100 Women We Love 2014

From professors, to musicians, to activists, we present to you 2014’s 100 Women We Love.

Meredith Baxter

Like many famous actors, Meredith Baxter let her TV and film performances speak for themselves, and kept quiet about her personal life. That changed when passengers on a lesbian cruise in 2009 were surprised to see her aboard. Since then, Baxter-best remembered as mom Elyse Keaton on the ´80s sitcom Family Ties, as well as a producer and spokesperson-has appeared at The Dinah and spoken out for LGBT rights, especially during the Prop 8 battle in California. Last December, Baxter married her longtime girlfriend, Nancy Locke, and more recently, she revealed her personal journey at the annual National Center for Lesbian Rights gala in front of 1,500 people. Though her decision to come out wasn´t easy, she said, ″My friends and family all knew, but the industry didn´t know, and I didn´t like keeping it a secret. I didn´t want to hide, it was too hard,″ Baxter said. ″[Afterwards] I had no idea the aspects of my life that had been affected by trying to stay small, out of the limelight.″ Considering the cosmic leap that television has made in its portrayal of gay characters, Baxter added, viewers ″get to see thatwe want the same things; that the differences are not there. I think it´s a great boon.″ -KL


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