You probably wouldn't remember this depending on your age, but in her heyday, Whitney was a beacon of poise, grace, and beauty. Combined with her talent, attitude and perceived strength, becoming a gay icon was inevitable for her. She was like the black Babs, I'd say. The Bodyguard and it's attached soundtrack cemented this image; her marriage to Bobby Brown wiped it all away.
After that era, her life and story was always about her comebacks and her fighting against personal adversaries. And that despite it all—the erratic behavior, the drug abuse, the Jesus sweats—she still possessed the talent and strength we knew she always had. She became a soap opera, and the public (inclu. gays) love that shit.
That's how I see it anyway, but that's just a generalization. Everyone's personal Whitney story is different. Personally, I became attached to her because of the household I grew up in. As a black American, there was really no escaping her presence. And through my exposure to her voice and her songs, I became addicted to singing and performing. She wasn't my sole influence, but she did shape me into the person I am today. She meant a lot to me, and will always mean a lot to me, just because of her influence in my life. I wish I could have thanked her personally for that, but she'll always remain in my thoughts, my heart, and probably in my singing voice a little.
Pssh, I'll probably be devastated right along with my mama when any of those musicians kick the bucket.
