The Most Awesome LGBTQ Women In History

Jayne County

Jayne County (previously known as Wayne County) is widely regarded as being rock’s first openly transgender singer. County has created 11 full-length studio albums and garnered a number of acting credits since she began acting in 1969 when she was asked by Warhol superstar to appear in Femme Fatale.

Jayne County’s music spans a number of genre’s including glam, punk, blues and boogie-woogie. Though you may have never heard of her, she was an influence for some of the most influential rock musicians of all time including The Ramones, David Bowie, Patti Smith, and Lou Reed.

Ruth Ellis

Ruth Ellis was the oldest-known lesbian when she died at the age of 100 in 2000. Her story is one that is so inspiring to feminists and hopeful boss ladies everywhere.

Ellis had brains. The Illinois native graduated high school at the age of 16 and started her own printing business. Imagine starting a business as a teenage girl in 2017, and you could imagine how much more difficult it must’ve been for a black teenager in the 1910s. Still, Ellis’ business was a success. In the 1920s, Ruth met her life partner Celine, and the couple spent the rest of their years opening up their Detroit home to African American gays and lesbians who needed refuge.