Each year, The Advocate names its People of the Year, “a handful of names that made headlines, made a difference, or simply made us talk.” They just released a couple of names as a teaser and one of them is actress and comedian Wanda Sykes.
Sykes has always been an outspoken supporter of gay rights. Having previously kept her sexuality private, Sykes came out at a rally in Las Vegas after California Proposition 8 was passed.
She cited the passing of Proposition 8 as the catalyst behind her decision to come out:
We took a huge leap forward and then got dragged 12 feet back. I felt like I was being attacked, personally attacked – our community was attacked… Now, I gotta get in their face. I’m proud to be a woman. I’m proud to be a black woman, and I’m proud to be gay.
It is a refreshing sign that not all magazines that tout themselves as serving the gay and — ahem — lesbian community have been suffering from a cognitive disconnect.
(Yes, we’re still mad about this.)
But it looks like The Advocate‘s list will be much more substantial and inclusive. At least, it is a good start. Who do you expect to see on the People of the Year list?
