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Was Luther Vandross gay?

09/08/25 10:09pm

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Do you think Luther Vandross was gay?

Yes

45 votes. Poll was last updated on 09/16/25.

Eric McClure
wikiHow Staff

09/08/25 10:10pm

Luther Vandross never publicly stated whether he was gay or straight, so it's best not to speculate. However, many of his close friends have publicly disclosed that he was gay. Patti LaBelle has said multiple times that she and Vandross discussed the possibility of him coming out, but she says he was worried about alienating fans or upsetting his mother. Another close associate of his, Michael Musto, said that Vandross’s sexuality was a “show business open secret,” implying that anyone who knew Luther Vandross well would have known he was gay. Two of Vandross’s best friends, Bruce Vilanch and Jason King, have also supported the claim that he was gay.

Whether or not it’s fair to “out” someone after they’re gone has been a big topic of discussion when it comes to Luther Vandross. While his close friends may have known, would he have wanted the world to know? Is it okay to discuss it now that he’s gone? One poignant argument comes from Michael Roberson, the director of the nonprofit People of Colour in Crisis, who said, “A lot of black gay performers feel they can’t come out, yet it would be important, particularly to black gay young people, to see black gay role models.”

What do you think? Is it fair to discuss Vandross's sexuality after his death, or is there enough value in seeing more LGBTQ+ representation to justify the conversation?

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