Alice Oseman and Richard Gadd among LGBTQ+ stars honoured on Time 100 Next List

The 2024 Time 100 Next List has arrived and LGBTQ+ stars, including Heartstopper author Alice Oseman and Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd, have been honoured.

Now in its fifth year, the TIME 100 Next list is an annual honour created to recognise many of today’s most influential leaders and creatives in their respective industries. 

The TIME 100 Next aims to “recognise that influence does not have them either, nor does leadership look like it once did.

“Indeed, the majority of the individuals on this year’s list are leaders of color; more than half are women.”

This year, many of our favourite LGBTQ+ icons have made the Time 100 Next List. Here are some highlights.

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Alice Oseman

Listed in the “artists” category, Alice Oseman is best known for Heartstopper (season three incoming).

Initially a Tumblr comic, then a graphic novel and now a hit Netflix show, Oseman’s work on the beloved series has been adored all around the globe.

The 29-year-old author and illustrator has made waves on the page and on-screen with their heartfelt, heartwarming and optimistic depiction of young LGBTQ+ romance. 

Heartstopper tells the story of Charlie (Joe Locke), an openly gay teenager who develops feelings for Nick (Kit Connor), a rugby player at his school.

Oseman’s work has been commended for its relatable and realistic representation of contemporary teenage life.

In the spotlight, Oseman has opened up about being aromantic and asexual as well as sharing that she uses she/her and they/them pronouns.

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Reneé Rapp

Listed in the “phenoms” category, Reneé Rapp is right where she should be! The 24-year-old lesbian singer-songwriter and actress has gone from strength to strength in the last few years.

From her show-stopping turn in Mean Girls to being the break-out star of The Sex Lives of College Girls, Rapp has proved her acting chops.

Then, she pivoted hard to music with her debut album, Snow Angel, demonstrating her vocal prowess.

The album was a colossal success and became the biggest first week for a debut album by a female artist in 2023.

Outside of her impressive career, Rapp is still iconic. As Busy Philipps, Rapp’s mother in Mean Girls, writes: “She is unapologetically herself.

“She has no need for a filter because she stands firmly rooted in her beliefs and laser-focused on her vision.”

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Richard Gadd

Selected in the “innovators” category, Richard Gadd made the list after his hit 2024 Netflix drama put him on the map.

The 35-year-old Scottish actor, comedian, and writer is best known for his three-time Emmy award-winning Netflix show Baby Reindeer, which is currently embroiled in a lawsuit.

The show features a range of LGBTQ+ representation: Gadd is bisexual, Jessica Gunning, who plays stalker Martha, came out as “a big, old gay” following the show’s release and trans actress Nana Mau made history as the first out trans performer to be nominated in a limited series or TV movie acting category at the Emmys.

With Baby Reindeer, Gadd opened up a dialogue for survivors of violence and sexual abuse, showing viewers the reality of the experience with determination.

Mau writes of Gadd: “Having seen the power of Richard’s courage, I can’t ever deny it in myself. It changed me forever, and it changed the world.”

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Victoria Monét 

Another LGBTQ+ legend listed in the “artists” category, Victoria Monét’s career continues to blossom.

The 35-year-old bisexual singer has three Grammy Awards under her belt; her breakthrough came with her EP Jaguar followed by her 2023 debut studio album Jaguar II which was met with critical acclaim. 

Monét is also a songwriter, crafting hits for the likes of Ariana Grande, Blackpink, Fifth Harmony and more.

With chart-topping songs and a phenomenal stage presence, Monét is one of the most exciting women working in the music industry today.

For the last decade, Monét’s career has been garnering momentum with music that pays homage to and innovates the R&B genre. 

You can see the full 2024 Time 100 Next List here.