Advocate's '40 Under 40'

This month the Advocate presents its annual 'Forty Under 40'issue, a selection of young activists, artists, and notable gay figures, all under the age of 40.

Some of those spotlighted in this year’s “Forty Under 40” include:

Chad Griffin — The 36-year-old Los Angeles–based political strategist has become the face of the marriage equality movement as he aggressively fights to end inequality for gay and lesbian couples once and for all.

Jillian Michaels (top left) — Michaels recently confirmed her bisexuality in an interview with Ladies’ Home Journal, telling the magazine she is looking for “healthy love.” At the age of 36, the star of The Biggest Loser has quietly built a fitness empire with workout DVDs, best-selling books, a Web community, and speaking engagements.

Jake Shears (bottom left) — Shears, the unapologetically gay Scissor Sisters lead singer, is in full bloom at 31, and fans have two new projects to look forward to: a new, as-yet untitled Scissor Sisters album in July and the stage musical version of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City.

Rostam Batmanglij — Vampire Weekend’s gay Iranian keyboardist embraces his heritage and sexuality as part of his identity. And that identity is becoming more and more public as Vampire Weekend’s Contra has risen to number 1 on the Billboard album charts. Additionally, the band has already made two Saturday Night Live appearances.

Gloria Bigelow — The stand-up comedian is making waves at comedy clubs around New York. But she also spends time working with the underserved students at East New York High School, helping the form a cheer squad for their school’s basketball team. The “Chocolate Cheerios,” as she affectionately calls them, now create their own cheers, costumes, and, most important, sense of self.