100 Women We Love 2011
It’s been a whirlwind year for Chely Wright. The award-winning country artist and songwriter stunned the conservative country music world by coming out in 2010, a difficult and life-changing decision she detailed in her 2011 autobiography, Like Me. She also released her critically-acclaimed seventh album, Lifted Off the Ground, a tour-de-force more than five emotionally-grueling years in the making. The documentary film, Wish Me Away, chronicles her journey from preparation to aftermath of her decision to come out to Nashville, her hometown, and within the LGBT community, will make its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival this summer. Her soul-searching, however, has been worth it: The newly-minted LGBT role model serves as the national spokesperson for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and speaks out against school bullying. Wright believes “that to whom much is given, much is required. I have lived a very blessed life and I know what it feels like to achieve goals. I want to do my part in helping others have as many opportunities to have milestones in their lives too.” –KL
The 100 Women We Love – out artists, elected officials, business leaders, athletes, community activists – are role models for us all. Many are up-and-coming movers and shakers; some are at the zenith of their careers. Some of their achievements change our world and, just as importantly, others improve the world’s perception of out women. They all strive tirelessly to increase our visibility and continue our incredible progress toward equality and justice.
We proudly present the class of 2011, in random order, so each gets her well-deserved turn in the spotlight.
LIZ MARGOLIES
As the founding executive director of the National LGBT Cancer Network, Liz Margolies leads the first program in the United States to address the needs of LGBT people with cancer and those at risk. “Learning about cancer in our community profoundly changed me,” Margolies says, “I was stunned to discover that LGBT people have dramatically increased cancer risks, coupled with significantly decreased screening rates. Once diagnosed, we then face extra challenges in survivorship.” After establishing the National LGBT Cancer Network by herself in 2007, Margolies now has a guiding board of directors, committed volunteers and colleagues nationwide, as well as 21 network hubs in major cities. She successfully spearheaded the effort this year that requires NYC hospitals to implement LGBT competency training for all 38,000 employees and wrote the curriculum they will use. She is also a psychotherapist in private practice, specializing in trauma, loss, health disparities and sexuality. “Always an activist, [I’ve] spent most of my professional life as a psychotherapist, changing the world one soul at a time,” Margolies says. –SLO
