100 Women We Love Class of 2010
A Houston, Texas native, Annise Parker has remained close to her roots. She was sworn in as the 61st mayor of Houston in January, becoming only the second woman and first openly gay person to hold that office. She graduated from Rice University and worked for two decades in the oil and gas industry, with 18 of those years spent at the Houston-based Mosbacher Energy Company. For ten years, she co-owned Inklings, a Houston-based independent gay bookstore. Parker was involved in Houston politics for several years prior to becoming mayor, serving six years as a member of the City Council and one six-year term as Houston City Controller. -CB
As the first decade of the new millennium comes to an end, we take a moment to celebrate 100 out lesbians who have made the past year one of inspiring change and amazing progress.
Elizabeth Ziff
Elizabeth Ziff has been rocking with the group BETTY for two decades. A music producer and composer for television and film, Ziff is also working on an audio project with Gloria Steinem. But Ziff’s contributions reach beyond music. As an activist, she has been an advocate for AIDS awareness, LGBT rights and reproductive rights. She recently battled breast cancer and is, in her words, “fucking happy to be alive.” Ziff says she’s “a lover, not a fighter. I want to make sure that people understand that to be feminist is to be hot chicks just getting things done and bringing equality to a world that so desperately needs it. I hope to bring fun, music, and politics and the understanding that we’re not crazy, we’re right.” Ziff is currently touring to promote BETTY’s eighth album, Bright & Dark. -CB
