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

100 Women We Love 2012

June 15, 2012
“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.

Leslie Gabel-Brett
A 30-year activist for the civil rights of women, the LGBT community and HIV-positive people, Leslie Gabel-Brett, Ph.D. is the Director of Education and Public Affairs for Lambda Legal, the oldest and largest national legal organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of LGBT people and those with HIV. She oversees a nationwide staff providing public education, communications and advocacy for equality in all aspects of our daily lives. “I love working at Lambda Legal because I am surrounded by really smart, dedicated people who are making change happen every day,“ Gabel-Brett observes. “I have been working for social justice and equality for a long time, and right now, our progress is breathtaking. Being part of our movement for equality is inspiring, thrilling, and never, ever boring.” Before joining Lambda Legal, Gabel-Brett served as the Executive Director of the Connecticut Permanent Commission on the Status of Women and the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund. As a founding board member of Love Makes a Family, a statewide advocacy organization in Connecticut, Gabel-Brett aided the successful fight for marriage equality in that state. She and her spouse of 32 years, Carolyn, have adult children and three granddaughters.

You might also like...