December 26, 2013
Top 10 Lesbian Stories This Year
Winnie McCroy READ TIME: 11 MIN.
Edie Windsor dominated the scene this year as she helped get DOMA repealed, but lots of other lesbians, bisexuals and transwomen helped make 2013 a landmark year.
In Florida, a cheerleader was sent to jail for a consensual, same-sex relationship with a 15-year-old girl. In Pennsylvania, a lesbian widow filed for her rightful inheritance after her longtime partner died.
Support grew this year for transwoman Carmen Carrera, who is gaining support in her bid to be the first trans Victoria Secret Angel, and for a Colorado transwoman denied a free breast cancer screening.
In sports, a couple of WNBA players got fouled for sharing a kiss, and a Canadian speed skater came out as lesbian. And in entertainment, Cosby show star Raven-Symone thanked the government for legalizing gay marriage.
It's been a heck of a year! Here's our top 10 stories:
1. Edie Windsor was nominated for Time Magazine’s Person of the Year
Despite coming in third, Windsor said she was "honored" by the results and said in a press release that she was "just one person who was part of the extraordinary and on-going fight for marriage equality for all our families."
2. DOMA Dumped; Dykes Delighted!
The Supreme Court made history today by striking down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act in the case United States v. Windsor. Led by New York plaintiff Edie Windsor, lesbians and gays across the country are celebrating two 5-4 rulings by the Court striking down DOMA as unconstitutional, and dismissing the Prop 8 case on lack of standing, restoring the freedom to marry in California and affirming that all loving, committed couples who marry deserve equal legal treatment.
3. Petition Supports FL Cheerleader Arrested for Dating Younger Girl
An 18-year-old Florida teen has made headlines after being charged with sexual contact felonies for her consensual same-sex relationship with a 15-year-old girl. Kaitlyn Hunt refused a recent plea deal offered by the state attorney's office, and has received support via Facebook groups and a Change.org online petition.
"Our client is a courageous teenager who is choosing not to accept the current plea offer by the state of Florida," said Julia Graves, the attorney for the Hunts. "It's a situation of two teenagers who happen to be of the same sex involved in a relationship. If this case involved a boy and a girl, we don't believe there'd be the media attention to this case."
4. The Grand Ole Opry Should Invite Chely Wright Back, Say Activists
Support is growing among country music fans for a new petition on Change.org to get Chely Wright back to the Grand Ole Opry. Prior to coming out publicly in 2010, the award-winning country singer/songwriter performed on the famous stage regularly. She hasn't been invited back since.
"I was kind of an Opry darling. I'd be called to perform at least every 10 weeks, until my coming out. Since then, I've not heard a peep," Wright told People Magazine.
5. Carmen Carrera Wants to Be First Transgender "Angel"
Fans of former "Ru Paul's Drag Race" contestant Carmen Carrera have started a petition on Change.org to make the model the first-ever transgender Victoria's Secret "Angel" ever. The petition is gathering steam, with more than 42,000 supporters at the time of publication. "By making Carmen the very first trans supermodel, you will help to end femmephobia within the LGBTIQQA community, but also it will show the entire trans community that you embrace them as your patrons," said Marco Regalado, who founded the petition.
6. Bethlehem Woman Files Lawsuit Seeking Partner’s Inheritance
Barbara Baus, a widow in Bethlehem, PA, has filed a lawsuit seeking her rightful inheritance from her late partner Catherine "Cathy" Brugi-Rios's will, after the state ruled their marriage was not valid, and assessed her under the highest tax rate in the state.
"I want my marriage to be respected like any other marriage," said Baus. "It is hard enough to cope with the loss of a spouse, but to have my marriage treated with such disregard is heartbreaking."
7. Support Grows for Colorado Transwoman Denied Cancer Screening
Support is growing for an uninsured transwoman in Colorado who was denied the federally subsidized mammography paid for by the state-run Women's Wellness Connection program when doctors at the federal funded Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains program for low-income women cited federal guidelines that say she is "not genetically female." Like most transwomen, she takes a daily maintenance dose of Estradiol, a synthetic estrogen drug.
"That dose also does put me at an elevated risk for a variety of tumors, including breast cancer," said transwoman Jennifer Blair to Denver's WUSA 9.News.
"I was shocked. I was hurt," said Blair, who transitioned a decade ago. "I'm just a person like anyone else. I have the same hopes, the same dreams and the same concerns as any other woman."
8. WNBA Players Get Foul For On-Court Kiss
Mercury star Diana Taurasi and Lynx player Seimone Augustus got into a small argument during the game's fourth quarter. After shoving each other a bit, the two players got in each other's faces and Taurasi decided to give Augustus a kiss on the cheek.
The referee split the two women up and gave each of them a foul for the quick peck.
9. Canadian Olympic Speed Skater Publicly Comes Out
Canadian speed skater Anastasia Bucsis, who is likely go to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, told Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper on Tuesday that she is "so proud to be gay."
"I could never promote that message of concealing who you are with all of this going on in Russia. I'm kind of happy that I did it on my own terms," Bucsis told the Globe and Mail.
10. Cosby Show Star A Lesbian? That’s So Raven!
Raven-Symone has apparently changed her mind about keeping her sexual orientation private. According to an article in US Magazine, the 27-year-old "That's So Raven" actress tweeted a thank-you to the powers that be on Friday, Aug. 2, for "finally" being able to get married.
"I can finally get married! Yay government!" she tweeted. "So proud of you." Symone didn't elaborate any further, but many speculate she was referring to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act back in June.
Winnie McCroy is the Women on the EDGE Editor, HIV/Health Editor, and Assistant Entertainment Editor for EDGE Media Network, handling all women's news, HIV health stories and theater reviews throughout the U.S. She has contributed to other publications, including The Village Voice, Gay City News, Chelsea Now and The Advocate, and lives in Brooklyn, New York.
