The most influential queer women today

By Heaps Gay Staff

Today is International Women’s Day, a time to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women across the world… as well as shed light on the fact that there is still a long road to travel as far as worldwide equality goes.

This is especially true of queer women – whilst in the western world, there has never been a better time to be out and proud, prejudice against gay and transgender women is still something we have to fight against every day.

Here’s a bunch of queer women who are absolutely killing it…

Lavern Cox

Best known for her portrayal of Sophia Burset on Orange is the New Black, Cox is the first openly transgender person to be nominated for an Emmy Award, and is one of the world’s most prominent advocates for LGBTQI progress in media. She’s been chosen as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people and been recognised as a trailblazer for the transgender community.

Penny Wong

No doubt about it, Penny Wong is one of Australia’s most influential women, let alone one of our most influential queer women.

Born in Malaysia to an Australian mother, Wong is the first Asian-born member of parliament, and the first openly LGBTQI federal parliamentarian, as well as the first queer member of cabinet. A trailblazer for lesbian women in politics.

Annie Leibovitz

 

You might not know the name, but you’ve certainly seen her work on the cover of Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, for the amazing 2016 Pirelli Calendar, and waaaayyy too many others to list here.

There is a good case for Leibovitz being one of the most influential photographers of all time. Her work, especially her celebrity portraits, which always get up close and personal, has many imitators, and whilst she’s kept her sexuality close to her chest, perhaps that’s a good thing: too often, queer women, especially artists, are forced to be thought of as “queer artists”. But Leibovitz’s work speaks for itself. A living legend.

Rachel Maddow

Once again, you might not have heard of this one, but she sure has made an impact in her chosen field. Rachel Maddow is an American television host and political commentator who hosts a nightly show, appropriately titled The Rachel Maddow Show, in which she gives it to the male-dominated patriarchy that is the American political system.

She’s also the USA’s first openly gay news anchor, the first openly gay Rhodes Scholar and one of the worlds most influential liberal voices.

Ellen DeGeneres

It’s pretty hard to avoid DeGeneres on this list. It might be a cliche, but nobody has done more to put Queer women into the mainstream. After starring in the Sitcom Ellen from 1994 to 1998, her talk show which began in 2003, has gone on to become on of the most watched programs in the world.

In 1997 DeGeneres came out publicly, sparking intense interest from an American media not yet accustomed to an outspoken queer woman. Ever since, she’s been a tireless campaigner for LGBTQI rights and humanitarianism, and remains perhaps the most recognisable gay woman in the world.