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.

Ann Kansfield and Jennifer Aull
Ann Kansfield (right) and Jennifer Aull are co-pastors of Greenpoint Reformed Church, a welcoming congregation in Brooklyn with a busy soup kitchen and food pantry. Aull grew up as a Southern Baptist before reconciling her Christianity with her queer identity; she is now an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, as well as a marriage and family therapist. A Columbia graduate, Kansfield worked on Wall Street before 9/11 inspired a reassessment of her life—and a new life path. Unfortunately, there were speed bumps. In 2004, Kansfield’s father officiated at the couple’s wedding; as a result, he lost his job as a seminary president and got suspended as a Reformed Church minister. In 2006, Kansfield herself was refused ordination because of her samesex marriage. After much perseverance, the United Church of Christ ordained her last June. “As a Christian, I am ashamed that our faith has been twisted by fear and hate to justify excluding LGBT people,” Kansfield says, urging Christians not to let homophobia interfere with their faith. “Don’t let right-wing interpretations of the Bible keep you from having a relationship with God. There are lots of open and affirming churches that welcome all people, just like Jesus does.” Greenpoint Reformed Church is one such place of worship.