The Romantic Love Stories of 26 LGBTQIA+ Celebrity Couples

This piece has been reviewed and fact-checked by Kirsten Palladino, an inclusivity consultant and the cofounder of Equally Wed.

There are so many LGBTQIA+ celebrity couples who inspire us every day—but their love stories weren't always visible, nor celebrated, in pop culture. Historically, Hollywood has been oppressive toward the LGBTQIA+ community, and only in recent years has begun celebrating their tales of love and romance.

Take, for instance, Ellen DeGeneres. The Emmy-award-winning talk show host publicly came out as gay on an episode of her eponymous ABC sitcom in 1997. At the time, the announcement sparked intense interest in her personal life and negatively impacted her professional perception. "When I came out, people warned me that it was going to ruin my career, and they were right for a while," she recalled during an opening monologue of The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2022, on the 25th anniversary of the announcement. "Actually, for exactly three years, I lost my career. But look at me now."

Here, we explore the touching love stories of 25 LGBTQIA+ celebrity couples, including DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, and so many more trailblazers who've fought for acceptance and visibility. From prolific athletes to illustrious actors, relive the details of how they met their significant others, and how their relationships continue to inspire—and make change—around the world today.

Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird

Photo: Steph Chambers | Getty Images

Having a meet-cute at the Olympics? It doesn't get more iconic than that. Soccer star Megan Rapinoe met basketball icon Sue Bird during a Team USA photoshoot at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio. Although Rapinoe previously came out in 2012, Bird did so in a touching espnW interview in 2017—and confirmed her relationship status in the process. After dating for four years, Rapinoe and Bird got engaged in 2020. In April of this year, it was announced that the couple will be adapting the lesbian soccer romance book Cleat Cute into a scripted series.

Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan

Photo: Tommaso Boddi | Getty Images for iHeartRadio

Mean Girls actor Jonathan Bennett and his husband Jaymes Vaughan made history as the first same-sex couple to grace the cover of The Knot Magazine in 2021. (Fetch, right?) The two first crossed paths in 2016 when Vaughan interviewed the actor for Celebrity Page, and the rest was history. After a heartfelt proposal in November 2020 (complete with a custom song Vaughan wrote for his husband-to-be), the couple exchanged vows in Mexico two years later.

Gabby Windey and Robby Hoffman

Photo: @Gabby.Windey | Instagram

Gabby Windey made headlines when she co-starred in Season 19 of The Bachelorette alongside Rachel Recchia. Neither lead ended up with their final pick, and the following year, Windey met her person: comedian Robby Hoffman. They were introduced by mutual friends outside of a gay bar, and it didn't take long for sparks to fly. "I was still exploring my sexuality, and I had one bisexual friend who was like, 'Let's go to some events, spread your wings, meet people.' And her girlfriend was a fan of Robby's comedy, and we were on the way out and Robby was like, 'What's going on?' She had kind of noticed me from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette and all she kept saying was 'The Bachelor's gay!'" Windey recalled in a conversation with Interview Magazine. "But Robby has mad game, as you can imagine, so I was hooked, lined and sinkered." Windey publicly came out and announced their relationship on an episode of The View in 2023. Two years later, they eloped in a 15-minute Las Vegas chapel ceremony.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi

Photo: Todd Williamson/E! Entertainment/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank | Getty Images

After publicly coming out in the 1990s, TV host Ellen DeGeneres paved the way for LGBTQIA+ visibility in pop culture. She met Portia de Rossi backstage at a Rock the Vote concert in 2001—and although it took three years for their relationship to turn romantic, the Aussie actress knew DeGeneres was "the one" from the very beginning. The couple got married in their LA backyard in the summer of 2008, and they celebrated 15 years of marriage in 2023.

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka

Photo: Larry Busacca/VF15 | Getty Images

How's this for an unbelievable meet-cute? Actors Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka quite literally bumped into each other on a New York City street corner in 2004, thus launching a decades-long romance. Despite taking their relationship public in 2007, the couple waited until same-sex marriage was legally recognized in 2011 in New York to announce their engagement. They welcomed twins Harper and Gideon in 2010. Then, four years later, the couple tied the knot in Italy.

Robin Roberts and Amber Laign

Photo: J. Merritt | Getty Images for GLAAD

Good Morning America host Robin Roberts met her wife, Amber Laign, on a blind date orchestrated by mutual friends in 2005. The newscaster didn't publicly acknowledge their relationship until 2013, when she thanked her "longtime girlfriend" in a Facebook post celebrating her life-saving bone marrow transplant. When Laign, a massage therapist and businesswoman, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 (the same disease Roberts battled in 2007), the two decided to take their relationship to the next level. They got married at a "magical" wedding ceremony in their Connecticut backyard in 2023.

Elton John and David Furnish

Photo: Natasha Campos | Getty Images for CAA

In an effort to find a new inner circle of friends who would support his sobriety, legendary singer Elton John was introduced to David Furnish, a Canadian filmmaker. They began dating in 1993, and have happily been together ever since. The couple established a civil partnership in 2005, and later got married on December 21, 2014—the ninth anniversary of their legally recognized union and the same year that marriage equality was passed in England. They've since welcomed two sons together, Zachary and Elijah.

