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The 15 Gayest VMA Moments Of All Time

Madonna, Gaga, Elton, Laverne Cox and more!

The 2015 MTV Music Video Awards are Sunday, August 30, and if past shows are an indication, anything can happen.

In the show's 30-year history there have been countless outrageous moments—reunions, kisses, beefs, wardrobe malfunctions—and more than a few moments that were unequivocally gay (like any time Madonna graced the stage).

Below, we call out the 11 Gayest VMA Moments Of All Time!

The 2015 MTV VMAs air Sunday, August 30, at 9pm on Logo and MTV


Madonna swaps spit with the new generation (2003)

Britney and fellow pop princess Christina Aguilera joined the Material Girl at the 2003 VMAsfor a rendition of "Like A Virgin". To the surprise of millions of viewers, Madge grabbed Bri-Bri for a full-on lip lock. (Alas the cameras didn't capture her smooching Aguilera seconds later.)

Jason Collins presents at the VMAs (2013)

The out NBA star was pretty smooth introducing Macklemore, Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert at the 2013 VMAs. But A$AP Rocky, his co-presenter, stumbled and awkwardly pointed at Collins. He later apologized.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis perform "Same Love" (2013)

Just moments after that introduction, the crowd went wild as the hip-hop duo came on stage to perform "Same Love" with Lambert and surprise guest Jennifer Hudson. As a perfect capstone to the moment, "Same Love" won the VMA for Best Video With a Social Message.

Sam Smith performs "Stay with Me" (2014)

The out pop singer didn't go home with any moon men last year, but he shut it down with a soulful stripped-down version of his breakout hit.

RuPaul and Milton Berle present together (1993)

On paper, pairing the Supermodel of the World with a legendary comic known for doing drag made perfect sense. In reality, it ended up shadier than an elm tree. But the incident helped introduce Ru to a whole new demographic.

Plus she looked sickening!

Jo Calderone (2011)

Lady Gaga channeled her masculine side for an appearance at the 2011 VMAs, never breaking character the entire evening. Jo opened the show with a monologue that poked fun at both male stereotypes and Gaga's own celebrity persona.

"The performance of Jo is meant to manipulate the visualization of gender in as many ways as I possibly could," Mother Monster later told HuffPo Gay Voices. "And in a completely different way, do that by creating what seems to be a straight man..."

Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley kiss (1994)

Technically, this was a heterosexual kiss but when the King of Pop and the the King's daughter smooched at the 1994 VMAs, it was the gayest thing we'd seen since Paul Lynde on Hollywood Squares.

t.A.T.u. perform "All Things She Said" And "Not Gonna Get Us" (2003)

The Russian duo were just playing at being lesbians, but no one knew that in 2003, when the girls brought a see of Catholic-school-girl baby dykes on stage to help them perform their two big hits. Fake gays or not, the massive number ended with a real-life same-sex smooch for the ages.

Elton John performs "November Rain" with Guns 'N' Roses

Once upon a time, if you had a reputation for being a homophobic musician, you improved your image by performing with Elton John. Eminem did it with Elton at the 2001 Grammys, but Axel Rose did it first at the 1992 Video Music Awards.

Madonna performs "Vogue" (1990)

One of her biggest hits, "Vogue" brought what was an inner-city gay art form to the mainstream. And with this still-legendary performance at the VMAs, Madonna showed America what the dance floor was for.

To this day, no gay man can look at a fan and not want to snap it like Marie Antoinette.

Laverne Cox feels her oats

Laverne Cox joined her Orange is the New Black co-stars in introducing a performance by Usher.

But during Beyoncé’s epic 15-minute mini-concert, Laverne was getting her life—dancing like no one was watching while, behind her, Kim Kardashian and younger sibs Kendall and Kylie were busy chewing gum and side-eyeing. Ev. ry. thing.

Lady Gaga brings LGBT soldiers to the VMAs (2010)

Two years before the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell—and the same year she won a slew of Spacemen for “Best Pop Video," “Video of the Year” and other categories—Gaga brought a quartet of gay U.S. military servicemembers along with her to the event.

Cher performs "If I Could Turn Back Time" (1999)

Duh—it's CHER!

Frank Ocean performs “Thinkin’ Bout You” (2012)

Ocean became the biggest out artist in hip-hop when he revealed his first relationship was with a man. Just a few weeks later he made his awards show debut at the VMAs with a heartrending performance of “Thinkin’ Bout You,” rumored to be about that lost love.

Drag queen tribute to Madonna (1999)

How do you encapsulate Madonna's countless incarnations in one number? With drag queens, of course! The 1999 VMAs saw queens sashaying down the runway in double-time, wearing everything from Madge's iconic "Like a Virgin" wedding dress to "Nothing Really Matters" kabuki and "Beautiful Stranger" Cali girl.

At the end, Madge herself declared: "All I have to say is that it takes a real man to fill my shoes!"

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