These figures in sports, culture and entertainment stood out in 2019, all by being proudly themselves

Jonathan Norton.
The local playwright, already acclaimed for several recent shows, enjoys two world premieres — Penny Candy at Dallas Theater Center and A Love Offering at Kitchen Dog Theater, cementing himself as a prolific conjurer of Texas life.

Winn Morton

Winn Morton.
The legendary costume designer — for Broadway and Ringling Bros., among others — steps down after nearly 40 years of designing the gowns and set for the Texas Rose Festival.

Venny Etienne.
The Dallas fashion designer appears on the reboot of Project Runway. He fares well, placing seventh overall.

Timothy LeDuc and Amber Glenn.
LeDuc, with pairs skating partner Ashley Cain-Gribble, wins the U.S. Nationals title in January, making history as the first-ever out winner in the category. Meanwhile, Glenn, who trains with LeDuc, officially comes out — the only openly lesbian member of Team USA.

Terry Loftis

Terry Loftis.
Already a Tony-nominated Broadway producer, Loftis began developing a project about the murder of a gay teen (mounting a local staged reading) before being appointed executive director of the nonprofit TACA.

Laura Carrizales and Mel Arizpe.
The couple represents the U.S. singing duets in at the World Karaoke Championship, making the finals (sadly, they did not win).

A’keria Chanel Davenport, Plastique Tiara and Ra’Jah O’Hara.
The three Dallas-based queens appeared on the most recent season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, coming in third (tied), eighth and ninth.

Colby Calhoun

Colby Calhoun.
The gender-non-conforming theater professional develops a new play — The First Annual Gay Show — for the Festival of Independent Theatres, embracing and celebrating diversity onstage.