Editing Cher (section)

=== Gay icon status ===
[[File:GLAAD Awards 2012-79 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.9|alt=Cher stands on stage with Chaz Bono, smiling. She wears a black outfit with an afro hairstyle, while Chaz wears a suit and tie.|Cher presenting son [[Chaz Bono]] with the [[GLAAD Stephen F. Kolzak Award]] at the 2012 [[GLAAD Media Award]]s]]

Cher is revered by the [[LGBTQ community]], a status attributed to her career accomplishments, distinctive style and enduring longevity.<ref name=Mapa-2003>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[The Advocate (magazine)|The Advocate]] |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7WQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA51 |title=We love you, Auntie Cher |first=Alec |last=Mapa|author-link=Alec Mapa |date=April 15, 2003 |access-date=January 18, 2016}}</ref> Many of her songs are considered [[List of gay anthems|gay anthems]], including "If I Could Turn Back Time",<ref>Multiple sources:
* {{cite magazine |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a31136515/lgbt-songs-queer-anthems/ |first=Keely |last=Weiss |magazine=[[Harper's Bazaar]] |title=20 LGBTQ+ Anthems to Celebrate Pride All Year Long |url-status=live |date=June 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502032239/https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a31136515/lgbt-songs-queer-anthems/ |archive-date=May 2, 2020 |access-date=March 26, 2025}}
* {{cite magazine |first1=Joe |last1=Lynch |first2=Stephen |last2=Daw |first3=Hannah |last3=Dailey |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |title=70 Top LGBTQ+ Anthems of All Time |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/lgbtq-anthems-queer-pride-songs/if-i-could-turn-back-time-cher-1989/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230809172614/https://www.billboard.com/lists/lgbtq-anthems-queer-pride-songs/if-i-could-turn-back-time-cher-1989/ |archive-date=August 9, 2023 |date=June 2, 2023 |access-date=March 26, 2025}}</ref> "Believe",<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/music/lgbtq-anthems/ |first=Seija |last=Rankin |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=June 19, 2018 |title=The best LGBTQ anthems of all time |archive-date=June 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623143709/http://ew.com/music/lgbtq-anthems |access-date=March 26, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> "Strong Enough"<ref>Multiple sources:
* {{cite news |title=Pride 50: Here are the Top 25 Pride Anthems of All Time |newspaper=[[The Mercury News]] |first=Jim |last=Harrington |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/17/pride-50-here-are-the-top-25-pride-anthems-of-all-time/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704002202/https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/17/pride-50-here-are-the-top-25-pride-anthems-of-all-time/ |date=June 26, 2020 |archive-date=July 4, 2020 |url-status=live |access-date=March 26, 2025}}
* {{cite news |url=https://www.laweekly.com/top-lgbtq-anthems-part-2-the-80s-and-90s/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240812132644/https://www.laweekly.com/top-lgbtq-anthems-part-2-the-80s-and-90s/ |title=Top LGBTQ Anthems Part 2: The '80s and '90s |first=Michael |last=Cooper |date=September 6, 2019 |archive-date=August 12, 2024 |url-status=live |newspaper=[[LA Weekly]]}}</ref> and "Song for the Lonely".<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Into |title=20 Ultimate Gay Anthems For Pride |date=June 9, 2017 |access-date=March 26, 2025 |url=https://www.intomore.com/culture/20-ultimate-gay-anthems-for-pride/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124222954/https://www.intomore.com/culture/20-ultimate-gay-anthems-for-pride/ |archive-date=January 24, 2025}}</ref> She is regarded as a [[gay icon]] and is frequently imitated by [[drag queen]]s.<ref name=Rogers-2009>{{cite web |last=Rogers |first=Thomas |url=http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2009/01/31/drag/ |title=Where have all the drag queens gone? |website=[[Salon.com]] |date=February 21, 2009 |access-date=January 16, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514144332/http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2009/01/31/drag/ |archive-date=May 14, 2009}}</ref> According to ''[[Salon magazine|Salon]]'' writer Thomas Rogers, drag queens emulate figures like [[Judy Garland]], [[Dolly Parton]] and Cher because they "overcame insult and hardship on their path to success"—narratives that resonate with the struggles many gay men face when coming out.<ref name=Rogers-2009/>

