Cody Stallings
Groundbreakers
Olivia Hill
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
Olivia Hill made history in 2024 by becoming the first out transgender person elected to public office in Tennessee. In September, she won an at-large seat on the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County.
“This year, I’m most proud of the progress we’ve made in expanding dialogue and understanding around trans rights in Tennessee, especially in a political climate that can be resistant to change,” she says. In the coming year, “I plan to continue building coalitions and working at the intersection of policy and activism to create a more inclusive Tennessee and beyond.”
“I am truly honored and humbled by this recognition as the Out100 Readers’ Choice in the Politics category,” she notes. “As an out and open trans woman and the first openly trans person ever elected in Tennessee’s history, this acknowledgment holds profound significance for me personally and professionally. It represents not only my journey but the journey of countless individuals fighting for representation, equality, and a voice in spaces that often exclude us.” @oliviahill247
Kristoffer Reynolds
Bernardo SimBernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out. He's also a staff contributor to The Advocate, PRIDE, and other equalpride publications. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida.
You can follow Bernardo Sim on Instagram. Otherwise, you can find him on Bluesky, Threads, X/Twitter, and TikTok.
Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out. He's also a staff contributor to The Advocate, PRIDE, and other equalpride publications. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida.
You can follow Bernardo Sim on Instagram. Otherwise, you can find him on Bluesky, Threads, X/Twitter, and TikTok.
Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out. He's also a staff contributor to The Advocate, PRIDE, and other equalpride publications. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida.
You can follow Bernardo Sim on Instagram. Otherwise, you can find him on Bluesky, Threads, X/Twitter, and TikTok.
Varla Jean Merman
Meet some of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
Kristoffer Reynolds
Varla Jean Merman has been in the business of drag for 30 years, doing her best to “make people laugh, scream, gasp, and sometimes groan…all in a dress completely stretched beyond recognition.”
This drag icon’s 2024 proudest achievement was putting together a Taylor Swift-inspired show called Varla Jean: The Errors Tour. “I explore all the horrible errors I have made in my career, like not telling the director of one of my All My Children episodes that snot flew out of my nose before they aired it,” she says, “and discover that the only real mistake in life is the one you don’t learn from.”
Merman adds, “Living in Florida, I had to not only deal with the government trying to ban my job, but also deal with people in our community, all over our country, wanting to boycott my state. Our country is one body. If your hand hurts, do you cut it off? No. You show it more love and more support until it is well. Florida is filled with amazing LGBTQ+ people who are not responsible for the hideous policies that have occurred.” @varlajeanmerman