Here’s a look back at how the Golden Globe Awards, messy, boozy, and often controversial, have also played a meaningful role in LGBTQ+ visibility. While the Globes have faced criticism for ethical failures and lack of diversity, they’ve long stood apart as a slightly queerer cousin to the Oscars. With categories spanning film and television, drama and comedy, the show has often made space for out talent and stories — sometimes ahead of the curve. In 1994, Tom Hanks used his win for Philadelphia to acknowledge lives lost to HIV/AIDS, bringing queer grief and resilience to a global stage.
The following year, Elton John won his first Globe for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?”, a milestone for an openly gay artist. In 2006, Brokeback Mountain dominated the ceremony, signaling a shift in how queer love stories were recognized. Jodie Foster came out publicly in 2013 while accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and in 2014, Matt Bomer dedicated his win for The Normal Heart to the “Generations We Lost.” Most recently, in 2023, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez made history as the first trans actor to win a Golden Globe — a moment that marked progress, even as the show continues to redefine itself.
