Part 4: Our Hall of Fame

Any celebration of the The Advocate's founding in 1967 must honor the heroes for LGBT rights that we've covered for 45 years. With one honoree named per year, the list will be announced in parts and culminate in an event in Los Angeles this month.

BY Advocate Contributors

March 28 2012 11:16 AM ET

HEROES 2000 RUDY GALINDO X560 | ADVOCATE.COM

Figure skater Rudy Galindo revealed in 1996, just before winning a national title, that he is gay, becoming a rare role model for being out in sports. Then the champion revealed in 2000 that he is HIV-positive, and ever since he's used his story to raise awareness about prevention and life after being diagnosed. He's received numerous honors off the ice, including the 2001 Ryan White Award. “If my story can help people — anybody at all — it is positive," he told The Advocate in 2000. "I’ve always tried to help people, whether it be as a gay man or a Mexican-American or now, as someone who is HIV-positive.”
—Lucas Grindley