Year In Review

Five top local stories from 2011 include a shooting, a coming out and a community center in crisis. PLUS: Other local milestones.

By Glenn Gullickson

2011 Headlines

Every year is defined by its top news stories — this year a shooting, a coming out, an election and a community center in crisis made the list

Gabby Giffard

TUCSON SHOOTING

Arizona and the nation were shocked when U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, an LGBT ally, was shot in January in Tucson in a rampage that left six dead and 12 others injured. The LGBT community could be proud when one of its own, Daniel Hernandez, was proclaimed one of the heroes of the day for going to Giffords' aid.

LEGISLATIVE SETBACKS

LGBT advocates suffered setbacks in the Arizona Legislature on two fronts — adoption and school bullying. Conservative lawmakers pushed through legislation giving married couples preference in adoptions, a move that put potential gay and lesbian parents at the back of the line. A bill supported by Equality Arizona that would have included protections for LGBT students in school failed to get out of committee. But the effort did identify the bill's sponsor, first-term Rep. Katie Hobbs, as an ally and she's been a regular on the LGBT events circuit.

1 Voice Logo

COMMUNITY CENTER CRISIS

The 1 Voice Community Center lost funding when grant administrators decided that the center's staff wasn't living up to the terms of their agreement. In the gay drama that followed, the center lost its paid staffers and started shedding members of the board – up to eight quit since the first of the year. As the two-year old center appeared on the brink of closing, a community effort helped raise funds to save the center and rebuild the board.

Rick Welts

WELTS COMES OUT

In May, Rick Welts, then president and CEO of the Phoenix Suns, became the highest-ranking executive in men's professional sports to come out as a gay man. The story on the front page of the New York Times caused a sensation in the sports world and the LGBT community as Welts went on a media blitz to talk about his coming out. The coming out had added importance at a time when professional athletes were being called on the carpet for anti-gay remarks. Months after his big announcement, Welts left the Suns to move to California, where he accepted a position with the Golden State Warriors.

Greg Stanton, Wes Gullet and Claude Mattox

CANDIDATES COURT LGBT VOTERS

LGBT issues became a part of the campaign when three of the six candidates on the ballot for mayor of Phoenix courted the community by attending public forums organized by Equality Arizona and One Community. Greg Stanton, Wes Gullet and Claude Mattox also placed LGBT leaders in their campaign organizations. Stanton, who had been endorsed by Equality Arizona, was the last man standing when he won a runoff election in November. -E

A community on the move

Members of the community could be forgiven if they thought local LGBT professionals were playing a game of musical chairs this year.

Linda Elliott started 2011 as interim director of the 1 Voice Community Center, a position she held for a couple of months. At mid-year she was named executive director of 1n10 youth services agency.

Nick Ray left the 1n10 post after less than two years in the job. By July, he was executive director at Equality Arizona.

Sam Holdren, who early in the year was named Equality Arizona's first paid staff member since the organization had a financial meltdown and dismissed its staff in 2009, left the state for a new job in Boston.

Natalie Cianciola left the staff of Phoenix Pride for a job at Sway Events.

Jimmie Munoz started work at Phoenix Pride.

Barbara McCullough-Jones, a fixture in local LGBT circles, left the Valley to take a job in Oregon.

It wasn't just people who moved around in 2011, whole organizations moved.

The 1 Voice Community Center board reacted to a big rent increase by deciding to abandon its home for two years at Indian School and Seventh Avenue for a building about a mile north on Seventh Avenue.

Aunt Rita's Foundation, organizers of AIDS Walk Phoenix, rented office space for the first time in central Phoenix.

Phoenix Pride moved its quarters from the inverted pyramid on Central Avenue to a larger space on Third Street.

After its landlord lost its house in a foreclosure, This is H.O.W., which provides services for transgender individuals, raised funds to buy a house.

The Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS identified its new facility, the old Channel 12 building on Central, that was purchased with funds from a city bond election. The agency plans to move in late 2012.

More Milestones

In January, community activist Meg Sneed was among the winners of the city of Phoenix Martin Luther King Living the Dream Award.

Mitch Mitchell was named Mr. Phoenix Leather.

Naomi St. James was crowned Miss Gay Arizona USofA.

In February, the Arizona Gay Rodeo suffered low attendance when a weekend rainstorm hit the Valley.

In March, Lady Gaga came to town for her second concert in Phoenix in a year.

Olivia Gardens and Freddy Prinze Charming were named Miss and Mister Phoenix Gay Pride.

In April, actress Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman) became Phoenix Pride's first celebrity parade grand marshal.

Timed to appeal to the Pride crowd, a billboard in central Phoenix promoting a Las Vegas hotel's gay pool parties stopped traffic.

A flash mob organized by Human and Equal Rights Organizers (H.E.R.O.) protested Chick-fil-A's support of anti-LGBT organizations at one of the fast food chain's Valley restaurants.

The Phoenix Metropolitan Men's Chorus observed its 20th anniversary.

The availability of medical marijuana, approved by voters in 2010, was delayed by a court challenge.

In June, The Activist Within, a documentary on the struggle for marriage equality, had its premiere in Arizona.

Sway Events observed its fifth anniversary.

Pussy LeHoot and Kela Calkins won the Sexiest Bartender Contest.

Phoenix Suns star Steve Nash announced his support for the New Yorkers for Marriage Equality Campaign.

The 3 Snaps! resale shop, established in 2010 to benefit local LGBT groups, closed its doors.

In May, Denny Richard won Echo Magazine's Beach Ball Swimsuit Contest, collecting $7,800, more than any other contestant in the history of the event.

Celia Putty won the Miss Gay Arizona crown and placed in the top 10 at the national competition.

Ismael Ramirez won Mr. Gay Arizona.

In July, Michael Weidmann and his dancing partner Selina Vega were named winners of Dancing With the Bars.

Figures released from the 2010 U.S. Census revealed almost 21,000 households in Arizona are headed by same-sex couples.

In August, the Right to Marry Equality Walk promoted marriage equality by walking 99 miles in cities and towns in southern Arizona.

In September, the Maricopa County Community Colleges Governing Board added gender identity to its non-discrimination policy.

In October, at the 10th annual Rainbows Festival Phoenix Pride announced it was acquiring the street fair from its creator, Don Hamill.

The "Battle of the Barbs" to see whether Barbra Seville's Wonderful 100 team or Barbara Eldridge's Team Rychard would collect the most funds ended in a truce at AIDS Walk Phoenix.

In November, local activists protested the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality when the group that promotes "reparative therapy" conducted its annual convention in Phoenix.

Afeela Bunz announced plans to retire at the end of the year after a nine-year drag career.