30 Most Influential Gay Icons Of The Past Three Decades

The former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair has been recognised as one of the world’s top ‘gay icons’ of the past three decades by the Gay Times in recognition of his work for gay rights.

Tony Blair was Prime Minister from 1997-2007

Mr Blair was named alongside Boy George, Stephen Fry, Sir Ian McKellen, Barbra Streisand, Cher, and the late Joan Rivers as part of the magazine’s 30th anniversary, with Tony Blair gracing the front cover of the electronic version of the magazine.

Mr Blair’s period as PM saw the legal lowering of the age of homosexual consent to match that of straight couples, introduction of civil partnerships, and the abolition of the “Section 28” – the law that prohibited authorities in England and Wales from “promoting” homosexuality and labelled gay family relationships “pretend”.

The 30 most influential figures to the LGBT community in the last 30 years, and this is not in any particular order:

1. Tony Blair

2. Elizabeth Taylor

3. Stephen Fry

4. Barbra Streisand

5. Ian McKellen

6. Joan Rivers

7. Conchita Wurst

8. Bette Midler

9. Holly Johnson

10. Madonna

11. Bea Arthur

12. Boy George

13. Mark Gatiss

14. Julian Clary

15. James Dreyfus

16. Annie Lennox

17. RuPaul

18. Divine

19. Lord Michael Cashman

20. Leslie Jordan

21. James Sutton

22. Nelson Sullivan

23. Jimmy Somerville

24. Eric McCormack

25. Russell T Davies

26. Justin Fashanu

27. Andy Bell

28. Cher

29. Jennifer Saunders

30. Neil Patrick Harris

Responding to his “gay icon” title, Blair said: “It’s something I’m very proud of. I consider it a significant part of my legacy. I remember Section 28, that was pretty nasty.

“It created a very ugly atmosphere in society – as I was growing up in politics, I disliked the hypocrisy where people had to conceal their own identity. And I saw the pain that they had in their own lives, because they couldn’t be who they were.”

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