........
... Alright, I admit -- the Top 10 of the Hot 100 let me down a touch. Scrolling through the ranks left me with the after-effects of predictable voting (RE: Sighing, eye-rolling, pouting, etc). Women gracing the AfterEllen.com landing page on an almost daily basis ranked highest while those with minimal coverage placed lowest. In reference to the Top 10, it seems the sole criteria for the elusive Hottest Celeb status was a queer acting credit or two on the CV (minus Portia de Rossi since she is queer royalty as far as I am concerned).
Ah, but the masses have spoken and the women we celebrate have a gay-for-pay requirement.
Make sure to check out the full list to see where (or if) your heartthrobs made it into the rankings. Here's the rundown of the Top 10 for all interested ladies out there:
10. Katherine Moennig
The L Word alum and all-around delicious, androgynous sex symbol -- yes, Katherine Moennig keeps pulses racing through all the queer girls on the block as proven with her solid tenth-place finish. Since I am a born Canadian, I have to provide some Can. conn. (that is, "Canadian connections" for international readers). Fans can catch Moennig in one of her earliest acting credits as the main character in an Our Lady Peace video for their 1999 single, "Is Anybody Home?" Her first major role took her to the short-lived Young Americans where she played Jake Pratt, a girl passing as a boy to attend an elite summer semester at Rawley Boys' Academy. (And yes, I remember having a crush on her character then -- what a shock it was after she revealed she was a girl! It added to my proto-lesbian confusion, no doubt). But, fans know Moennig best for her cool, aloof portrayal of Shane McCutcheon on the infamous The L Word. It's what we love her for and will always revere her for.
9. Lena Headey
Lena Headey is one woman who does not take names when she kicks on-screen ass. She played a Spartan queen in Frank Miller's 300 and headlined in the violent sci fi series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. True to AfterEllen.com's affections, Headey has dedicated screen time to some Sapphic stories, most notably as Piper Perabo's love interest in Imagine Me & You (and now, I realize I must watch said film because DAMN -- that's a lot of hot crowded into one film). Recent roles include The Red Baron, a biopic detailing the career of German war pilot Manfred von Richthofen, and as Miss Dickson's in the U.K. hit film series, St. Trinian's. With some more queer cred., I imagine Headey will rank at the top of AfterEllen.com for years to come.
8. Jessica Capshaw
After Dr. Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith) disappeared into the parking lot of no return in Nov. 2008, Grey's Anatomy was decidedly void of any lady-lovin' partners for the gay gal in town, Dr. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez). Enter: Jessica Capshaw as the adorable Arizona Robbins with a whole new shot at lesbian love for the popular medical drama. Capshaw can also count The L Word on her acting CV, so, she has established her fluid ability to portray the gay for all demographics. Interesting trivia: Capshaw graduated from Harvard-Westlake School in 1994 and Brown University in 1998 AND she is the step-daughter of Stephen Spielberg. Random and cool all at once, I should say.
7. Jennifer Beals
6. Kathryn Prescott
At the tender age of nineteen, Kathryn Prescott is already making a strong statement for the next generation of queer girls in the U.K. Prescott is best known for her groundbreaking role in the series Skins as Emily Fitch. During season three and four of the popular teen series, Prescott plays one half of the complex, well-rounded lesbian couple known affectionately as "Naomily" (Naomi and Emily). What is most remarkable about her role is the ease with which the couple is woven into the fabric of the show. Both girls are not hidden away until the pressures of sweeps arrive -- instead, the girls are a central part of Skins and are depicted with the same romance and the same personal struggles evident in all relationships regardless of the individuals' orientation. It's a breathtaking first major role and it will be exciting to see how the young star develops her career from here.5. Portia de Rossi
Portia de Rossi takes on a greater role within the 2010 Hot 100 --- indeed, she is the one and only gay woman among the Top 10. While it comes as a shock to the system that more queer women did not represent among the absolute top of the Hotness Pyramid, make no mistake that de Rossi is a beautiful example of the gorgeousness inherent to the bona fide gay lady. Not only has she led a successful career with hits like Ally McBeal and Arrested Development, she has also advocated for queer rights and equality alongside her wife, Ellen Degeneres. She's one half of a real-life lesbian power couple -- she's as good as golden for the Hot 100.
4. Sara Ramirez
As Dr. Callie Torres on Grey's Anatomy, Sara Ramirez occupies a vital position when it comes to American television at the moment. According to a 2009-2010 Lesbian/Bi Television Census Report conducted over at AfterEllen.com, Sara Ramirez carries the torch as the sole representation of a queer woman of colour on the whole of mainstream American television. Her importance as a realized, professional queer character is an important one for American audiences to relate to and connect with as it supports our community's visibility as a whole. And, as a fun piece of trivia, gamers might recall Ramirez from a little PlayStation title known as PaRappa the Rapper where she voiced Lammy. And, for me, she just earned even more awesome points there.3. Lily Loveless
Here she is, ladies -- fans of the hit U.K. drama, Skins, will know Lily Loveless best as Naomi Campbell, the other half of the adorable lesbian couple "Naomily." At eighteen-years-old, she's helping to push back against a heteronormative British culture and demonstrate the unique challenges and the equal love expressed between two young women. Though her character debuted on the series as a sexually-confused, political activist, fans continue to love her dedication to the role and her complex portrayal of an awakened lesbian teen. Again, she's another one with a fresh career and a whole lot of potential on the horizon ahead.
2. Kristen Stewart
Unnngh, I know, I know -- it's K. Stew. I can hear the laments from all the straight allies now. "Miz Moffatt, HOW?! How did the lesbians fail us?! I thought you were rippin' mad that Maxim voted Katy Perry as the Hottest Woman of 2010?! How will you explain Kristen Stewart?!" Each Twi-hating bone in my body snapped under the weight of this vote. But, I understand where the surge of interest in Stewart comes from, at least in reference to AfterEllen. Not only is there mass, public speculation on the starlette's orientation, she also starred as Joan Jett in a recent flick about The Runaways titled Cherry Bomb. That is correct, dear readers -- K. Stew took the helm as one of the hottest queer rockstars of our time. So.... yeah. It comes as no shock.1. Olivia Wilde
So, it appears there's more than one Megan Fox out there who would strangle a mountain ox to get some time with Olivia Wilde. I admit, seeing Wilde in the top spot of the 2010 Hot 100 seemed a tad.... left field. I mean, I'm not made of stone, I recognize she is hot as all heck and she's garnered numerous fanatics for her role as Dr. Remy "Thirteen" Hadley on the TV drama, House. And, her beloved character is bisexual to boot. But..... hmm. Hmm. I'll have to see how she is in the upcoming Tron flick and then we can talk.
***
So, the ladies I voted for did not place as high as I'd hoped. Natalie Portman landed at No. 31, Zoe Saldana finished at No. 38, Rachel Weisz glided into the list at No. 73, and Alicia Keys capped the numbers at No. 96. The other six ladies were scorned, I tell you. Spurned, even. Egads.
I didn't think my taste in women differed so drastically from AfterEllen's Hot 100. I must be losing touch with the young'uns in my old age, now.
And now, dear readers, might I ask -- were you satisfied with the 2010 finalists? How did your heartthrobs compare to the competition? Which ladies are missing from these 100 lucky lasses?
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