100 Women We Love, Queer Women We Love, Wonder Women

100 Women We Love Class of 2010

As the first decade of the new millennium comes to an end, we take a moment to celebrate 100 out lesbians who have made the past year one of inspiring change and amazing progress.

Rosie O’Donnell

A media personality from the time of her TV debut on the ’80s sitcom Gimme a Break!, Rosie O’Donnell (above right, with her son Parker) has turned her empathy and gift for comedy into a three-decade career. As her stint hosting The View ended in an acrimonious on-air argument with conservative host Elisabeth Hasselbeck, O’Donnell turned her attention to executive-producing A Family Is A Family Is A Family , a documentary about the diversity of American families, which premiered in January on HBO. Rosie’s other efforts on behalf of LGBT rights include co-founding R Family Vacations in 2003, the only gay family-focused cruise company. Always the philanthropist, O’Donnell has donated millions of dollars to children’s charities and seeded several foundations. She currently hosts Rosie Radio, a daily program on Sirius XM. Rumor has it O’Donnell will take over Oprah’s daytime slot with her own talk show next year. -KL