straight for equality
the straight for equality gala

From 2009 - 2017, one of the most inspirational ways PFLAG National and the Straight for Equality program demonstrated the enormous contributions of allies was through the annual Straight for Equality Gala. This event, hosted at the Marriott Marquis in New York City, allowed us to celebrate high-profile allies and their selfless support of the LGBTQ+ community in ways that truly embody the spirit of PFLAG. Our work could not haved continued without them and we were so grateful for the opportunity to honor them over the years. 

The evening provided attendees with an opportunity to honor and celebrate some amazing allies in fields such as education, entertainment, business, sports, and literature. Past winners include:

  • Civil rights pioneers like Dr. Maya Angelou and Dr. Johnetta B Cole
  • Entertainer Liza Minnelli
  • Actresses Sigourney Weaver, Rosie Perez, Ally Sheedy, and Martha Plimpton
  • Actor Sir Patrick Stewart, OBE
  • Director Jill Soloway
  • Broadway stars Audra McDonald, Will Swenson, and Kristin Chenoweth
  • Sports icons Scott Fujita, Hudson Taylor, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Chris Kluwe and Henrik Lundqvist
  • Authors Charlaine Harris and John Irving
  • Media Personalities Dr. Melissa Harris Perry and Ana Navarro
  • Faith leaders like the Rev. Jay Bakker and Ruth Messinger
  • Organizations including IBM, Sodexo, MetLife, KPMG, Whirlpool, Johnson & Johnson, MarriottWells Fargo, and Alcoa