CBS's Survivor hasn't always had the best track record with LGBTQ+ people. There have been instances of homophobia, transphobia and the representation of LGBTQ+ contestants has been quite limited. However, in recent years this has improved, and with the recent announcement that Survivor and all other CBS reality shows will have 50% BIPOC representation on their casts, there is hope that audiences will see more BIPOC LGBTQ+ people in particular.
Despite this, over the 40 seasons of Survivor there have been some amazing LGBTQ+ contestants. From coming out stories to queer winners to intimate moments, viewers have been able to witness some groundbreaking queer moments. These iconic LGBTQ+ contestants are beloved by fans, and their stories have inspired viewers from all walks of life.
Sonja Christopher (Survivor: Borneo)
Sonja Christopher had the unique honor of being the first person to ever be voted out on Survivor. The very first episode of Survivor premiered in 2000 to an audience of 15.5 million viewers, but as the season progressed it became a runaway hit, with 51.5 million people tuning in to the finale.
While Sonja was well-liked by her tribemates, as the oldest woman in her tribe, she was voted out for being weak at the challenges. Sonja's most iconic moment was when she brought a ukelele to the island and played it to Richard Hatch. Sonja was a lesbian, and as Porkchop from RuPaul's Drag Race has proven, even if you go home first, you will be remembered forever.
Richard Hatch (Survivor: Borneo and Survivor: All Stars)
Richard Hatch made history as the very first winner of Survivor, and he did it as an openly gay man. In its first season, many contestants didn't see Survivor as a strategic game, but Richard saw it for what it really was and created the first alliance in Survivor history: The Tagi Alliance.
Fans will remember Richard's friendship with former Navy Seal Rudy Boesch. Rudy's journey to acceptance was touching, and the two had a friendship that lasted long after the show. Although Richard's time on All-Stars tarnished his reputation, his win was an iconic moment in the show's history.
Ami Cusak (Survivor: Vanuatu and Survivor: Micronesia)
While LGBTQ+ women had been on the show before, none had been able to gain much agency in the game. Ami Cusak was the queer mastermind viewers were waiting for. She was an amazing strategic player, who used her deep relationships with people to control the game.
Ami made it to the Final 6, however, she was seen as too big a threat to win the game, and she was blindsided by her alliance. One of the most emotional moments of the season was the loved one's visit, where Ami was reunited with her girlfriend. Ami made a huge impact on young queer viewers, so much so that she returned as a fan favorite in Micronesia.
Scout Cloud Lee (Survivor: Vanuatu)
Traditionally, older women are voted out in the game because of their perceived physical weakness, but Scout Cloud Lee was a force to be reckoned with. On day one Scout aligned herself with Ami Cusak, Twila Tanner, and Leeann Locken in order to protect herself. This power alliance of older women took control of the tribe, to send the younger women home instead.
Scout currently holds the record for the highest placing out LGBTQ+ female on a season, coming in third place. As an older person, Scout came into the game heavily disadvantaged, but she defied the odds and made it to day 38. The scene where she is reunited with her partner Annie is truly touching.
Todd Herzog (Survivor: China)
Todd Herzog delivered one of the greatest final tribal council performances the game has ever seen. Other than Richard Hatch, no other queer person had won Survivor, so when Todd Herzog landed himself the win, fans rejoiced. It was exciting to see a young LGBTQ+ person succeed at the game, and it is a great shame that no other queer people have claimed the title since.
His friendship with Courtney Yates was delightful to watch; many queer fans consider Courtney a gay icon herself, and they remain best friends to this day. Since the show, Todd has bravely discussed his problems with substance abuse, a disorder that disproportionally affects LGBTQ+ people. Happily, Todd is now sober, and he recently got engaged to his boyfriend, Jess Hermansen.
Natalie Bolton (Survivor: Micronesia)
Natalie Bolton was a member of the all-female alliance the "Black Widow Brigade". Together these women ran the game, making up five of the final six and becoming one of the most beloved alliances in Survivor history. Natalie was gorgeous and used her beauty to her advantage, even convincing Erik Reichennack to give up individual immunity so her alliance could blindside him.
The final tribal council had one of the best queer interactions the show has ever seen, when Natalie asked finalist Parvati how her flirtatious strategy translates into the bedroom, admitting that Parvati had even flirted with her.
Brice Izyah Johnston (Survivor: Cagayan)
Brice Izayah was the first openly gay Black contestant on Survivor and his charming personality and iconic purple trousers instantly won him a following. Brice's time on Cagayan was short-lived, as he was voted out in the second episode, but after Jeff Probst snuffed his torch he found his time to shine:
"I'm sure [Jeremiah] doesn't understand what happened [...] and I'm surprised he could even spell my name. But clearly, they wanted the cutest, most fashionable member out first, so I'm glad to take that title, with bells and whistles on. I really hope Morgan does well, and to the rest of the people, I don't even remember their names."
Most fans will agree that this was one of the best exit speeches in Survivor history.
Tai Trang (Survivor: Koah Rong and Survivor: Game Changers)
From the second Tai Trang appeared on Koah Rong he was a fan favorite. His spritely energy, sense of humor, and compassion for plants and animals instantly endeared him to his tribemates and the viewers. His emotional kiss with his husband Mark at the family visit was truly iconic.
Tai was so beloved that Australian pop star Sia gave him $50,000 at the Koah Rong reunion. He went on to return in Game Changers to compete against some of the greatest players to ever play the game.
Bret Labelle (Survivor: Millenials vs Gen X)
Bret Labelle was a 43-year-old police sergeant who entered Millenials vs Gen X on the Gen X tribe. After a tribe swap, Bret found himself on a tribe with Millenial Zeke Smith. Together their tribe won a reward challenge, giving Bret the opportunity to talk to Zeke about his experiences.
In an extremely touching moment, Bret came out to Zeke. Bret felt a kinship to Zeke, who was also gay and felt comfortable sharing this part of his identity. Bret felt that he had to hide his sexuality because his generation doesn't talk about sexuality, whereas Millenials have more freedom to openly express themselves. Bret's coming-out story, and the discussion of the generational divide, was heartwarming and poignant.
Zeke Smith (Survivor: Millenials vs Gen X and Survivor: Game Changers)
Zeke Smith's gender identity was never discussed during Millenials vs Gen X. In fact, Zeke did not disclose the fact that he was trans when he applied because he didn't want to be known as the "first trans contestant". Zeke just wanted to play the game and be himself. The fact that he was trans was just one tiny element of his identity.
Zeke was a strong game player, a vibrant personality, and a brilliant reality TV character. He went on to return for Game Changers, but midway through the season, Zeke was outed as trans by his fellow tribemate Jeff Varner. This act of violence was heavily criticized by the show and Jeff Probst. Reflecting on his experiences in 2020, Zeke said the following:
"I both played the game, and was treated afterwards with an abundance of white male privilege [...] I wonder if my story would have had the same impact [...] if I were a Black trans woman [...] I think that not being visibly trans provided me with a lot of cover in my first season. I think that if I was not white, if i was more femme presenting, if it was known that I was trans, I think I would have been the first person voted out at the millenials tribe."
Zeke's strength and resilience are inspirational to young queer people, and he is beloved by Survivor fans across the world.