100 Women We Love: Class Of 2018

Each one of these women, in her own unique way, is a role model who exemplifies the best of the LGBTQ community.

Brittany Campbell

Photo by Katalina Kulczar

Singer-songwriter Brittany Campbell has been playing instruments and singing since childhood, but it was in the gay clubs of New York City — performing alongside drag stars like Acid Betty, Epiphany, and Bob the Drag Queen — where she gained her footing as an artist. “The LGBTQ community is where I found myself — my style, my energy, who I wanted to be,” says Campbell. “The underground club scene… gave me freedom.” That freedom launched her career to new heights. Her debut album, Stay Gold, won critical acclaim. She landed a coveted role as a Schuyler Sister in the Chicago cast of smash-hit musical Hamilton. She’s played roles on Netflix’s She’s Gotta Have It and Master of None. And while she credits the gay club scene for her musical success, she’s still navigating where her own identity within the LGBTQ community fits. “I’ve never put a stamp on anything,” Campbell says. “People get confused about bisexuality and/or expect you to lean more towards one gender than the other, when, really, for me, it’s a soul/energy thing. The overall confusion and, often, dismissal, is the hardest part.” Still, she’s very much a part of the community, and has been since those club days. “I owe a lot to my community for instantly embracing me in such a positive way,” she says. “We are a culture of people who tend to nurture each other because so many of us are outsiders in many ways beyond sexuality.” —SEJ


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