Emmys 2022: All the Gay Fashion and Big Wins, Lets Get Down to Business

Feature image of gay celebrities and fashion at the 2022 Emmys: Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor by Momodu Mansaray/Getty Images, Jasmin Savoy Brown by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images, and Hannah Einbinder by David Livingston/Getty Images

Last night was the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, and today I am here to tell you about all the lesbian, bisexual, queer, and trans celebrities in attendance and the fancy clothes that they put on their bodies. A fairly straight forward proposition.

But before we get to the gays and their gay Emmys fashion, let’s go over a few key wins of the night, shall we? First, a shout out to Zendaya for her second Emmy win for the queer role of Rue Bennett in Euphoria. Zendaya remains the second Black woman to win for Lead Actress in a Drama, after Viola Davis (notably, both Zendaya and Viola won those awards for playing queer Black women! Ok Rue is still a girl, not yet a woman, as Britney Spears once sang 15 years ago, but you get my point). Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae became the first Asian actor to ever win Lead Actor in a Drama, and the fourth Asian actor to ever win an acting Emmy. He also became the first person from a foreign-language show to win best actor in the category.

Zendaya in a black sleeveless gown onstage accepting her Emmy

Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

After decades of hard work and legendary status in Black households, Sheryl Lee Ralph won an Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Comedy for Abbott Elementary and blew the roof off the theater with her voice (The original Deena Jones in Dreamgirls, you better know). Speaking of Abbott Elementary, Quinta Brunson won for Writing in a Comedy Series — and a cis white man tried to ruin it, because of course he did. Lizzo won for Reality Competition Series for Watch Out for the Big Grrrls and through tears dedicated it to to those who are, “Fat like me, Black like me, Beautiful like me — this is for the big girls!”

There were multiple gay wins for White Lotus, including two wins for Mike White (Direction, Writing in a Limited Series) and a win for Murray Bartlet (Supporting Actor in a Limited Series).

We also simply must shout out Jerrod Carmichael, winner of Writing For A Variety Special for his autobiographical comedy special Rothaniel, the clear big gay win of the night. I loved Rothaniel like I loved very few things last year, it burrowed a hole into my heart and months later, has still not let go. While we are here, let us stop and appreciate Jerrod’s look for a few reasons:

Jerrod Carmichael is bare chested in a long white fur coat holding his Emmy up to his face and smiling

Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

  • I remain on a never ending quest to get you all to watch Rothaniel. (Had to fit one last mention in there! Watch it. You won’t regret it.)
  •  “It just feels good that this whole thing feels big and absurd and so, like, I think I match the occasion. It’s big and absurd, so what are we doing? Want me to wear a black tux, like all right?” — Jerrod Carmichael, an icon living
  • This is Diddy’s coat.

And now, on to even more gay Emmys fashion and the little jokey jokes we make!

Sarah Paulson, Impeachment: American Crime Story, and Holland Taylor

Sarah Paulson in a navy blue dress stares lovingly at Holland Taylor, in a gold patterned jacket and black pants

Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images

I cannot even make a joke here. Look at them? They are love.

Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live

Kate McKinnon is in a black tuxedo, buttoned up, with no shirt underneath, and simple heels. She is "smizing" (smiling with her eyes, not her lips) at the camera.

Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The thing about Kate McKinnon is that she’s so funny that I genuinely forget she’s a heartthrob? But she is, in fact, a heartthrob.

Hannah Einbinder, Hacks

Hannah Einbinder in a black sleeveless dress with a molded bodice on top, her hair is slicked back.

Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

And trust me on this, you want to see the After Party look.

Hannah Einbinder in a gold bow tie and gold tuxedo jackets, with skinny black tuxedo pants

Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images

Get you someone who can do both. (this is not a joke about Hannah’s bisexuality, but is it)

Ariana DeBose, Emmys Presenter

Ariana DeBose is in a purple chiffon dress and she's twirling for the camera.

Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

Ariana DeBose is going to twirl in a dress, and I am going to fall for it every single gotdamn time.

