Crazy 8: Our Year in Review

May 21, 2010 Sharyn Jackson, Stephanie Schroeder, Abby Tallmer

Marriage Equality The battle for same-gender marriage raged on these past months, with Maine voters echoing the 2008 decision of California voters on Proposition 8 and choosing to take away marriage rights that had previously been given to gays and lesbians. On the upside, Vermont, Iowa, New Hampshire and the District of Columbia all passed laws allowing same-gender marriage in the past year. Connecticut and Massachusetts already have formalized gay marriage provisions.

This year has been a whirlwind. As we celebrate yet another milestone, we invite you to reflect with us upon the last 364 plus days’ high moments, low moments, and everything in between. In no particular order, the events that helped shape our year…

Death of an Heiress

Casey Johnson, heiress to the Johnson
& Johnson family fortune and daughter of New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, was found dead in her West Hollywood home on January 5, a casualty of diabetes complications. Johnson was 30 years old. She leaves behind an adopted infant daughter, Ava. Johnson was reportedly “engaged” to fame-hungry bisexual reality TV star Tila Tequila at the time of her death, though some—especially those in Johnson’s inner circle—dismissed the “engagement” as a publicity stunt. Johnson’s girlfriend prior to Tequila was the equally fame-hungry, self-proclaimed “Don Juan of the Lesbian World,” Yahoo heiress Courtenay Semel. Lifelong friend Paris Hilton took to Twitter to tweet her grief over Johnson’s death, writing: “I feel like I’ve lost a sister.”