Culture

How did people react to Ariana Grande being named the ‘gay icon of the generation’?

  • Jul 21 2017
  • Written by Katharine Swindells
stockholm pride parade

(Getty)

This week Billboard published who, in its opinion, is the “gay icon of the generation.”

Their pick? Ariana Grande.

Reactions have been mixed, to say the least.

The article gave eight reasons for choosing her.

They said the song “Break Free” was the anthem “that made Ariana break into the hearts and playlists of gays everywhere,” and its video was a “campy gay fantasy.”

New York, 2016 (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Macy’s)

The article cited her sample of Diana Ross’s I’m Coming Out in her song Break Your Heart Right Back, a song about her ex cheating on her with another guy, as cementing her as a gay icon.

Ariana was also the headliner at New York Pride in 2015, just after the US equalised marriage.

She performed Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman” and Madonna’s “Vogue.”

She then shouted: “Make some noise if you think the Supreme Court justices who voted against gay marriage should get their heads out of their f***ing asses and join the goddamn celebration!”

The article had more serious reasons too, such as her strength after the traumatic events of the Manchester bombing in May.

At her incredible One Love benefit concert, she performed the LGBT classic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Ariana has also been very open about her love and support for her out-and-proud brother Frankie, as well as the whole LGBT community.

When told in 2014 that people considered her a gay icon, Grande said: “That’s my favourite thing anyone’s ever said to me in my entire life.”

But not everyone agrees that Ariana deserves the coveted crown of “gay icon of the generation.”

Many had a problem with an artist who is not a member of the LGBT community being held up as its queen.

 

 

Some felt that “of a generation” was far too sweeping a statement, and other artists might deserve the title more.

 

However many argued that, although she isn’t LGBT, Ariana’s advocacy for the community meant she deserved the recognition.

 

 

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