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 Schlosser
Real estate agent and social networking entrepreneur Meredith Schlosser wants to help the LGBT community “bring their social circles together.” Her newly formed Out Social Networking group provides a venue for LGBT people to mingle, make contacts and promote their businesses outside of a bar/club setting. With 275 current members, Schlosser is working on expanding the group, acquiring sponsors and launching a website. Despite her busy schedule, she also finds time to volunteer and donates to a number of charities. Schlosser would like her fellow twenty-something lesbians to be a bit more daring: “I’d like to encourage people to take more chances and approach more people. I think that New York City is the empire of lesbians and instead of segregating ourselves into little niches I think we need to work on coming together and breaking down our barriers.” -CB
