until that is just how it is, until we are no longer ‘first’ and ‘exceptions’ and ‘rare’ and ‘unique.’”

8. Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson

Miss Jackson has a hard time trying to figure out why someone would have an issue with same-sex marriage, saying, “It’s two people that are in love with one another. What’s the issue?”

9. Gabourey Sidibe

Gabourey Sidibe

When asked about her role in the film “Life Partners,” the actress said, “ just really wanted to play a lesbian, which I guess is sort of nerdy. My best friend in the entire world is a lesbian and I just thought it would be fun.”

10. Taraji P. Henson

Taraji P. Henson

When asked about the homophobia plotline within “Empire,” Henson had words of wisdom. “We ignore that. That’s nonsense and that’s fear, so we understand where that’s coming from,” she said. “The numbers speak for themselves. People are dealing with this, it’s not a joke, that’s why it’s in the script.”

11. Rihanna

Rihanna

The pop star is a staunch supporter of LGBT rights, She joined the campaign seeking gay rights in Russia before the Sochi Olympics, and spoke directly to fans in Indiana about the state’s attempt to pass anti-LGBT laws. “I wanna hear you say, ‘F*** that s***.’ ‘Cause we’re just living our mother***ing lives. Indiana!”

12. Jay Z

Jay Z

When speaking on Obama’s decision to legalize gay marriage in the United States, the rapper shared fantastic insight, “It’s no different than discriminating against blacks. It’s discrimination plain and simple…I think [announcing support of gay marriage is] the right thing to do, so whether it costs [Obama] votes or not, again, it’s not about votes. It’s about people. It’s the right thing to do as a human being.”

13. Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks

The fashion icon has long worked to help the LGBT cause, using her show “America’s Next Top Model” as a platform to put gay, lesbian, and trans people in incredibly positive lights.

14. Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart

Comedian Kevin Hart believes that love is love, saying, “If everybody else is for it, I’m for it. I’m all about being happy. Whatever makes your boat float … I’m on your side!”

15. Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama

FLOTUS Michelle Obama is a firm believer in fairness, saying, “For Barack and me it really comes down to the values of fairness and equality that we want to pass down to our girls. I mean, these are basic values that kids learn at a very young age and that we encourage them to apply in all areas of their lives.”

16. Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson

The singer and actress has long been a friend to the gay community. She is a campaign ambassador for the “Turn It Up For Change” campaign, which advocates LGBT rights, and her recent music video, “I Still Love You,” tells the story of a father’s last-minute decision to attend his gay son’s wedding.

17. Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez

Lopez has long been a supporter of marriage equality. “When it comes to gay marriage, I just believe in love,” she said. “I believe that when two people find each other and love each other, they should be able to spend their lives together with all the same benefits and privileges as everyone.”

18. 50 Cent

50 Cent

50 has been open for years about his support of same-sex marriages. He once stated, “Obama is for same-sex marriage. If the president is saying that, then who am I to go the other way?”