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.
CHONG MOUA
Chong Moua’s passion for community activism manifested at age 12 when she founded “Stars of Hope,” an annual benefit for local leukemia patients. Later, Moua joined Shades of Yellow (SOY), the only Hmong LGBTQ organization in the world, as a volunteer and worked her way up to Programs Coordinator for the St. Paul, MN-based group. “With extremely strict cultural expectations, and no word in my native language for the word ‘gay,’ I struggled for a long time with my identity as a Hmong woman and as a bisexual,” Moua explains. “My journey has taught me that I don’t have to sacrifice parts of who I am, that I can exist wholesomely as one, being both Asian and queer.” In 2010, she was invited to attend the Pride Reception at the White House and just this spring, escorted two of SOY’s young members to the White House’s Queer API Youth Event. Moua strongly believes in paying it forward. “I want to encourage women of color to believe in the potential in themselves and [inspire] courage for other cultural communities that don’t have an organization like SOY.” –KL
