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.
Martina Navratilova
Called the greatest tennis player who ever lived by sports writer Bud Collins, Martina Navratilova won a record nine singles titles at Wimbledon and 59 majors titles in all. In doubles, she won 177 matches and, incredibly, won her last mixed doubles match at the U.S. Open in 2006 at age 49. Since defecting to the US from the former Czechoslovakia in 1975, the same year she turned pro, Navratilova has been an outspoken opponent of totalitarianism and a champion of female athletes, LGBT equality and animal rights. In April, she revealed she was being successfully treated for a non-life threatening form of breast cancer. -KL
