It's been a big year for out women in the news, from the election of the first out U.S. Senator — who just happens to be a lesbian from Wisconsin — to the House of Representatives' first bisexual member, or Oregon's first out lesbian Speaker of the House.
It's been a big year for out women in the news, from the election of the first out U.S. Senator — who just happens to be a lesbian from Wisconsin — to the House of Representatives' first bisexual member, or Oregon's first out lesbian Speaker of the House. Legal junkies (like yours truly) are anxiously awaiting a June ruling on a landmark case heading to the Supreme Court regarding the unconstitutionally high estate taxes lesbian widow Edie Windsor had to pay because she was married to a woman, while out, proud teenagers are taking on the Motion Picture Association of America to make sure a film about bullying gets seen by those who need it most. The year also saw the post-humous coming-out of one of America's space heroes, and, oh yeah, a bunch of loving, deserving ladies get legally married — including several who were kicked out of the military for being gay. Speaking of the military, in a post-Don't Ask, Don't Tell world, an organization for LGBT people in uniform named as its new Executive Director an Army veteran who is not only a married lesbian mother, but who also happens to be a transgender woman.
Read on to relive the best and the brightest moments of lady-centric news in 2012, and get ready for even bigger, better, and more queer newsmakers in 2013. Happy New Year, SheWired readers!
Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Senator, Wisconsin's Second District
With her electoral victory securely in hand, Wisconsin's Tammy Baldwin is on her way to somewhere no gay person has ever been before: A seat in the U.S. Senate. That would be quite the accomplishment for your standard affluent gay male politician, but the fact that the first LGBT Senator happens to be a lesbian? Well, that's just the cherry on top of an already historic election night. Baldwin soundly defeated Republican opponent and former governor Tommy Thompson, despite the campaign's attacks based on her sexuality and a viscous screed in the Washington Times that alleged Baldwin was a "radical lesbian" whose election would bring about "increased child abuse, higher rates of drug addiction and alcoholism, soaring violence and rampant teenage promiscuity." That certainly ought to keep her busy. Of course, when she's not busy bringing about the End of Days, Baldwin is likely to focus on standing up to corporate special interests and fighting for the middle class, like she's been doing since she was first elected to Congress in 1998, the first woman ever sent to Washington to represent Wisconsin. More on next page…
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