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helped the U.S. team take the Gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics Women where she and the team redeemed their loss to Japan at 2011’s World Cup. In November, the Los An- geles Gay and Lesbian Center awarded Rapi- noe the Board of Directors Award for being a LGBT role model in sports. In speaking of the barriers the LGBT community faces, Rapinoe said, “I think more people in general need to come out. Until that happens, we can’t expect all these barriers to be broken down.” Anderson Cooper Anderson Cooper is a busy man. The Emmy award-winning journalist hosts Anderson Cooper 360 o , works as a correspondent for 60 Minutes, and until recently even hosted his own talk show, Anderson Live. Cooper had said in the past that discussing his personal life would undermine his work as a journal- ist, and considering the places his work has taken him, potentially endanger his life. The announcement came in an email with writer/ blogger Andrew Sullivan. “The fact is, I’m gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud. Like others on this list, Cooper felt that visibility is key, saying, “I’ve also been reminded recently that while as a society we are moving toward greater inclusion and equality for all people, the tide of history only advances when people make themselves fully visible.” Frank Ocean Hip-hop star Frank Ocean’s career is still in its early days, yet the 25-year-old has gained notoriety for writing songs for Justin Bieber, John Legend, and Beyoncé, as well as his de- but album, Channel Orange, which garnered rave reviews from Spin, Rolling Stone, and The Guardian. Ocean also gained national attention for a letter he posted on his blog, in which he discussed his previous love with another man. Ocean has since avoided label- ing his sexuality definitively, saying in a GQ interview, “You can’t feel a box. You can’t feel a label. Don’t get caught up in that shit…” Genre mainstays Russell Simons, Jay-Z, Be- yoncé, and Tyler, The Creator, whom Ocean collaborates with in the collective Odd Fu- ture, have all shown him support. Much like with boxer Orlando Cruz, Ocean may be the start of a much larger movement to come. § Scott MacDonald is an award winning young journalist originally from Idaho. He writes The Simple Truth for Just Out. Reach Scott at Scott@JustOut.com January 2013 JustOut.com 15
