100 Women We Love, Queer Women We Love, Wonder Women

100 Women We Love 2012

June 15, 2012 Destiny Dejesus

“Knowing that my election showed Charlotteans and the world that we are not bound by discrimination wakes me every morning with pride,” proclaims LaWana Mayfield, the City Council representative for District 3 in Charlotte, NC, and the city’s first openly gay elected official. Last November, she trounced her Republican opponent in the council election with 78 percent of the vote, replacing an eight-year incumbent. Now, continuously building on her 15 years of activism, her other leadership posts include the Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee, Mecklenburg County Development Corp. Board, Smart Start Board and the Charlotte Lesbian and Gay Fund Board of Advisors. Prior to the election, Mayfield took an active role in LGBT activism as the Human Rights Campaign’s Diversity Co-Chair. “I believe that my role, along with growing the City of Charlotte, is to open the door for LGBTQ dialogue and to create pathways to service. I have this amazing opportunity to help direct the growth of the City of Charlotte through my vote,” Mayfield says. “I am right where I am supposed to be, and I love my job!”

Drum roll, please! We’re excited to present this year’s 100 Women We Love—our most diverse group of out entertainers, artists, athletes, activists, business principals and elected officials yet. Each of these women is a superstar in her own right. Their achievements and contributions shape our lives —and elevate us in the eyes of the world . They’re working to raise LGBT awareness, increase our visibility and quicken our progress toward a just society.

We are extremely proud to present the class of 2012. There are no rankings or numbers. They are all leaders.

Joanna Lohman
Professional footballer (that’s soccer player to Americans), Joanna Lohman, was a breakout star at Penn State and a top scorer for the Philadelphia Independence, a Women’s Professional Soccer franchise. She now plays for DC United Women, and is expanding her reach in the world of professional sports. After visiting 20 countries in search of the best training environments, Lohman founded JoLi Academy with teammate Lianne Sanderson to bring soccer clinics and mentorship to female athletes in the developing world. In addition to increasing visibility and support for women’s soccer, Lohman aims to mentor young athletes and increase their opportunities to secure post-secondary athletic scholarships. This year JoLi Academy traveled to one of the poorest areas of India to promote soccer as a platform for girls’ physical health, self-confidence and empowerment. “I have always believed that you should do what you love and love what you do. As a professional athlete and the co-founder of JoLi Academy, I live by this motto,” Lohman says. “Every day, I have the opportunity to positively impact the social status of women. Through sport, I am able to make a difference and there is no better feeling.”