On Saturday, April 10, 2010 more than 1,300 people gathered for The Men’s Event, Fenway’s annual creative black tie fundraiser celebrating gay and bisexual men, transgender people and their supporters.  The event raised more than $500,000 in cash, pledges and in-kind support for life-saving services and programs at Fenway Health.  Comedian Kate Clinton served as mistress of ceremonies and ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ activist Lt. Dan Choi was honored with the Congressman Gerry E. Studds Award.  Comedian, writer and Theater Lab professor Eddie Sarfaty and VJ Tom Yaz provided additional entertainment. Silent and live auctions added to the excitement.

Lt. Choi served in the United States Army for a decade under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, a policy that forces LGBT American soldiers to keep secret their sexual orientation.  On March 19, 2009, Lt. Choi, a West Point graduate and Iraq veteran fluent in Arabic, announced that he was gay on The Rachel Maddow Show. Because of three words – “I am gay” – Lt. Choi’s life changed forever. Despite his value as an Arabic speaker able to communicate quickly and clearly with the Iraqi people, Lt. Choi was notified that the Army had begun discharge proceedings against him one month after his announcement.  He is a founding member of Knights Out, an organization of West Point alumni advocating for the rights of gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.  He is an inspiration to soldiers and veterans who feel isolated, alone, and even suicidal because the torment of rejection and discrimination.

The Congressman Gerry E. Studds Award is given at The Men’s Event to honor individuals of integrity and selflessness who embody the spirit of service and provide positive leadership for the LGBT community.  Congressman Studds represented southeastern Massachusetts in the U.S. Congress from 1973 to 1997 and became the first openly gay Member of Congress in 1983 when he proudly acknowledged his sexual orientation standing on the congressional floor. The Congressman Gerry E. Studds Award is given in honor and memory of Studds, who passed away in October 2006.

THANK YOU to all of our Table Captains and Event Team, our corporate sponsors, Lt. Dan Choi, Kate Clinton, Eddie Sarfaty, VJ Tom Yaz and everyone who attended the 2010 Men’s Event for helping to make the event such a huge success!  A special thanks goes out to Event Chairs Rich Gardner, Ben Perkins, and John Prince, whose hard work made the night possible.