Entertainment
CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
We asked four of this years 2006 Out 100 honorees to tell us which late, great member of the LGBT community influenced their lives the most.
Sylvester, a true international superstar, represented the black and gay cultural origins of disco to mainstream America, and made it possible for artists like me to achieve success in the music industry today. From the day he made his debut with the experimental theater troupe the Cockettes on January 1, 1970, Sylvester captivated the attention of the gay community with his flamboyant attitude and outrageous fashions. To the scores of well-known drag queens and performing artists around the world who came to perform in clubs and bars because of his chart-topping records, he became an iconic figurea symbol of an era when gays still pressed on even though homosexuality was illegal and being different was even less accepted by society.
His greatest achievement was the LP Step 2. As the LP was being recorded, Sylvester let Patrick Cowley, then an up-and-coming remixer, hear an early version of You Make Me Feel Mighty Real. Cowleys musical overlays transformed the former ballad into a disco tour de force. The driving beat and keyboard flourishes reflected the intensity of gay disco at its best, while Sylvesters impassioned vocals communicated the anticipation of sex. Arriving at the height of disco-mania, the combination proved irresistible, and much to the horror of disco haters and homophobes, he was launched into the mainstream, which is what most gay artists still aspire to do today. And despite the fact that the accompanying music video made an attempt at toning down his flamboyancy, he still continued to stroll around the clubs in full drag. He also was the first gay man to appear on national television in full drag. He was very proud and took his drag everywhere with him. All that mattered to him was that he was a child of God.
A supernova rock star, songwriter, and an extraordinary stage performer, he will always be remembered for pushing the envelopethinking outside of the box, which is what moves me every single day of my life. If you know me, you know that I always steer away from what I call the norm, dressing like other people, having the same makeup night after night, and thinking small. Sylvesters story has taught me to own everything that I do and to hold my head up. He was and still is my gay pride.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
38 Male Celebs Who Did Full Frontal Scenes
November 17 2023 5:18 PM
These are all the celebrities Who came out as LGBTQ+ in 2023
December 31 2023 12:19 PM
29 LGBTQ+ celebs you can follow on OnlyFans
April 18 2024 1:00 PM
26 actors who showed bare ass in movies & TV shows
February 28 2024 1:50 PM
16 times male celebrities had to say they weren't gay
April 17 2024 11:57 AM
21 LGBTQ+ reality dating shows & where to watch them
April 03 2024 4:01 PM
15 Unforgettable Gay Kissing Scenes From TV & Movies
February 14 2024 10:20 AM
14 queens who quit or retired from drag after 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
April 04 2024 12:56 PM
40 steamy celebrity Calvin Klein ads we'll always be thirsty for
January 04 2024 10:54 AM
The 15 Best LGBTQ+ Movies of 2023
December 04 2023 10:32 AM
Watch Now: Advocate Channel
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Latest Stories
Josh Cavallo opens up about the injury keeping him off the field
April 18 2024 1:17 PM
Relatable! Rihanna stans 'Drag Race' & Bravo just as much as we do
April 18 2024 12:36 PM
On Anal Sex Day, crack up with The Bottom's Digest
April 18 2024 10:40 AM
How Todrick Hall is giving back to the community
April 17 2024 8:35 PM
Here's who 'Drag Race' fans on social media want to see win season 16
April 17 2024 5:05 PM
Andy Cohen responds to all the recent Bravo & 'Housewives' chaos as more ensues
April 17 2024 3:56 PM
Not just JoJo Siwa: 30 songs made for an artist & released by another
April 17 2024 3:16 PM
How The Pride Store celebrates National Tea Day: A tale of two brews
April 17 2024 2:14 PM
Here's why Netflix's 'Baby Reindeer' is our new twisted queer obsession
April 17 2024 12:17 PM