
Out magazine has released the Out 100, the annual listing of the 100 most influential people in gay culture for 2006. Perhaps the most shocking on the list is disgraced ex-congressman Mark Foley - an inclusion meant to serve as a reminder that the "closet" - especially in the worlds of politics and Hollywood - is as destructive and oppressive as ever, according to Out editor-in-chief Aaron Hicklin.Broken into subcategories - Foley, for example is named under "The Cruisers" alongside George Michael and Jim McGreevey - the Out 100 bestows "Legend" status to only one person: Martina Navratilova.
New Yorkers on the list are fashion designer Michael Kors (Stylemaker of the Year), Iman (Humanitarian of the Year), "Shortbus" writer-director John Cameron Mitchell (Artist of the Year) and current downtown party darlings The Misshapes (The "Still It" Kids).
Top "Athletes" include the No. 1 ranked tennis player in the world, Amelie Mauresmo, Canadian Olympic gold medalist for swimming Mark Tewksbury, and the 6-foot-3, 245-pound WWE wrestler Chris Klucsarits (known in the ring as Chris Kanyon), who first outed his wrestling character in February of this year, then declared in March that he himself is gay.

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