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Garland’s later performances of the song on TV and in concert—older, battered by life, but still dreaming of a happier place—had even greater power. The result?
Think again, my friend.
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Thanks for subscribing! The line “other boys check you out” was excised, but censors failed to notice his puppet’s bouncing erection at the close of the song.
Crystal Waters, “100% Pure Love” (1994)
Crystal Waters became a household name in the ’90s for her house music hits like the hypnotic “Gypsy Woman.” Among the LGBTQ+ community, though, she is perhaps best known for the sensual “100% Pure Love.” Since its 1994 release, the song became an anthem embodying queer joy and resilience, peaking at No.
11 on the Hot 100 chart. The bespectacled superstar had already publicly come out as bisexual in the pages of Rolling Stone by the time the song became a smash hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 1983.
Shea Diamond, “I Am Her” (2016)
Leave it to singer Shea Diamond to deliver one of the most stirring anthems to trans solidarity in music history.
Waters’ signature hit connected with a new generation of listeners on season 13 of RuPaul’s Drag Race in a fierce Lip Sync for Your Life between Denali and Kahmora Hall. And when you need that little extra boost of confidence, music’s got your back.
Brothers Osborne, “Younger Me” (2021)
Brothers Osborne singer TJ Osborne made history when he publicly came out in early 2021, thereby becoming the first openly gay artist in music history signed to a major country label.
There’s anger in this song, acknowledging the pain of existing in public as queer before transmuting it into strength: “No family is safe when I sashay” is angry, tongue-in-cheek, and defiant all at once.
CeCe Peniston, “Finally” (1992)
The euphoric gay staple — which reached No.
5 on the Hot 100 in January 1992 — is one of many songs featured in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert — both the movie and stage adaption.
ABBA, “Dancing Queen” (1976)
Fun fact: Former Republican presidential nominee John McCain listed this classic (which hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in April 1977) as his favorite song during the 2008 election cycle.
Christine and the Queens, “Girlfriend” (2018)
Originally titled “Damn dis-moi” in French, “Girlfriend” kicked off the rollout for Christine and the Queens’ gender-bending 2018 sophomore album, Chris.
“I see both sides like Chanel,” Ocean sings on his 2017 hit, which finds the R&B innovator exploring the dualities of his sexuality.
The 100 Greatest LGBTQ+ Anthems of All Time
How does a song become a gay anthem? The video depicts a peaceful flash mob taking over the streets of downtown Los Angeles, symbolizing — quite literally — an uprising of love.
CupcakKe, “LGBT” (2016)
This good-time-gal’s party jam shows mad love to the LGBTQ+ community.
— shows the band’s brilliance. This universal song of yearning from the immortal The Wizard of Oz won an Oscar for best original song.
Sam Smith & Kim Petras, “Unholy” (2022)
The dark, clanging “Unholy” became a surprise hit thanks to TikTok, eventually scaling up the Hot 100 to the No.
1 spot in October 2022 — making Smith and Petras the first openly nonbinary and trans artists, respectively, to top the main Billboard chart. While investigating homosexuality in Chicago, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service discovered that gay men used this term to refer to themselves. Featuring an uptempo beat and RuPaul's signature, "You better work!" this one will get the party started, even if it's just you in your living room.
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10"You Need To Calm Down" by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift's fun, unapologetically bold pop track saw the pop star become a more outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, with lyrics like, "Why are you mad / When you could be GLAAD?" The music video itself is basically just one big Pride fest full of celebrities who are part of the family.
11“We R Who We R” by Kesha
Never apologize for who you are!
Guess it wasn’t “just the story of my life” – it was also the reality for many queer relationships.
Indigo Girls, “Closer to Fine” (1989)
Whether it’s in a dive bar or in a two-hour car ride like the infamous The L Word scene, nearly every lesbian will participate in a sing-along of this introspective anthem at some point.
Billie Eilish, “Lunch” (2024)
When Eilish dropped her third studio album Hit Me Hard and Soft in 2024, the immediate standout track was “Lunch” — a swaggering, flirtatious jam that finds the star explicitly singing about her attraction to women for the first time ever.
With lyrics like “I could eat that girl for lunch/ Yeah, she dances on my tongue/ Tastes like she might be the one,” this Finneas-produced love song is the perfect anthem for all WLW who have a crush on someone delicious.
Scissor Sisters, “Let’s Have a Kiki” (2012)
While this may not be Scissor Sisters‘ most inventive track, the campy number — and its instructional dance video!
In 2019, the track received its most prominent sync to date in season 2 of Pose, where Angelica Ross’ Candy uses the song for a ballroom performance that also marks a heartbreaking farewell, showing yet again just how enduring this anthem has been for a community in need of uplifting music. “Supermodel” is an enduring runway anthem that shows anyone can steal the spotlight with the right work ethic and confidence.
Hell yes!