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.
Meredith Baxter
Best known for playing mom Elyse Keaton on the beloved 1980’s sitcom Family Ties, actor and producer Meredith Baxter surprised her fans in late 2009 by coming out as a lesbian on The Today Show and in People Magazine. Baxter enjoys a long career as an accomplished TV actress and producer, and as the creator of her skincare line, Meredith Baxter Simple Works. She donates a portion of its profits to the Meredith Baxter Fund for Breast Cancer Research. She’d like her public coming out to lead to greater acceptance of LGBT people. “People think they know me, and to some extent, they do. And I’m pretty open and non-scary and normal, right?” she laughs. “And now you know that I’m a lesbian, and I’m no scarier than before. Perhaps people will realize, ‘Oh, she’s just like us…I thought they’d be different.’ But we’re not.” -CB
