Compiled by Mark Hundahl, Dana Miller, and Karen Ocamb

This is Los Angeles where power is an elusive golden ring too often awarded after a fabulous box office opening, or a high TVQ or good political polls numbers. While splendid for the moment and perhaps promising, this kind of power is gold-plated, not platinum. In our annual recognition of the top 20 Gay Power Players, IN Los Angeles magazine considered the achievements of many worthy honorees to select LGBT people whose impact over the past year we believe will have a more significant, lasting influence than the trophy of position or money. And this year we are celebrating our first "honorary" gay Power Player, a non-gay who does something about being pro-gay. In an upcoming issue, we will launch a new feature honoring the 10 Most Important HIV/AIDS Activists.

Gwen Baba

An investment banker, Gwen Baba has a long, respected second career as a volunteer LGBT political fund-raiser, former board member for the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and more recently, co-chair for the Human Rights Campaign, which this year finally secured Congressional passage of hate crimes legislation that includes transgenders. She also participated in her partner Nicole Conn's profound documentary little man, which was just picked up by Showtime.

Greg Berlanti

In addition to creating Jack & Bobby, Berlanti is the creator and executive producer of the WB's hit show, Everwood. He was an executive producer on Dawson's Creek. Greg wrote and directed the film, The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy and is in pre-production on a feature titled Bridge & Tunnel with New Line Cinema. Greg is a creative star that Entertainment Weekly put on their annual "IT" list. That means power to us.

Josh Berry

He is the Vice-President, Drama Development at ABC, overseeing creative management of Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy which he developed while still at Touchstone Television. He his developed Lost, ... Alias and The Amazing Race. This week's new fall season ... includes more Berry developed projects including Invasion and Commander in Chief. Josh will run a studio someday ... there's just no doubt about it.

David Bohnett

Just 11 years ago, David Bohnett founded GeoCities and it soon became the largest community on the Internet. He pioneered and championed the concept of providing free homes to everyone on the Web. With proceeds from GeoCities' sale, David founded the David Bohnett Foundation which is committed to improving society through social activism. David and his Foundation focus on the LGBT community, cyber centers around America, the environment, handgun control voter registration, and animals. David makes a difference.

Bruce Cohen

Producer Bruce Cohen is known for his critically-acclaimed film and his very generous community support. Along with producing partner Dan Jinks, the duo's first picture, American Beauty, went on to win five Academy Awards including Best Picture. Other pictures include Down With Love and Big Fish. Several other projects are in development. He is the co-founder of Out There, a collection of entertainment activists, and is involved with both GLAAD and HRC. On Oct. 19, he was honored by the ACLU's Lesbian and Gay Rights Project.

Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres made history when she came out on her TV show Ellen. After a subsequent period of hibernation, she made a successful comeback as an Emmy-winning day time TV talk show host. Now partnered with Arrested Development's Portia de Rossi, the New Orleans native won accolades for hosting the Primetime Emmy telecast on Sept. 18 while also raising money for and awareness about the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

John Duran

West Hollywood City Councilmember and attorney John Duran has been on the frontlines of LGBT civil rights and AIDS activism since the late 1980s. Undaunted by threats from the religious right, Duran won several lawsuits that changed public policy. One of four national LGBT elected officials with HIV/AIDS, this past year Duran presided over the board of Equality California, the lobbying group responsible for sponsoring numerous LGBT bills, including the historic same-sex marriage bill.

Melissa Etheridge

Rock and roll star Melissa Etheridge has used her celebrity to bring attention to scores of LGBT and cancer issues. During the No on Prop 22 campaign, she braved lightening and a downpour to attend an outdoor rally protesting the anti-gay marriage initiative. This past year, while still recovering from breast cancer, she courageously performed bald and beautifully at the Grammy Awards. In April she was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the world. On Oct. 16, during a Dateline NBC interview publicizing her new CD, Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled, Etheridge revealed that she smoked medical marijuana to help abate the side effects of chemotherapy.

David Geffen

From the William Morris mailroom to billionaire, he is our city's ultimate power player. Joni Mitchell wrote "Free Man In Paris" about him. David is smart, funny, and needs -- no craves -- to win. He sold Asylum Records for millions and Geffen Records for billions. He runs the motion picture division of DreamWorks SKG. When most folks would fold and move on, Geffen has stayed in the game and given millions to AIDS service organizations, museums, theaters, entire universities, and individuals. David made a great life for himself and in turn has made a great life for literally millions of others. Power? You bet!

Brian Graden

He is probably the most important gay man in television. Not just because of Logo, which he runs. It's because Graden oversees MTV, MTV2, VH1, CMT and Logo. The power to influence and educate such a wide demographic is undeniable. Graden is outspoken and out. While at Fox, Graden asked two friends to create an animated Christmas card for his family and friends. The card became ... South Park. Now that's power.

Mark Itkin

He is undoubtedly the most important and powerful openly gay agent in Hollywood. Itkin is Executive VP and Worldwide Head of Syndication, Cable and Non-Fiction Programming and a member of the Board of Directors for the venerable William Morris Agency. Mark puts people together with concepts and the result usually is a hit television show. It really did all begin 23 years ago in the mailroom.

