Indya Moore, Ryan Murphy lead TIME 100’s influential LGBT people

Indya Moore arrives for Paley Centre for Media's 2019 PaleyFest LA panel and screening of "Pose" on March 23, 2019 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

TIME magazine has released its annual list of the 100 most influential people in 2019.

The collection includes a number of LGBT icons, including trans actress Indya Moore and the lawyers who helped decriminalise homosexuality in India.

The list also includes homophobic Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. The Latin American leader is described by TIME as a “poster boy for toxic masculinity… intent on waging a culture war and perhaps reversing Brazil’s progress on tackling climate change.”

Other notable names include LGBT+ allies Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, as well as actor Rami Malek who won an Oscar for his portrayal of queer icon Freddie Mercury.

Indya Moore celebrated by TIME 100

Janet Mock, the first trans woman of colour to write and direct for television, profiles Indya Moore who stars in Pose.

Mock wrote in TIME Magazine: “Writing her character Angel proved healing for me as a trans woman who had walked in those same platform shoes, longing for more than the crumbs society had thrown girls like us. But a greater gift has been watching Indya rise from an adolescence navigating foster care in the Bronx to critical acclaim as an actress and model using her voice to center the marginalized communities she comes from.”

TIME 100 picks Lawyers Arundhati Katju and Menaka Guruswamy

The list also includes Indian lawyers Arundhati Katju and Menaka Guruswamy, who helped orchestrate the overturning of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. The colonial-era law criminalised homosexual sex in India for 157 years.

The landmark judgment was the outcome of a long-term campaign organised by Katju and Guruswamy.

Their listing was written by Priyanka Chopra, who wrote: “The LGBTQ+ community has battled on both legal and social fronts for decades—for their fundamental rights, for privacy, for dignity, for safety and for love.”

Ariana Grande performs with NSYNC at Coachella

Ariana Grande (Kevin Winter/Getty)

Screenwriter Ryan Murphy makes TIME 100

Legendary actress Jessica Lange wrote about gay screenwriter Ryan Murphy. Lange discussed the fond memories of how she came to work with Murphy on American Horror Story. 

“That is one of his great and seductive charms: the wonderful childlike enthusiasm he possesses. His sense of adventure and exploration, a boundless imagination, a brilliant mind and a wicked sense of humor,”


“He is a born storyteller, and, like the best of them, he is constantly pushing the limits. I have often marveled at his uncanny ability at capturing the zeitgeist,” Lange wrote.

Noteworthy queer allies

Lady Gaga also made the 2019 influencer list and Celine Dion wrote about her activism. “Whether it’s her unstoppable support for the LGBTQ community, or her anti-bullying campaigning, Lady Gaga’s voice is being heard where it really counts,” Dion said.

Queer icon Troye Sivan wrote about his friend Ariana Grande. “Her love of her fans and of music guide her every move. But my favorite moments with Ari are the quieter ones. When I, like so many, have been inspired by that resilience, love, care and heart in someone I’m lucky to call my friend,” Sivan said.

Taylor Swift also made the list. Shawn Mendes wrote about Swift and said: “I’ve been a Taylor Swift fan for as long as I can remember. But it wasn’t until I met and got to know her that I understood how wonderful a person she truly is.”

Sandra Oh, who stars in popular crime series Killing Eve is also listed, as well as singer Khalid who featured on the soundtrack for the gay romantic comedy Love, Simon.