100 Women We Love: Class of 2009

Once again, we celebrate our favorite out and proud women. As difficult as it is to narrow it down to just 100, this year’s eclectic list includes artists, athletes, club promoters, community organizers, entertainers, entrepreneurs, filmmakers, politicians and plaintiffs, who are making a difference in our world and the world at large.

Simone Palmer
& Sheryl Smith

If you visit the website for Sand Castle on the Beach in St. Croix, be warned, as you may be tempted to crawl through your computer screen. Simone Palmer and Sheryl Smith fell in love with Sand Castle while on a two-week vacation in 1999, and purchased it a few years later. A gay-friendly vacation spot since the late-1960s, Palmer and Smith
re-furbished this beautiful, upscale 21-room resort with the LGBT community in mind. “Certainly there is a broader tolerance of LGBT folk than ever before,” Palmer says, when asked about the importance of gay-specific vacation spots, “However, the considerable discretionary gay income has been completely popularized by the media. Tolerance may in fact be an economic strategy versus true acceptance of diverse lifestyles. New sources of energy and strength emerge when we are able to take off our armor, embrace, hold hands and breathe without fear or shame.” –CB

Remember, these are in no particular order because we love them all!


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