Beanie Feldstein and Bonnie-Chance Roberts

Photo: Nina Westervelt/WWD | Getty Images

Beanie Feldstein and Bonnie-Chance Roberts' upstate New York wedding was one of our favorite celebrity vow swaps of 2023. The couple met in 2018 on the set of the comedy How to Build a Girl, in which Feldstein starred and Roberts produced. They made their red carpet debut as a couple at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. Four years later, they hosted an ethereal summer camp–themed wedding at Cedar Lakes Estate.

Ben Platt and Noah Galvin

Photo: Corey Nickols | Getty Images for IMDb

Broadway brought actors Ben Platt and Noah Galvin together. (That's showbiz!) The performers met in 2017 when Galvin replaced Platt as the titular character in Dear Evan Hansen. Despite sparking up a fast friendship, their connection ultimately turned romantic. They quietly started dating a few years later and moved in together at the start of the pandemic in 2020. Platt proposed on a Brooklyn rooftop in November 2022, and Galvin returned the gesture by popping the question again the following spring. Fun fact: Platt sang the first dance song at Feldstein and Roberts' wedding!

Francesca Farago and Jesse Sullivan

Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety | Getty Images

You might remember Francesca Farago as the breakout star of Netflix's reality dating show Too Hot to Handle. After winning the first season, Farago began dating transgender content creator and activist Jesse Sullivan in 2022. (They met when Farago interviewed Sullivan over Zoom for a TikTok Pride event.) Sullivan proposed in April 2023—and although the couple immediately began dreaming up their wedding day, they put plans on pause to pursue fertility options.

Sullivan is already a parent to 15-year-old child Arlo, from a previous relationship, who Farago publicly adores. After documenting their IVF journey online, the couple announced they're expecting twins due in 2024. They intentionally chose to share the news on March 31, International Transgender Day of Visibility, with Farago writing, "We are so excited to be growing our family with Arlo as the coolest older sibling!

Tommy Dorfman and Elise Williams

Photo: @tommy.dorfman / Instagram

After publicly coming out as a transgender woman in a 2021 Time profile, actress Tommy Dorfman amicably divorced her husband Peter Zurkuhlen. Intent on having her "Samantha Jones era," the 13 Reasons Why star never expected to meet her soulmate on Hinge. After matching with her now-wife, Elise Williams, the couple got engaged after two months of dating. They hosted two private wedding celebrations in 2023: first, at a same-day marriage concierge service in Los Angeles, and later, in their Brooklyn neighborhood.

Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor

Photo: Bruce Glikas | WireImage

Actresses Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor first met at a Hollywood party in 2005, but they didn't begin dating until a decade later. The stars have social media to thank for their love story, as Taylor slid into Paulson's DMs in 2015. They publicly confirmed their relationship by the end of that year, and although they haven't tied the knot, they often support each other arm-in-arm at movie premieres and red carpet appearances.

Lauren Morelli and Samira Wiley

Photo: Michael Kovac | Getty Images for Netflix

Love in the halls of Litchfield Penitentiary? It happened! Orange is the New Black actress Samira Wiley began dating lead writer Lauren Morelli after they met on the set of Netflix's hit series. Following a six-month engagement, the couple got married at a confetti-themed ceremony in Palm Springs, California, in March 2017. Their daughter, George Elizabeth, was born in April 2021.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita

Photo: Kevin Mazur | Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions

Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson proposed to lawyer-turned-producer Justin Mikita in 2012, two years after they started dating. They exchanged vows in New York City on July 20, 2013, and marked a decade of marriage in 2023. The husbands welcomed sons Beckett and Sullivan in 2020 and 2022, respectively.

Raven-Symoné and Miranda Pearman-Maday

Photo: Kevin Mazur | Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions

That's so…marriage! Former Disney Channel star Raven-Symoné met her wife, social media manager Miranda Pearman-Maday, at a West Hollywood gay bar in 2015. From the moment they locked eyes, they recalled in a 2021 YouTube video, it was love at first sight. The couple secretly got married in Debbie Allen's Los Angeles backyard on June 16, 2020. Though they have yet to welcome children, the couple once told Entertainment Tonight they dream of having a "big family."

George and Brad Takei

Photo: Paul Morigi | Getty Images

George and Brad Takei share one of the longest relationships in Hollywood. The Star Trek actor first saw his husband, a journalist, in an LGBTQIA+ running club in the 1980s. George asked Brad to help him train for a marathon, thus kick-starting their decades-long romance. Although they originally kept their relationship private to protect George's career, he publicly came out in 2005 and confirmed his 18-year relationship with Brad. After the California Supreme Court lifted its ban on same-sex marriage in May 2008, the couple married in September of that year.

