• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Body
  • Daily Resist
  • POLITICS
  • Travel
  • Music
  • Theatre
  • Film
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Men
  • Marriage Equality
  • Space
  • Trans Rights
  • Books
  • Science
  • Gay Iconography
  • TowleREAD

Gay Iconography: Living For La Toya

February 1, 2016 by Bobby Hankinson Leave a Comment

La Toya Jackson

Many gay icons, like Barbra, Bette, Cher and Judy, are huge, global superstars with an impact that extends far beyond the LGBT community. Then there are a few lovable oddballs who seem to operate on a wavelength specifically calibrated to appeal almost exclusively to gay fans.

Take, for instance, La Toya Jackson.

The diminutive sister of Michael and Janet may not have the staggering number of hits that her siblings boast, but something about her struck a chord with the gay community.

“They have been so supportive of me,” she told GayWired in 2005. “Years ago, I remember being at a meeting and my record label said, ‘Did you know 99-percent of your audience are gay?’ I was really excited about that.”

Jackson has long been an outspoken supporter of the LGBT community. She served as grand marshal of the 2013 San Diego Pride festival and criticized actor Kirk Cameron for anti-gay comments. She competed on The Celebrity Apprentice in 2011 to raise money for AIDS Project Los Angeles.

There’s more to La Toya’s appeal than just her public politics. As a member of the legendary Jackson family, La Toya was already catapulted into the spotlight. She became known as the black sheep of the Jacksons after her abusive ex-husband and manager pressured her to cut ties with her family, pose for Playboy and write a salacious tell-all memoir about the Jackson clan.

Escaping her abusive husband and her outsider status endeared her to gay audiences (whom tend to love a survivor). Pair that with her flair for over-the-top fashion and her infectious giggle, and you’ve got a beloved camp icon.

Check out some of our favorite La Toya clips below.

La Toya got her start on television appearing on The Jacksons variety show along with her siblings. See her perform with her sisters Rebbie and Janet in the video above.

Her 1980 self-titled debut album was La Toya’s highest charting. However, her highest charting single actually came off her third album, Heart Don’t Lie. The title track hit No. 56 on the Billboard Hot 100. By the late ‘80s, La Toya was managed by Jack Gordon, and her image became much sexier. She posed for Playboy, starred in a revue at the Moulin Rouge and wrote a salacious book detailing her home growing up. It was during this time that La Toya says Gordon was mentally and physically abusing her and forcing her to do things against her will. Under his management, she also became a spokesperson for the Psychic Friends Network, broke her contract with Moulin Rouge and made a public statement claiming allegations of her brother abusing children were true (she later said she was forced to make the statement).

Once she escaped Gordon in the late-‘90s, Latoya reunited with her family and went into seclusion until she re-emerged in 2003. She appeared on Larry King Live, prompting waves of callers and giving King a spike in ratings. She released a single, “Just Wanna Dance,” which hit No. 13 on the US Billboard Hot Dance chart. Another single, “Home,” was released in 2009 following her brother’s death with all the proceeds being donated to AIDS Project Los Angeles. Her EP, Startin’ Over, would be delayed until 2011. See her perform “Just Wanna Dance” above.

La Toya is no stranger to reality TV. She’s made appearances on Armed & Famous, America’s Next Top Model and UK’s Celebrity Big Brother. She also was a contestant on The Celebrity Apprentice and The All-Star Celebrity Apprentice. She is the first contestant to be fired twice from The Celebrity Apprentice after being brought back from her first firing. Watch her epic throwdown with NeNe Leakes in the clip above.

Recently, you may have seen La Toya in one of her multiple outings as a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race. (She’s the reason Ru says “Ivy Winters” the way he does, inspired by how La Toya once introduced Edgar Winter.) You can see La Toya and Ru record their duet “Feel Like Dancin’” in the clip above from the reality series Life With La Toya.

What’s your favorite La Toya Jackson moment?

