Out Magazine’s eighth annual Power 50 List released this week includes four Texans among the ranks.
Houston Mayor Annise Mayor, Brittney Griner, Michael Sam and Dustin Lance Black are featured. Both Parker and Black have been included before on the list, which examines LGBT officials, leaders, athletes, musicians and business people (among others) who have the power in America.
Parker, now in her third and final term as mayor, has used her role in the past to chair Mayors for the Freedom to Marry and recently announced she planned to introduce a nondiscrimination ordinance in the city, which is the largest city in Texas without such a measure.
Black, known as the screenwriter for Milk, has been active in LGBT causes, including taking down California’s Prop 8 and later writing the play about the events surrounding the ballot measure. He continues to work on pro-LGBT projects.
The two new Texas additions also happen to be leading the way for LGBT inclusion in sports, an area in which LGBT equality and attitudes are still homophobic.
Griner came out last April after the WMBA draft. She’s discussed how difficult it was attending college at the Baptist-affiliated Baylor University before she went to play professionally. She goes into more detail in her recent book In My Skin.
Sam, also a Texas native, made waves earlier this year as the first player pre-NFL draft to come out as gay. He said he wanted to be honest about his sexuality before the draft. While he’s expected to be an early round pick, six teams have recently come out in favor of signing an openly gay player and are seriously considering Sam.
Read the full list here.
