OUTstanding Virginians
Statistics show that knowing someone within the GLBT community increases support for GLBT rights. This positive correlation makes Coming Out a critical component of the GLBT movement's future progress.
In light of the importance of being out to the GLBT movement, Equality Virginia recognizes OUTstanding Virginians who have represented the community with distinction each year.
These OUTstanding honorees are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Virginians who have made a mark. Some are activists whose courage and dedication to equality have influenced our movement. Others are GLBT elected officials, entertainers, or business leaders who have achieved great success.
More than 30 individuals have been honored as OUTstanding Virginians. Learn about the honorees from previous years in the videos and profiles below.
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| Click here to watch the 2012 video |
2012 OUTstanding Virginians
Sponsored by...
Sally Baird - Campaigner
Nicholas Benton - Newspaperman
Hugh Copeland - Stage Struck
Jean Elliott - Communicating and Connecting
Edward Strickler - Frontiersman
The OUTstanding Virginians for 2012 were honored at the 9th Annual Commonwealth Dinner on April 14, 2012.
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| Click here to watch the 2011 video | |
2011 OUTstanding Virginians
Gaye Adegbalola- Blues Woman, Griot
Tom Field - Change Agent
Mark Lowham - Transplant
Molly McClintock - Maximalist
Judd Proctor and Brian Burns - Minute Men (The Rainbow Minute)
Ellen Qualls - Insider
Mitch Rosa- Man on a Mission
Kristi VanAudenhove, Ruth Micklem, & Jeanine Beiber - Protectors (VSDVAA)
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| Click here to watch the 2010 video | |
2010 OUTstanding Virginians
Waverly Cole and John Cook- Partners in Philanthropy
Karen DePauw- Leading Educator
Michael Gooding- Gay Theater's Missionary
Paul Smedberg- Elected Official
Jim Spivey- AIDS Activist
2009 OUTstanding Virginians
Rita Mae Brown - Crozet-based screenwriter and author, most notably of "Rubyfruit Jungle".
Clarence Cain - UVA Law School graduate whose life and death from HIV/AIDS inspired the 1993 film “Philadelphia”.
Meg Christian - Women’s music icon and founder of Olivia Records.
Marge Connelly - Financial industry executive.
Adam Ebbin - First openly gay member of Virginia’s General Assembly and founder of Virginia Partisans Gay and Lesbian Democratic Club.
Jay Fisette - First openly gay elected official in Virginia and Arlington County Board member.
Billy Haines - First openly gay Hollywood actor, during the silent movie era.
Claus Ihlemann - Norfolk activist and owner of Decorum Furniture.
Jon Klein - Founder of Diversity Thrift and Richmond Organization for Sexual Minority Youth (ROSMY).
Beth Marschak - Richmond activist, author, and historian.
Lucy Randolph Mason - Labor organizer who helped pass 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act.
Diane Schroer - Winner of landmark transgender workplace discrimination case.
Tony Segura and Marsh Harris Segura - Tony was the founder of the Mattachine Society and Marsh was a prolific author of gay pulp fiction.
L.A. “Shep” Shepherd and Norma Hofheimer - Mid-century lesbian activist couple from Richmond.
Wanda Sykes - Emmy-award winning writer and comedian/actress.
Tracy Thorne-Begland - Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell activist and Deputy Commonwealth Attorney of Richmond.
Lawrence Webb - First openly gay black elected official in Virginia and Falls Church City Council member.
Charles Whitebread - Former UVA law professor and GLBT philanthropist.
Mel White and Gary Nixon - Founders of Lynchburg-based Soulforce.
Bob Witeck - Northern Virginia business owner and GLBT media consultant.