Today, the Equality Forum, the nation’s premier lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights summit, announced that it will present the 21^st Annual International Role Model Award to House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), for her strong support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. The 21st Annual International Role Model Award will be presented to Democratic Leader Pelosi by Supreme Court Marriage Equality Plaintiff, Jim Obergefell, at Equality Forum’s LGBT Champion Awards on Thursday, July 28^th during the Democratic National Convention.

The 21^st Annual International Role Model Award is the nation’s longest standing award to activists and straight allies who have advanced LGBT civil rights. Previous recipients of the award include Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, Supreme Court Plaintiff Edie Windsor, Judy Shepard, David Boies and Ted Olson, former Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), and tennis legend Martina Navratilova.

Also during the LGBT Champion Awards Ceremony, Ed Rendell, Chair of the Philadelphia Host Committee of the 2016 Democratic National Convention, will be awarded the Frank Kameny Award by Equality Forum’s Executive Director, Malcolm Lazin.  Named for the father of the LGBT civil rights movement, Kameny fought to overturn Eisenhower’s Executive Order 10450, which prohibited the employment of gays and lesbians by the federal government.

“We are thrilled to present Leader Pelosi with this prestigious award for her long-standing support and her leadership in advancing LGBT civil rights,” said Malcolm Lazin, Equality Forum’s Founder and Executive Director.  “Governor Rendell is an early pioneer in the fight for LGBT equality.”