Blog Archives

Barry Diller (born 1942)

6/30/2025

Visionary executive Barry Diller has lived an influential life with a quiet honesty that has allowed for a full expression of who he is. Diller, who openly acknowledges his attraction to men has defied conventional labels, having shared a decades-long marriage to designer Diane von Furstenberg, who kept his secret. In his recent moving memoir, Who Knew, he discusses his sexuality for the first time at age 82 and describes living with a deep fear of exposure – a common feeling, especially today for many in the LGBTQIA+ community. Diller’s accomplishments are many. As CEO of Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, QVC, USA Networks, IAC and Expedia, Diller changed the media landscape. He pioneered the made-for-TV movie on ABC-TV; launched the Fox Broadcasting Network; and oversaw classics like Saturday Night Fever, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Grease and Cheers and The Simpsons. He also built an internet network that created Match.com, Vimeo, Ask.com and The Daily Beast. His philanthropy through the Diller-von Furstenberg Foundation has included funding NYC’s High Line and Little Island and numerous LGBTQIA+ causes.

Drew Barrymore (born 1975)

6/29/2025

Drew Barrymore is living a life of authenticity, kindness and an openness to learn and to grow. From her first appearance as a precocious six-year-old in ET to her cameo as “her talk show host” self in Scream 2, Barrymore has grown up before our eyes. Her very public journey as a member of the legendary Barrymore acting dynasty has been one marked by addiction and reckless behavior. At 14, she emancipated herself from her parents and began rebuilding her life with a commitment to honesty and healthier lifestyle choices. Barrymore has gone on to become an award-winning actress, director, entrepreneur and television host, who is now grounded in reality. Openly bisexual, Barrymore embraces her full identity on her daily talk show, as she infuses her interviews with a candor that celebrates everyone’s journey to lead meaningful lives. Her philanthropy reflects her compassionate view of others, whether she is advocating for children and global hunger relief though her Foundation or publicly supporting UNICEF, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the ASPCA or grassroots organizations, working with and for underserved communities.

John Scagliotti (born 1948)

6/28/2025

On the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots that ignited the gay rights movement, it is appropriate to honor American broadcaster/ journalist/ filmmaker John Scagliotti. Scagliotti has devoted his career to transformative storytelling that shattered barriers and led to meaningful discussions about the LGBTQIA+ community. As the co- creator of In the Life, the 1st national tv series devoted to gay and lesbian issues and The Lavender Hour, the nation’s 1st LGBT radio show, he presented an unapologetic and positive view of the contributions of the queer community to American culture. His documentaries -Before Stonewall, After Stonewall and Before Homosexuals – preserve queer history by presenting the stories of LGBTQIA+ individuals in their struggle for freedom and acceptance. “An architect of visibility,” Scagliotti was the News and Public Affairs Director of WBCN in Boston during the Seventies and is now the founding administrator of the Kopkind Colony in Guilford, Vermont. Named after journalist Andrew Kopkind, his late husband and collaborator, it is a summer residency program for nonpartisan journalists and community organizers. Scagliotti’s latest projects explore the evolving nature of gender and sexuality.

Dr. Cynthia Gómez

6/27/2025

For National HIV Awareness Day, it is fitting to recognize clinical psychologist and trailblazer Dr. Cynthhia Gomez, whose fight for health equity and HIV awareness has helped transform public health practices for the most marginalized. A third-generation lesbian Mexican American, whose childhood was spent in Ecuador and Puerto Rico, she is a graduate of Boston University and Harvard with a PH.D in Clinical Psychology from BU. Her resume includes 12 years working in clinical health settings in the Boston area and more than 20 years as a health policy advisor, including two Presidential Advisory Councils on HIV/AIDS. Gomez co-founded the Health Equity Institute at San Francisco State University and is Professor Emerita at the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center at Boston’s Fenway Institute. Dr. Gomez has an unwavering belief that health care must use a holistic approach that views people as whole beings, shaped by history, society, identity, and systemic injustices. Her emphasis on visibility, inclusion and justice has benefitted women, communities of color and LGBTQIA+ people throughout the world.

Glenn Burke (1952-1995)

6/26/2025

To celebrate baseball player Glenn Burke is to honor the resilience and courage of a gay man in sports during a time, during which his sexuality sparked open prejudice. A gifted outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics in the 1970’s, Burke was hailed as the next Willie Mays, but his admission to his teammates after two seasons in the closet and the subsequent damage control from officials, including pressure for him to marry led to his early retirement from the game. After baseball, Burke found community in San Francisco, competing in the Gay Games and in San Francisco’s Gay Softball League. Unfortunately, Burke’s later years saw him struggling with addiction, homelessness and AIDS, the complications, from which he died at the age of 42. Since then, he has been honored for his forthright courage and surprisingly for being the “co-inventor” of the “high five.” In 1977, Burke raised his hand to celebrate Dusty Baker’s home run and instinctively Baker slapped it - creating a cultural phenomenon that has become a worldwide gesture of celebration and greeting.

