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.
ILEANA JIMENEZ
Ileana Jimenez is the founder and sole blogger at FeministTeacher.com and an educator at the progressive Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin High School in New York. She teaches courses on feminism, Latino/a literature, LGBT literature and more to prep the next generation of feminist thinkers. An Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice board member since 2005, Jimenez received the 2010 Distinguished Fulbright Award in Teaching to conduct research on gender and education in Mexico and spoke at Mexico City’s first international conference on bullying. “My students inspire me to make the world a better place. There’s nothing that I do that doesn’t have the today and tomorrow of young people in mind, especially in ensuring that they can be who they want to be in safe and supportive schools,” Jimenez says. “Whether I’m engaging my students in feminist activism in New York [or] providing professional development about LGBT inclusion to fellow teachers…everything I do is connected to racial and gender justice for all young people.” –KL
