The Out 100, an annual celebration of glamorously-photographed queer excellence, debuted today with a pretty rad assortment of LGBTQ folks. In the past, the Out 100 was notorious for not only skewing wildly white and male but for always putting straight cis people on the cover. However, the straight-cover-star years appear to be behind us, and this year’s list has quite a lot of women, trans folks and people of color. (Some of your favorites don’t show up ’cause you got them last year, like Samira Wiley, Ellen Page, Lena Waithe and Evan Rachel Wood.)
99 of the Out 100 honorees are now available for your appreciation at their website. #100, their cover star, will be unveiled tomorrow. It’s not me, in case you’re wondering. I mean, it might be me, but it’s probably not me. I feel like it’s gonna be Laverne Cox. Who wants to put money on it.
The Out 100 Press Release emphasized that Caitlyn Jenner has been honored as Newsmaker of the Year. This feels like an accurate assessment as Caitlyn Jenner did, indeed, make a great deal of news this year.
Ryan Pfluger for OUT Magazine
Other women earning high honors include:
Carrie Brownstein
She of Portlandia, Transparent, Sleater-Kinney and your sexual dreams, is Artist of the Year. She just wrote a book called Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl, I bet you’d like it.
“There’s always been a strain of humility in my work, a relationship to what is awkward and the ways I feel like I don’t belong. I don’t value a way of living that protects me from grit and dirtiness and messiness.”
Photography by Ryan Pfluger at Tribeca Journal Studio, New York, on October 5, 2015. Styling by Michael Cook. Hair: Rheanne White. Makeup: Kim Bower. Dress by Michael Kors.
Abby Wambach
She just retired much to our collective sadness and is OUT’s Athlete of the Year:
“I feel so lucky, because when I was first on the team, there were really no gay people. The girls were like, ‘No, we’re straight.’ They had long hair and ponytails. And now you see this eclectic group of people from all different places, who are different colors, with different preferences. That’s the thing I’m most proud of.”
Photography by Ryan Pfluger at Milk Studios, new york, on October 6, 2015. Styling by Michael Cook. Hair: Naivasha at Exclusive Artists management. Makeup: Angela DiCarlo. Shirt and pants by Nike. via out magazine
Alicia Garza
Alicia Garza is the co-founder of Black Lives Matter and special projects director for the National Domestic Worker’s Alliance:
“To see how black people all over the world have embraced Black Lives Matter is awe-inspiring. The best moments are when black people stop me in the street and share with me the impact that BLM has had on their lives and on their faith that another world is actually possible.”
Photography by Ryan Pfluger in Washington, D.C., on October 5, 2015
The “Fun Home” Family: Alison Bechdel, Roberta Colindrez, Beth Malone, Joel Perez, Lisa Kron
Alison Bechdel told Out Magazine:
“It’s not about sex, it’s about identity — which is perhaps even more threatening. In the play it’s a brilliant thing, but to reach that broader audience of people watching television? Who knows what the average viewer thought? Even if it’s not about sexuality, but about a child having awareness and subjective power, it’s kind of revolutionary.”
Photography by Ryan Pfluger in brooklyn, on September 1, 2015. Styling by Marc Anthony George. Hair and Makeup: Angela DiCarlo. Roberta Colindrez: Jacket by Elie Tahari available at Bloomingdale’s, Pants by Reiss available at Bloomingdale’s. Joel Perez: Suit, shirt, and tie by Prada, Shoes by Florsheim.
Roxane Gay
Roxane Gay is your favorite Bad Feminist.
“It’s OK to believe in your voice. And to use it.”
Photography by Ryan Pfluger. Photographed in Beverly Hills on August 19, 2015.
The full list includes lots your fave babes, like actresses Hannah Hart, Lily Tomlin and Cynthia Nixon. Mya Taylor and Kitana Kiki Rodriguez of “Tangerine” also ranked, as did trans activists Bamby Salcedo, Breanna Sinclairé, Jennicet Gutiérrez and Jen Richards. Also they included Roland Emmerich, who made a terrible movie called Stonewall, maybe you’ve heard of it. You can check out the full list here.
Last year’s Out100 cover photos of Ellen Page in a tux and Samira Wiley in pearls just popped up in the “You Also May Like…” so thank you for that. I forgot about that gorgeousness.
Carrie is adorable. Definitely going to buy her book.
I’m more than half-way through it and I fell in love with her even more, if that’s possible.
My wife and I went to see her on the 5th during her book tour. She was supposed to be with Tig Notaro but Tig’s flight was cancelled so last minute, she called in Janet Weiss and Corin Tucker instead. (We live in Portland.) It was AMAZING and it made me crush on her multiply by about a million. Also we got signed copies of her book and I read mine in like, less than six hours and yes, I loved it. I love her.
Oh Abby Wambach. I used to have posters of David Beckham when I was a teen, even if I never found him attractive. I’m sure 15 year old me would have much preferred posters of Abby.
And Carrie Brownstein <3 I can barely forgive myself for getting into Sleater-Kinney only earlier this year. (I may have a giant crush on Corin and her voice too)
*goes out to search for 2014 list*
Yes!! This is amazing.
It is a little odd to hear Wambach say everyone was straight when she joined the national team after reading that Scurry was always out to them.
Out Magazine. *yawn*
I just in-my-seat yelled at the computer over Alicia Garza’s inclusion. Such a powerful woman, such a beautiful photo.
Um, Beth Malone. Yum. (I think I’ve discovered my type.)
Ugh, Hannah Hart has such beautiful hands. I can’t.
Lily Tomlin <3 I am so happy about this post this morning. Alicia Garza is my hero. Also, Abby Wambach's fucking hands!
Anyone else disappointed about Obama being on the cover, or just me?
omg yes I’m having feelings, because it’s literally ranking straight allyship above queer achievements.
No, I think having the POTUS on the cover is…what do you call it, oh an honor.
Wow, some people.
There are plenty of other people that could be on that cover besides President Obama. Jim Obergefell, for one (who is pictured within the issue). We need allies, but why should they be placed in higher esteem than those fighting the fight each day?