Blair Imani (born 1993)

6/25/2025

Blair Imani is a critically acclaimed author, historian, educator and media influencer. Born Blair Elizabeth Brown, Imani identifies as a Black, queer, bisexual Muslim woman - a true representation of the term “intersectional,” which recognizes that one’s identity is shaped by multiple, overlapping social categories. A graduate of Louisiana State University, she is the author of several books including Making Our Way Home: The Great Migration and the Black American Dream, and Modern Herstory: Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History. Her Instagram series, Smarter in Seconds, presents concepts related to race, gender, class, and cultural issues in clear and concise ways. An engaging speaker and commentator, she seeks to help young and old audiences to broaden their perspectives, as she provides potential tools for personal and relationship development. Imani’s generous approach to her work reflects her belief that our perceptions are based on a variety of societal and biological factors and that all of us have the freedom to live authentically – hopefully for the good of others.

Harry Styles (born 1994)

6/24/2025

British singer/songwriter/actor Harry Styles is an LGBTQIA+ ally whose work is characterized by his slogan - “Treat People with Kindness.” Once a member of One Direction, Styles has gone on to a solo career of note with several Grammy awards to his credit. His music, fashion and fearless ease have made him a cultural touchstone for many. In a challenging world, he has helped to normalize gender expression and encourage open dialogue about identity, masculinity and freedom. Whether he is wearing sequined jumpsuits or feathered boas or making history as the first man on the cover of Vogue (in a Gucci dress and tuxedo jacket), he is a revolutionary. He continues to raise millions of dollars for worthwhile causes like GLSEN, The Trevor Project and Save The Children, modeling behavior that could save the world. The massive success of his third album, Harry’s House (2025) has made him the second British act after the Beatles to have four hits in Hot 100’s Top Ten at the same time.

Tomie dePaolo (1934 – 2020)

6/23/2025

Beloved children’s author and illustrator Tomie dePaolo led a quite and dignified life as a gay man, who came out later in his life, knowing the fact that he was gay and a children’s author might have ended his career. Born in Meriden, Connecticut, dePaolo won numerous awards for more than 270 books that are grounded in community life and resistance. After graduating from Pratt Institute, he spent time in a monastery and then turned to mural painting, designing greeting cards, teaching and illustrating the works of others before his first book, The Wonderful Dragon of Timlin in 1966. Strega Nona is his most cherished picture book with its timeless lessons about greed, respect for authority and compassion. Celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, Strega Nona has been banned by some libraries for its depiction of magic and witchcraft. However, dePaolo’s prolific storytelling and whimsical art is widely acclaimed for its gentle portrayal of diverse families and non-traditional characters that emphasize the power of love and understanding. Nearly 25 million copies of his works have been sold.

Helen Zia (born 1952)

6/22/2025

Helen Zia is a powerful voice in journalism, civil rights activist, who has inspired all who have heard who speak or read her books and essays. Born to Chinese immigrants, Zia is a 1973 graduate of Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Dropping out of Tufts medical school to devote her life to social justice, she became nationally known as a journalist and community organizer after the 1982 Detroit murder of Vincent Chin. When Chin’s killers received no jail time and a $3000 fine, Zia ignited a national Asian civil rights movement that led to the government bringing federal civil rights charges against the perpetrators – the first time on behalf of an Asian man in American history. As a married lesbian, Zia has championed intersectional advocacy, bridging racial, gender and LGBTQIA+ issues. Her resume includes the editorship of Ms. and newspaper/magazine articles. Zia’s memoir, Asian American Dreams, is a foundational text in ethnic studies as it details the struggle for Asian American rights against the backdrop of her life.

Sydney Freeland (born 1980)

6/21/2025

Trailblazing Navajo transgender screenwriter/director, Sydney Freeland was once an outsider in Hollywood, but more than a decade of significant, authentic and culturally rich storytelling has made her a rising star in the film industry. Born on a New Mexican Navajo reservation, Freeland gained recognition for her low-budget feature, Drunktown’s Finest (2014) that she wrote and directed. It debuted at Sundance Film Festival and led to a flourishing career. Freeland’s credits include Grey’s Anatomy, Nancy Drew and Fear the Walking Dead. Her feature film Rez Ball offers a poignant portrayal of basketball on the Navajo nation, while her direction of tv’s Reservation Dogs mixes comedy and drama to offer a realistic representation of the lives of four indigenous Oklahoma teens. As a director of Marvel’s first R-rated miniseries Echo, Freeland learned American Sign Language to tell the story of Maya Lopez, the first deaf, Native American hero in the Marvel Universe. Through her filmmaking, Freeland is redefining representation, championing stories that celebrate her heritage.

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