100 Women We Love Class of 2010
A Houston, Texas native, Annise Parker has remained close to her roots. She was sworn in as the 61st mayor of Houston in January, becoming only the second woman and first openly gay person to hold that office. She graduated from Rice University and worked for two decades in the oil and gas industry, with 18 of those years spent at the Houston-based Mosbacher Energy Company. For ten years, she co-owned Inklings, a Houston-based independent gay bookstore. Parker was involved in Houston politics for several years prior to becoming mayor, serving six years as a member of the City Council and one six-year term as Houston City Controller. -CB
As the first decade of the new millennium comes to an end, we take a moment to celebrate 100 out lesbians who have made the past year one of inspiring change and amazing progress.
Ellen DeGeneres
What’s not to love about Ellen DeGeneres? She’s cute, funny, a great dancer; and she has her own top-rated TV show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show. This year, the multiple award-winning daytime host took a primetime seat at the judge’s table on American Idol. The super-talented DeGeneres recently announced on her show that she is starting a record label called eleveneleven, and will sign piano-playing, Gaga-imitating pre-teen YouTube star Greyson Chance as her first act. A lesbian icon since she publicly came out in 1997, DeGeneres married her partner Portia de Rossi in 2008. -CB
