Five Incredible Queer Artists We Lost in 2022

As we inch closer to the 31st of December, I can't help but reflect on the ups and the downs of 2022. To be honest, the last three years just feels like a blur. Was it all just a figment of our collective imaginations? Part of me hopes it wasn't real and that we'll all wake up to Patrick Duffy telling us it was just a dream (IYKYK), because then it would mean that we hadn't lost the people we lost. Alas, it was real, and we lost some incredible Queer artists in 2022. Here's a look back at some of the greats we lost.

Leslie Jordan, 67

There are few actors in the world who have been more universally beloved as Leslie Jordan, which made losing him such a gut punch for fans around the world. The 4'11", 67 year-old actor, made his mark in everything from Ally McBeal, to his Emmy-winning turn in Will & Grace, to Call Me Kat most recently. His hilarious Instagram videos helped us all get through the Quarantine, and we'll all forever be saying "Welllllll sh*t" to the fact that we lost him too soon.

André Leon Talley, 73

André Leon Talley, the iconic and profoundly influential Editor-at-Large of Vogue Magazine for over 30 years, died on January 18th. His role at Vogue was only one of the many facets to his massive impact on the fashion industry, including being a judge for America's Next Top Model. In 2020, his memoir The Chiffon Trenches became a New York Times best-Seller.

Manfred Thierry Mugler, 73

Another influencer majeur of the fashion industry who was taken from us this year was French designer Manfred Thierry Mugler. He rocked the world in the '80s with his feminine-meets-architectural approach, complete with broad shoulders but a tiny waist, later becoming known for his line of perfumes. Repose en Paix, Reine.

Kevin Conroy, 66

Many will debate who has been the best actor to play Batman in the live-action TV shows and movies over the last 50 years. Some say there's no one better than the OG, Adam West, some will say Clooney donned the cape better than anyone, and others will say Christian Bale gave the defining performance of a role that others only played *at* but never quite embodied. But no one who knows what they're talking about will disagree that the single defining actor of *any* animated version of the Caped Crusader is anyone other than Kevin Conroy. He defined the role in countless TV series, movies, and video games, and he coined the now-iconic catchphrase, "I am vengeance, I am the night, I am Batman!"

Anne Heche, 53

If you grew up in the '80s and '90s like I did, then you know that Anne Heche seemed to be everywhere always. She was in 6 Days, 7 Nights with Harrison Ford, she was in Ally McBeal with Calista Flockhart, and for a while she was even in Ellen DeGeneres. She struggled with addiction and mental health issues as so many have/do/will, but we'll always remember her as an incredible performer, artist, and all around badass.

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