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Gay Iconography, La Toya Jackson, Video

Recent Posts

  • Maskless Leopard Print ‘Karen’ Goes Down Shrieking at Palm Beach Bagel Shop: WATCH

    Maskless Leopard Print ‘Karen’ Goes Down Shrieking at Palm Beach Bagel Shop: WATCH

    3 hours ago
  • Pete Buttigieg Confirmation Hearing Scheduled for Thursday

    Pete Buttigieg Confirmation Hearing Scheduled for Thursday

    4 hours ago
  • Married Lincoln Project Co-Founder John Weaver Admits Sending Sexually Inappropriate Texts to Male Job Applicants, Says He’s Gay

    Married Lincoln Project Co-Founder John Weaver Admits Sending Sexually Inappropriate Texts to Male Job Applicants, Says He’s Gay

    4 hours ago
  • Bill Maher Shoots Down Kellyanne Conway’s Defense of Trump’s Legacy, That Many Folks Are Better Off: ‘A Lot of Them Are Dead!’ — WATCH

    Bill Maher Shoots Down Kellyanne Conway’s Defense of Trump’s Legacy, That Many Folks Are Better Off: ‘A Lot of Them Are Dead!’ — WATCH

    5 hours ago
Previous Post: « 2016 Iowa Caucus Results
Next Post: Male Broadway Patron Faints at Sight of Shirtless Russell Tovey »

Primary Sidebar

  • Maskless Leopard Print ‘Karen’ Goes Down Shrieking at Palm Beach Bagel Shop: WATCH

  • Pete Buttigieg Confirmation Hearing Scheduled for Thursday

  • Married Lincoln Project Co-Founder John Weaver Admits Sending Sexually Inappropriate Texts to Male Job Applicants, Says He’s Gay

Recent Posts

  • Maskless Leopard Print ‘Karen’ Goes Down Shrieking at Palm Beach Bagel Shop: WATCH

    Maskless Leopard Print ‘Karen’ Goes Down Shrieking at Palm Beach Bagel Shop: WATCH

    3 hours ago
  • Pete Buttigieg Confirmation Hearing Scheduled for Thursday

    Pete Buttigieg Confirmation Hearing Scheduled for Thursday

    4 hours ago
  • Married Lincoln Project Co-Founder John Weaver Admits Sending Sexually Inappropriate Texts to Male Job Applicants, Says He’s Gay

    Married Lincoln Project Co-Founder John Weaver Admits Sending Sexually Inappropriate Texts to Male Job Applicants, Says He’s Gay

    4 hours ago
  • Bill Maher Shoots Down Kellyanne Conway’s Defense of Trump’s Legacy, That Many Folks Are Better Off: ‘A Lot of Them Are Dead!’ — WATCH

    Bill Maher Shoots Down Kellyanne Conway’s Defense of Trump’s Legacy, That Many Folks Are Better Off: ‘A Lot of Them Are Dead!’ — WATCH

    5 hours ago
  • Ralph Lauren Drops 7-Year Sponsorship of Pro Golfer Justin Thomas Over Homophobic Slur

    Ralph Lauren Drops 7-Year Sponsorship of Pro Golfer Justin Thomas Over Homophobic Slur

    5 hours ago
  • James Lankford, Dolly Parton, Vaccine Rollout, Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor, Palm Beach, The Big Lie, Joshua Bassett: HOT LINKS

    James Lankford, Dolly Parton, Vaccine Rollout, Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor, Palm Beach, The Big Lie, Joshua Bassett: HOT LINKS

    21 hours ago
  • Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney Takes Down QAnon GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert After Accusations He Named Her as Member Who Gave ‘Reconnaissance Tours’ of US Capitol Ahead of Trump Insurrection

    Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney Takes Down QAnon GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert After Accusations He Named Her as Member Who Gave ‘Reconnaissance Tours’ of US Capitol Ahead of Trump Insurrection

    1 day ago
  • ‘Where They Countin’ the Votes?!’: New Video Details Tense Moments as Capitol Mob Sought Out Lawmakers — WATCH

    ‘Where They Countin’ the Votes?!’: New Video Details Tense Moments as Capitol Mob Sought Out Lawmakers — WATCH

    1 day ago
  • Capitol Police Officer Gives Chilling Account of Being Dragged Down Steps by Trump Mob: ‘Kill Him with His Own Gun!’ — WATCH

    Capitol Police Officer Gives Chilling Account of Being Dragged Down Steps by Trump Mob: ‘Kill Him with His Own Gun!’ — WATCH

    1 day ago
  • Brie Larson ‘Gay’ Comment Sends Internet into a Frenzy: WATCH

    Brie Larson ‘Gay’ Comment Sends Internet into a Frenzy: WATCH

    1 day ago

Most Commented

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Footer

Copyright © 2021 · Log in