Last year, in recognition of Equality Virginia's 20th Anniversary, we honored 20 OUTstanding Virginians who have represented the GLBT community with distinction through Virginia's past and present.

These 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.

We are pleased to continue this program and will be honoring 5 new OUTstanding Virginians at our next Annual Commonwealth Dinner on May 1, 2010.

We are now accepting nominations for 2010's Outstanding Virginians. If you would like to submit the name of an individual, please complete the form  here.  Nominations are due by January 31, 2010.

A committee will review the nominations and recommend the final list to be approved by the EV Board of Directors next spring.


 

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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.