Most of the highest-profile Black gay men in the industry seem to have a history of problematic behavior sprinkled amongst their accomplishments. However, when I began compiling said achievements, an interesting pattern emerged that I couldn’t ignore. In fact, this piece was initially going to be highlighting Black queer men in Hollywood and their achievements. I think that’s why even though my days of looking up to complete strangers have come to an end, I’m still incredibly grateful to see the amount of progress the entertainment industry has made since the 90’s. Outside of RuPaul, who we’ll discuss, and the late and legendary Meshach Taylor ( who I was stunned to find out wasn’t actually gay), queer Black men in film and television were a rarity.
As a Black gay child who was addicted to television in the 90’s, I always felt a sense of wanting when it came to role models.
