Out Actress Ali Stroker Makes History as First in Wheelchair to Win a Tony

The actress who came out as bisexual during The Glee Project won for her role as Ado Annie in Oklahoma.

Tracy E. Gilchrist

Tracy E. Gilchrist is the VP of Editorial and Special Projects at equalpride. A media veteran, she writes about the intersections of LGBTQ+ equality and pop culture. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief of The Advocate and the first feminism editor for the 55-year-old brand. In 2017, she launched the company's first podcast, The Advocates. She is an experienced broadcast interviewer, panel moderator, and public speaker who has delivered her talk, "Pandora's Box to Pose: Game-changing Visibility in Film and TV," at universities throughout the country.

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Tracy E. Gilchrist

June 10 2019 7:09 AM EST

October 31 2024 5:57 AM EST

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Oklahoma star Ali Stroker made history on Sunday as the first person who uses a wheelchair to win a Tony Award. The actress who first made a name for herself in 2012 on The Glee Project and later as a guest star on Glee and Faking It is also bisexual.

The 31-year-old took home the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for playing Ado Annie in the revival of Oklahoma.

"This award is for every kid who is watching tonight who has a disability, who has a limitation or a challenge, who has been waiting to see themselves represented in this arena, you are," Stroker said in her acceptance speech.

Prior to her win, Stroker performed her number "I Cain't Say No," and the big number "Oklahoma!" with the cast for the crowd.

Stroker became the first person who uses a wheelchair to appear on Broadway in Deaf West's production of Spring Awakening in 2015.

A car accident at the age of two left her paralyzed from the chest down, according to NBC.

While appearing on the Glee Project, Stroker came out as bisexual when she began dating fellow contestant Dani Shay. That relationship has since ended but Stroker said in 2017, "I wanted to come out because I was dating a woman and I was so proud to be with her. Labels aside, I was with her because I was in love with her."