''[[Maclean's]]'' journalist Elio Iannacci stated that Cher was "one of the first to bring drag to the masses", hiring two drag queens to perform with her during her [[Take Me Home Tour (Cher)|Las Vegas residency]] in 1979.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=September 8, 2013 |last=Iannacci |first=Elio |title=Cher on the art of the comeback |url=https://www.macleans.ca/general/on-singing-for-jackie-kennedy-working-with-lady-gaga-and-the-art-of-the-comeback/ |magazine=[[Maclean's]] |archive-date=June 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200620060906/https://www.macleans.ca/general/on-singing-for-jackie-kennedy-working-with-lady-gaga-and-the-art-of-the-comeback/ |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[The Advocate (magazine)|The Advocate]]''{{'}}s Jeff Yarbrough described Cher as "one of the first superstars to '[[History of homosexuality in American film|play gay]]' with compassion and without a hint of [[LGBTQ stereotypes|stereotyping]]", as she portrays a lesbian in the 1983 film ''Silkwood''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T2MEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA6|magazine=[[The Advocate (magazine)|The Advocate]]|title=Hollywood lives|first=Jeff|last=Yarbrough|date=August 20, 1996|access-date=January 18, 2016}}</ref> Cher's social activism have further solidified her status as a gay icon.{{sfn|Bernstein|2003|p=166}} As the mother of a [[trans man]], Chaz Bono, Cher has advocated for visibility and support for trans families.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://xtramagazine.com/culture/trans-parent-cher-zaya-wade-220706|title=Why trans family visibility matters|magazine=[[Xtra Magazine]]|date=March 31, 2022|access-date=April 24, 2023|archive-date=December 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224041407/https://xtramagazine.com/culture/trans-parent-cher-zaya-wade-220706|url-status=live}}</ref>

Cher's influence on [[LGBTQ culture]] was highlighted in the NBC sitcom ''[[Will & Grace]]'', where she was the idol of gay character [[Jack McFarland]]. She appeared as herself in two episodes, including "[[Gypsies, Tramps and Weed]]" (2000)—referencing her 1971 song "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves"—which became the show's second-highest-rated episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Celebrity Update|date=November 18, 2000|newspaper=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|page=A2|quote=And Cher's guest spot on ''Will & Grace'' gave the show its second-highest rating ever}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2006/03/30/memorable-will-grace-guest-stars-cher/|title=Memorable ''Will & Grace'' guest stars: Cher|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=March 30, 2006|access-date=March 22, 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151104064650/http://www.ew.com/article/2006/03/30/memorable-will-grace-guest-stars-cher|archive-date=November 4, 2015}}</ref> Cher's impact on the drag community is also evident in the reality competition ''[[RuPaul's Drag Race]]'', which has honored her through challenges like the musical performance "[[The Unauthorized Rusical|Cher: The Unauthorized Rusical]]" in [[RuPaul's Drag Race season 10|season 10]] and the runway theme "[[RDR Live! (RuPaul's Drag Race season 16)|Everything Every-Cher All at Once]]" in [[RuPaul's Drag Race season 16|season 16]].<ref>"[[The Unauthorized Rusical]]". ''[[RuPaul's Drag Race]].'' Season 10. Episode 8. May 10, 2018. [[VH1]] / [[WOW Presents Plus]].</ref><ref>"[[RDR Live! (RuPaul's Drag Race season 16)|RDR Live!]]". ''[[RuPaul's Drag Race]]''. Season 16. Episode 4. January 26, 2024. [[MTV]] / [[WOW Presents Plus]].</ref>