Jasmin Savoy Brown, Yellowjackets

Jasmin Savoy Brown in a navy blue leather dress with a full skirt and cut outs at the waist and chest, with gold metal detailing. Her hair is slicked down. You can see a hint of her armpit hair.

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Oh! And give me a second, just one more thing…

A close up of the cut outs of the dress around Jasmin Savoy Brown's waist.

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

You’re welcome.

Liv Hewson, Yellowjackets

Liv Hewson in a lime green suit with lime green faux fur cuffs that go up halfway up her arm.

Photo by Phil Faraone/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images

Unexpected but Liv had one of my favorite looks of the night? I feel like pseudo post-pandemic fashion is just “let’s get WEIRD AS SHIT” and this is thee most weird as shit, in the best ways possible.

Cherien Dabis, Director for Only Murders in the Building

Cherien Dabis in a grey sparkly dress with a very high thigh split on the right hand side and shoulder pads.

Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images

The Only Murders director was… killer. Get it? GET IT? (I know, I know “boo boo, tomato tomato tomato”)

Ashley Nicole Black, Performer for A Black Lady Sketch Show, Writer for Ted Lasso

Ashley Nicole Black is in a Black gown with a tulle skirt that is covering a black bodysuit and has elbow length black gloves.

Ladies and Gentlman, Her: The body suit. The slicked back pony. The streamlined tulle skirt. With elbow length gloves for max drama.

This is perfect. No notes.

B Nichols, Writer for Abbott Elementary

B Nicols is in a black suit with a black shirt underneath and a black vest, they are in between two white men in black suits with white button down shirts.

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

I will never stop screaming about Autostraddle alum B. Nichols writing on a network show and being at THE F****** EMMYS. I Will! Never! Stop! Screaming! About! It!

Absolutely.

Megan Stalter, Hacks

Megan Stalter is in a red lace gown that is see through, it has spaghetti straps, she is waving and smiling at the camera

Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

What I love about Hacks is that everyone in Hacks is just… gay? How wonderful for us.

Laverne Cox, Queen of the Gold Carpet for E!

Laverne Cox is in a black leather mini dress and her hair is in a ponytail.

Photo by Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images

Laverne Cox is the belle of every ball.

We are all playing on her court.

Amen. 🙏🏾

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Carmen Phillips

Carmen Phillips is Autostraddle's former editor in chief. She began at Autostraddle in 2017 as a freelance team writer and worked her way up through the company, eventually becoming the EIC from 2021-2024. A Black Puerto Rican feminist writer with a PhD in American Studies from New York University, Carmen specializes in writing about Blackness, race, queerness, politics, culture, and the many ways we find community and connection with each other.  During her time at Autostraddle, Carmen focused on pop culture, TV and film reviews, criticism, interviews, and news analysis. She claims many past homes, but left the largest parts of her heart in Detroit, Brooklyn, and Buffalo, NY. And there were several years in her early 20s when she earnestly slept with a copy of James Baldwin’s “Fire Next Time” under her pillow. To reach out, you can find Carmen on Twitter, Instagram, or her website.

Carmen has written 716 articles for us.

11 Comments

  1. I keep telling people that Rothaniel will rock them. It’s been months since I watched (well after everyone else) and it remains front of mind. I even have a tab open that may be dedicated forever to a clip from it. It’s that good.

  2. I know you probably didn’t mean any harm by this, but please don’t use the term ‘post-pandemic’ when we are still very much in a pandemic

      • Yes, I’m confirming that the use of “pseudo” here is purposeful, thank you Darcy!

        Specifically I’m using this definition, from my trusty friend google (I actually had googled it before I wrote the joke, because I wanted to be sure): “not genuine; spurious or sham”

        so a pseudo post-pandemic is… a not genuine and/or sham post-pandemic. The pandemic is still here with us.

        • I think we’re past pandemic and into endemic. I.e. this thing is here with us to stay. Which can have seasonal ups and downs, and even a new pandemic is always an option (sorry!), but it behaves more like influenza now.

  6. I love Sarah Paulson but I’m sorry, the top part of her dress looks like a sexy version of the vest they put on you at the dentist before they x-ray your teeth!

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