Abby Wambach and Glennon Doyle

Photo: Taylor Hill | FilmMagic

Prolific soccer player Abby Wambach began dating Untamed author Glennon Doyle in 2016. The two first met at one of Doyle's book signing events, and although they were with other people at the time, they agreed that their connection was instant. The activists took their relationship public in November, and exchanged vows surrounded by their families on May 14, 2017.

RuPaul and Georges LeBar

Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin | FilmMagic

Talk about literally sashaying into the love of your life. Drag queen and TV personality RuPaul met his husband, Georges LeBar, on the dance floor of a New York City club in 1994. The entertainer embarked on a long-distance relationship with LeBar, a Wyoming rancher. As a nod to their meet-cute, the couple exchanged vows 23 years later on January 24, 2017—the anniversary of the first day they met. Today, the two split their time between LA and Wyoming.

Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner

Photo: Manny Carabel | Getty Images

Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner's love story dates back to 1971, when they met through mutual friends in New York City. For Tomlin, it was love at first sight. Not only did they cultivate a romantic spark, they became creative collaborators thanks to their shared careers in the entertainment industry. The two quietly married at a friend's Los Angeles home on New Year's Eve in 2013. During an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2022, Tomlin marveled at her 51-year relationship saying, "I can't believe it's that long; it almost seems like it's been a couple of years or something."

Wanda and Alex Sykes

Photo: John Shearer | Getty Images

When comedian Wanda Sykes boarded New York's Fire Island ferry in 2006, she never thought she'd be setting sail toward her soulmate. On the boat, Sykes was fatefully introduced to Alex. (At the time, she was remodeling her kitchen, and her future wife was in the business of selling granite countertops.) Thus, their romance was born. Wanda and Alex married on October 25, 2008. In lieu of gifts, the couple asked their guests to donate in support of #NoProp8, a protest of the proposition to ban same-sex marriage in California. The following year, they welcomed twins Olivia and Lucas.

Nico Tortorella and Bethany C. Meyers

Photo: Ilya S. Savenok | Getty Images for Berggruen Institute

After dating for 11 years, Younger actor Nico Tortorella married fitness entrepreneur Bethany C. Meyers on March 9, 2018, at a Manhattan City clerk's office. The polyamorous couple exchanged vows once again during a sequel ceremony at St. Paul's Chapel. They detailed their private wedding for them., including all the traditions they modernized to personalize the celebration. "I realized that no matter what type of wedding you may have, the rush of love will be forever present because that is the universal bond found in all sacred unity," Tortorella shared. The couple welcomed their first child in 2023, and are currently expecting their second.

Tan and Rob France

Photo: Dave Benett/VF24 | WireImage for Vanity Fair

Did you know Queer Eye star Tan France met his husband, Rob, on a dating app? It's true! After connecting online, the two bonded over their religious beliefs. (Tan is Muslim, while Rob is Mormon). They tied the knot twice: first, at a small ceremony in London in 2007, and again in New York following the legal recognition of same-sex marriage. The Frances have since welcomed two children: son Ismail in 2021, and brother Isaac in 2023.

Matt Bomer and Simon Halls

Photo: John Shearer | Getty Images

Illustrious actor Matt Bomer announced his relationship in the most unforgettable way. When the American Horror Story star won the Steve Chase Humanitarian Award in 2012, he used his acceptance speech to reveal that he was married to publicist Simon Halls, and that they shared three children together. Because the couple keeps their romance out of the public eye, it's unclear exactly when and how they met—but in 2014, Bomer confirmed they got married in 2011.

Jodie Foster and Alexandra Hedison

Photo: Earl Gibson III/Golden Globes 2024/Golden Globes 2024 | Getty Images

Despite claiming she was single at the 2013 Golden Globes, actress Jodie Foster was secretly dating photographer Alexandra Hedison. The couple got married in a private April 2014 wedding ceremony after dating for about a year. Although they tend to stay out of the spotlight, Hedison occasionally accompanies her wife to red carpet appearances. She also supported Foster when she got her hands and feet printed in cement outside the TCL Chinese Theater in 2024, the year of their 10th anniversary.

Cynthia Nixon and Christine Marinoni

Photo: Bruce Glikas | FilmMagic

Prior to meeting education activist Christine Marinoni at a march for schools in 2001, Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon had never dated a woman—but that didn't stop her from embarking on a beautiful love story. After dating for eight years, the couple got engaged at a marriage equality rally in 2009. Nixon, already a mom to Seph and Charles with ex-husband Danny Mozes, welcomed son Max with her fiancée in 2011. The couple married in New York City the following year.

Lance Bass and Michael Turchin

Photo: John Sciulli | Getty Images for Calvin Klein

*NSYNC singer Lance Bass and actor and artist Michael Turchin made history as the first same-sex couple to get married live on TV. (Their wedding feature, Lance Loves Michael: The Lance Bass Wedding special, aired on E! in 2015.) The couple's love story began four years earlier when they met at a mutual friend's birthday party in Palm Springs. Despite starting as friends (Turchin said he was too nervous to make the first move as an *NSYNC fan), they started dating the following year. Their twins, Alexander and Violet, were born in October 2021.

THE KNOT ORIGINAL VIDEO