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.
Linda Perry
As the songwriter and singer for ’90s band 4 Non Blondes, Linda Perry sold more than seven million copies of the group’s debut record and won the Rolling Stone Reader’s Poll for 1993’s Best New Female Vocalist. She parlayed that success into a lucrative career producing other top female artists, including Pink, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani and Courtney Love, while also recording her own material and signing acts (like British star James Blunt ) to her label Custard. She has toured with The Who, Aerosmith, Neil Young and Pearl Jam and belted out Led Zeppelin hits at many charity fundraisers over the years, but is mainly known as a writing/producing wizard. About her style of collaboration, Perry told the Washington Post, “I’m very open. I’m very wise with people. I allow an artist to be an artist.” -EI
