Former congressman Barney Frank has nominated Hudson Taylor and Lia Parifax to the Vanity Fair Hall of Fame for their role fighting homophobia in sports. Frank lists off the reasons why the work of Athlete Ally, the organization that the couple founded has been so important and worthy of the attention of Vanity Fair.
BECAUSE they have pursued their effort with dignity, creating an organization of dedicated advocates and enlisting more than 100 renowned athletes (including Andy Roddick, Greg Louganis, Martina Navratilova, D’Qwell Jackson, Yogi Berra, Megan Rapinoe, and Kenneth Faried).BECAUSE their work impacts on more than 100 colleges and universities (including Columbia, where Taylor coaches wrestling) and the organization’s 15,000 members (including Cyndi Lauper and Russell Simmons). BECAUSE there is no trace of self-righteousness in their fight against a prejudice that blights the lives of millions of young men and women, particularly in high-school settings. BECAUSE this month Taylor is traveling to the Sochi Olympics, in Russia, in order to challenge that country’s anti-gay laws and build support for L.G.B.T. athletes everywhere.
You can read the Barney Frank's full thoughts at Vanity Fair.