The Winner of SheWired’s Woman of the Year 2015 Is…

Thanks to everyone who voted for SheWired’s Woman of the Year 2015. We compiled a list of 19 women whose accomplishments and visibility in art, entertainment, politics, and activism were a powerful reminder of just how amazing LGBT women are. Every woman on our list was worthy of acknowledgment and appreciation, and your votes proved that. Here are the women who earned the top three spots.

3. Jayne Ozanne

Jayne Ozanne, one of the Church of England’s most influential evangelical leaders, made waves when she came out as a lesbian this year, saying “God is a God of surprises. We can never be sure of what the future will bring, but what I do know is that He will always transform our darkest hours into something beautiful.” Ozanne accepted a job as the Director of Accepting Evangelicals, and has used her influence in the church to foster a network of evangelical Christians who push for “acceptance of faithful, loving, same-sex partnerships at every level of church life.” You were just as excited as we were to see such positive representation of LGBT women in the church.
 

2. Kat BlaqueVideo blogger and activist Kat Blaque earned the second highest number of votes. Known for her popular YouTube channel, TransDIYer/KatBlaque and her Buzzfeed videos, Blaque provides awesome representation for transgender women, and makes difficult topics, from why blackface is offensive to using gender neutral pronouns, accessible to a wide audience in her videos. We can’t wait to see what this multi-talented artist does next, and apparently neither can you!
 

And our winner is… (Imagine a drum roll here, please.)

1. Mya TaylorSheWired readers and voters clearly recognized what a breakout year actress Mya Taylor had in 2015. Taylor’s role as Alexandra in Sean Baker’s groundbreaking indie film, Tangerine, had everyone talking, and earned her nominations for the Independent Spirit Award and the Gotham Award. Taylor jumped straight from one amazing project to another, and landed the leading role as transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson in the 2016 film Happy Birthday, Marsha!. She will also appear in the forthcoming short film, Diane from the Moon. Taylor chooses complex roles that provide more positive representation for trans women in film, and we’re so excited to see such a talented actress earn the title of 2015 SheWired’s Woman of the Year 2015.