LP's Favorite Lesbian Pop Culture Moments: From Ellen DeGeneres to 'The L Word'

The release of singer-songwriter LP’s latest album Lost on You comes as her success in the United States is just beginning to catch up to her popularity overseas. Her song "Lost on You" has topped charts in eight countries, including France, Greece and Israel -- and peaked at No. 4 on the Adult Alternative Songs chart. The album is full display of her unique, raw music that finds her unafraid to explore her wide vocal range -- and throw in some of her trademark high-pitched, artfully placed whistles now and again. Her distinct sound and impressive voice led The Advocate to dub her the 'Next Great Lesbian Singer' in May.

While she is open about her identity as a lesbian woman (“If you don’t know I’m gay within five seconds of looking at me, I’m like…have you been outside of your house?”), she says she doesn’t like to be “consumed” with that fact, or let it be the first thing she communicates to people. Still, she has been influenced and inspired by the careers and actions of several famous lesbian women, from Ellen DeGeneres to Rachel Maddow, and put together a list of her top six lesbian pop culture moments as part of our 30 Days of Pride celebration. While they may not be direct influences, the strong, unapologetic women reflect what she admires most in others.

“I think I have my own way of trying to make the world more accepting, and I think all of these people have their own way,” she says. “Being myself and just not changing myself to fit what other people would have me look like or act like, that’s the only thing I can do -- and I think all of the people on this list have done the same.”

Although they are all bound together by their ties to the LGBTQ community, her list ultimately reflects a group of talented, well-rounded individuals that have changed -- in subtle and not so subtle ways -- how lesbian women are perceived.

“To me, they’re iconic,” she says.

Near the beginning of her career, just a year before her uncredited appearance on Cracker’s “Cinderella,” LP remembers biting her nails along with Ellen DeGeneres, watching her come out in real time -- both on Ellen and in real life. While LP has always been comfortable being herself, she says Ellen coming out on national television was an inspiration to continue doing just that, especially when it can be difficult or intimidating in the entertainment industry.

“When you think about what she had to go through…the show basically stopped because of that,” she says. “She had to kind of reinvent herself and then come back triumphantly -- I think that must have taken so much strength.”

Even today, LP admires Ellen as someone who has “pushed people without pushing people” to be more accepting, noting that she is always putting people at ease and “wowing you with her kindness, her funniness and her mind,” so that people see her as a whole person, rather than just a lesbian.

“She is the ultimate person who has changed the face of being homosexual,” she says. “There are people that use horrendous words all day to refer to the LGBTQ community, and then say ‘One second, I have to turn on Ellen,’ and that’s an incredible thing she’s done.”

Another moment that has stuck with LP is Melissa Etheridge’s performance of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart” at the 47th annual Grammy Awards. Etheridge, having recently gone through chemotherapy for breast cancer, performed bald.

“She’s one of the first people who did that -- I’m not aware of a heterosexual woman who’s done that,” LP says. “I feel like it was a testament to women looking real-life, not gussied up by the entertainment industry or the need by society to make women constantly look attractive.”

She thought it was nice how Etheridge could stand up for multiple things, as one of the early people to champion lesbian rights and also publicly showing the strength of cancer survivors. LP’s mother died of cancer when she was a teenager, which she says made her appreciate the courage of the performance that much more.

“It was a big moment,” she says. “I think it was beautiful what she did.”

LP remembers watching the groundbreaking Showtime series (albeit not religiously) and credits it for showing a broad spectrum of lesbian culture.

“I like that that show showed some variation and [portrayed] different styles of lesbians on it -- [it showed] that it’s not all women with shaved heads, with tattoos, with piercings,” she says.

She acknowledges that there were diversity issues on the show, but says that it was still helpful in showing its viewers there is more to lesbian culture than any stereotype.

“I think that the show was yet another cool step and progression toward it not being an issue,” she says.

In 2009, Iceland voted into office their first female prime minister, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, who simultaneously became the world’s first openly gay head of government. LP says Sigurðardóttir’s election shows that the LGBTQ community has come a long way -- even if further in other countries than the United States.

“That’s such a huge step in the world,” she says.

In her own touring experience, LP says she’s experienced “the brighter side” of the globe, with people from all over -- including “countries that people are scared of” -- accepting her and her music with open arms. She admits that it may be a bit naïve, but she has an optimistic view of the countries and people she encounters.

“I think it’s a shame how the world runs politically and media-wise … it kind of accounts for a small amount of people sometimes,” she says. “There’s a lot more people that want to be inclusive and want to be happy.”

Sigurðardóttir’s election has been empowering to homosexual people across the world, and while LP believes “we’re a ways away from that,” in the current political climate, she is making a global impact in her own way -- she treasures hearing from fans who find her inspirational.

“I have kids writing me all the time from like Russia, and from Turkey, Iran, being like ‘I had the courage to come out to my parents today because of you,’ and it’s incredible,” she says.