Cyndi Lauper is not only a successful singer and actress but an activist. She advocates for the LGBTQ community's rights which has begged the question of whether she is gay.
Veteran singer and songwriter Cyndi Lauper is a New York native, happily married, and a mother. However, she has been a strong advocate for LGBTQ rights for years and has been linked to queer people since she was young.
The star has always spoken candidly about the people within her circle who came out when they were all teenagers. At the time, she was scared they would reject her for her orientation, so she tried to fit in.
When asked why she believed the gay community was so fond of her, Lauper answered that she had always been a part of the LGBTQ community because of her circle.
"When I was 15, all my friends came out. I was really trying to be like them, and I finally had to tell my best friends that I was straight."
In a July 2008 interview, Lauper also revealed: "My sister is gay – I'm a friend and family of the gay community. If you want a strong society, it has to be inclusive.
In August 2008, the "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" hitmaker divulged she tried to convince herself that she was also gay as a teenager seeing everyone around her was. She attempted to act like them by kissing other girls, but it was not a good experience. She said:
"[…] Eventually, I was forced to come out as a heterosexual."
Cyndi Lauper Is Married to a Man
He and his famous wife first met on the set of the 1991 film, "Off and Running," and instantly hit it off. After filming ended, Thornton and Lauper went official with their relationship. They walked down the aisle shortly after on November 24, 1991.
Several years later, they welcomed their one and only child, son Declyn. Lauper and Thornton have been married for over three decades. The couple has given glimpses inside their lives while continuing to support each other's Hollywood careers and have also attended public events together.
Cyndi Lauper Sang at the White House in Support of Same-Sex Marriage Bill Signing
In December 2022, Lauper showed her support for the LGBTQ community once again by performing at the White House. She belted out her 1986 hit song "True Colors" before President Biden signed legislation codifying the legality of same-sex and interracial marriage in the US.
During a press briefing, she told reporters she was happy that gay and lesbian couples would now be eligible to marry under the Respect for Marriage Act. The singer thanked the president, the speaker, and the vice president before explaining the significance of the gay marriage bill.
"For once our families — mine and a lot of my friends and people you know, sometimes your neighbors — we can rest easy tonight because our families are validated."
Cyndi Lauper's First Social Justice Prize for LGBTQ+ Work
Cyndi Lauper has practiced her advocacy for the community throughout the years. In April 2016, she penned a piece about the surge of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth homelessness.
She revealed that there would be #40toNoneDay later that month: a national day organized by the True Colors Fund to raise public awareness about LGBTQ youth homelessness.
Lauper is passionate about her cause and once commented on the anti-LGBTQ legislation passed across the country that includes restricting access to gender-affirming health care for transgender youth. She said:
"Equality for everybody, or nobody's really equal."
In addition to her impactful commentary on gay issues, Lauper's music has also connected to the LGBTQ community. The singer released a documentary called "Let the Canary Sing" in June 2023 and revealed in an interview how her hit song, "True Colors," impacted gay people.
They penned letters to her, saying the song resonated with them. They told her they were being sidelined by their families, friends, and at their workplaces. "But when they heard 'True Colors,' it gave them hope and changed the trajectory of their life," Lauper recalled.
In November 2019, the Tony Award-winner won the United Nations' new social justice award at her charity's annual concert. She said it meant a lot to her that she won it because it would help raise awareness about youth homelessness.
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