Elton John - the biggest of all gay

To become one of the most famous singers globally, a person must be unbelievably talented and sacrificed much of their life to build on their talent, create a network of individuals who believed in them and their abilities, and perform fantastic and entertaining shows time and time again. While there are a few great singers who can do this for their entire life, many cannot, and most singers burn out within five to seven years. But if you were one of the people who underestimated Elton John in the 70s, then you are eating your words now. Elton John is not only one of the most famous singers in the world, but he is also a prominent gay icon. And he’ll go down in history as one of the most influential gay performers of all time.

Young life of Reginald Kenneth Dwight

Born and raised in Middlesex England, Elton John’s real name is actually Reginald Kenneth Dwight. She was born on March 25th, 1947, which is just a few years after World War II. Throughout Elton John’s youth, he was very poor and lived in public housing. Also, he was not raised by his parents. Instead, he was raised by his mother’s parents. When Elton John was 17, he decided to pursue his love of performance and music. During his school years, there were many times where he had the opportunity to dress up in elaborate costumes and perform. It was through his school experiences that he realized he wanted to be a singer. At first, his father did not want him to become a performer and tried to turn him into a banker like himself. But he resisted and followed his dreams. Elton John has repeatedly said that Elvis Presley and Little Richard inspired him. Whenever he would listen to these singers, his love of music and performance would grow.

Career and Success

Elton John started performing for others around the age of 15. Local pubs and other entertainment places allowed John to play on their pianos and entertain the guests. Because he was from a small village, everyone knew each other and so they all knew about Elton John’s piano and performing abilities. When he was done with Secondary School, Elton John moved to London, where he would meet other performers and singers. Over the course of his years in London, he attended music classes, formed bands and plates around the city.

In the middle of the 1970s, Elton John took his first step out of the closet and proclaimed that he was a bisexual. He revealed his sexuality during one of his interviews for Rolling Stones Magazine. This was not an easy thing for him to do at that time, and he received a lot of negative reactions. But after the first wave of criticism died down, Elton decided to be a champion of gay rights. For more than a decade, Elton thought that he was bisexual, but in 1988, he remanded his statement and revealed that he was actually gay. As of 2020, Elton John has sold over 300 million records, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time.

A Gay Icon

Because of his presence in the seventies, eighties, and nineties, he has had a major impact on gay culture. His influence can even be seen now on Modern singers and performers like Lady Gaga. He is even making waves in the 2010s. Many people, young and old, saw Elton John perform with RuPaul on his show RuPaul’s Drag Race. He has used his fame and his power in the media to call outdated laws and other people who are in government power that are bigots. Elton John regularly posts encouraging remarks on his Twitter page, and he also uses the platform to educate and notify many people about pro-gay organizations, events, or movements.

Although civil partnerships were the only choice for gay couples up until 2014, Elton John and his spouse entered into one together, and it was one of the most talked-about social events in the UK. When gay marriage became completely legal and equal in 2015, the couple finally tied the knot.

Most people know who Eminem is, even if they don’t like rap in particular. But what many people don’t know about Eminem is that Elton John helped him fight drug addiction for over two years.

Elton John’s Activism

Now that the world has changed, and Elton John has more power and influence, he has become very outspoken and is now a champion in support of LGBTQ rights. He says most of his opinions on Twitter, but he has also joined several different organizations that watch out for gay people and protect them when their rights are violated, either by a private organization or by the government themselves. Because he is so famous and has many fans worldwide, his opinion can cause a message to travel farther than it would without his influence.

One of the most important ways Elton John has used his fame to help others is his AIDS awareness and activism. No one cared about AIDS in the 80s, as it had been labeled as a disease that only degenerate people acquired. The policies that Reagan and Thatcher endorsed would go on and hurt many people who we’re likely to get AIDS or already had it. To make the public aware of the unfair treatment of people with AIDS and bring the discussion into the mainstream, Elton John released a song called “The Last Song.” Then the first month of its release, the song jumped into the top 10 charts of more than 40 countries around the world.

Conclusion

Becoming one of the most influential singers and artists in the western world and one of the most important gay icons in the twentieth century is not easy, but Elton John accomplished both. Even though he’s older than 70 years old, he continues to perform and sing for his many fans. I am very sure that’s as long as he has breath in his body, he will continue to support the LGBTQ community in any way that he can.