Rick Jacobs

Rick Jacobs is Mr. Politically Connected. He presided over Howard Dean's presidential campaign in California and serves as a Senior Advisor to the Deanics' ongoing Democracy for America. With documentary filmmaker Robert Greenwald (Outfoxed), Jacobs founded and chairs BraveNew Films, which will soon release a documentary on how Wal-Mart changed foreign policy. This past year he became chair of The Campaign for California's Future and its progressive arm, the Courage Campaign (www.couragecampaign.org).

Lorri L. Jean

As CEO of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, Lorri Jean has been responsible for finding resources to deal with funding cuts for important programs such as those assisting LGBT youth. This past year, Jean rode in the fourth annual AIDS/Life Cycle event that raised over $6.8 million (split with San Francisco AIDS Foundation) for HIV services and she spearheaded the protest against Gov. Schwarzenegger's veto of the California same sex marriage bill.

Elton John

Generous, compassionate, talented, difficult, and diva. They all fit Elton. He is one of the most successful and honored entertainers in the world. His show's are instant sell outs. His songs and Broadway musicals are legendary. But for the past 13 years Elton has used his considerable talent and celebrity to raise money to fight HIV and AIDS all around the world. His L.A.-based Elton John AIDS Foundation was one of the first celebrity led organizations to join the war. It's a powerful commitment that goes on today.

Sheila James Kuehl

As the first openly gay California legislator, state Sen. Sheila James Kuehl became an instant mega-star in national LGBT politics. A former teen star on the hit TV series Dobie Gillis, and a former UCLA law professor, Kuehl has earned a reputation for brilliance, integrity and humor with both Republicans and Democrats in Sacramento. This past year, Kuehl spearheaded the resurrection of the defeated gay marriage Assembly bill and championed it through its historic passage in the Senate. ...

Jim Murphy

As Vice-President, Finance for Clear Channel Broadcasting in Los Angeles, Murphy has a big job. He oversees financial operations for over 20 radio stations in the Southern California region. That's his day job. As also serves as Chair of the Board of AIDS Project Los Angeles. Murphy blends the power of his jobs for the total benefit of the community. Thanks to Jim, Clear Channel has emerged as a major sponsor and supporter of events and organizations that positively effect us all.

Torie Osborn

An grassroots activist, Torie Osborn once headed the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Community Services Center and authored the highly regarded "Coming Home to America." For the past 8 years she has led the progressive Liberty Hill Foundation with energy and vision and jump-started their LGBT grants program. In January, Osborn will become special assistant to L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, advising him on unique public-private philanthropic possibilities.

Bill Rosendahl

Bill Rosendahl, a former Adelphia vice president and highly regarded public affairs host, was elected to L.A. City Council with enthusiasm usually reserved for rock stars. Shortly after taking office, he helped pass a city resolution endorsing the California gay marriage bill and, with the help of black gay activist Jasmyne Cannick, prevented the city from granting a fee waiver to a popular but homophobic black televangelist.

Adam Shankman

He is a dancer who has made his dreams come true. As a choreographer you have seen his work in The Flintstones, Boogie Nights, George of the Jungle, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. As a director, Shankman has offered up The Wedding Planner, A Walk to Remember, Cheaper By The Dozen 2, Monk, and the just-announced movie version of Hairspray. For years Shankman choreographed APLA's Commitment To Life benefit concerts. He's a good guy whose talent has led to power.

Randall Winston

Randall is tall and talented. He is a producer on the NBC hit, Scrubs. Before that he was a producer on DreamWorks' Spin City. In fact, the mayor's character on the sitcom was named Randall Winston in honor of this Ohio native. Randall always knew he wanted to live in Los Angeles and work in television -- he just didn't know it would happen so quickly and in such a big way. To know Randall is to know his motto: "Indecision is the mother of frustration." That pretty much explains Randall.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

IN's First "Honorary Gay Power Player"

Photo shot exclusively for IN magazine by Michael Calas/calasstudio.com

When IN decided to honor a straight ally as an honorary Gay Power Player, we were struck by how many good friends the LGBT community has in Los Angeles. United Farm Workers legend Dolores Huerta, who secured the crucial 41st vote on the gay marriage bill, West Hollywood Assemblymember Paul Koretz, and WeHo Mayor Abbe Land, as well as longtime activist Judith Light, for instance, are now family.

But when considering the person who exercised the most power over the past year on behalf of the LGBT equal rights movement, one name stood out like his beaming neon-light of a smile: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

In or out of office, Villaraigosa has been the kind of brother who sticks up for his LGBT family. One of his first bills after being elected to the California Assembly was gay-related. As assembly speaker, he passed the long-awaited gay rights bill and put his political credibility on the line championing Sheila Kuehl's Dignity for All Students bill, among scores of other good deeds.

In 2000, Villaraigosa co-chaired the campaign against the anti-gay marriage Prop. 22 initiative and personally contributed $10,000. He subsequently won 72 percent of the LGBT vote in that year's L.A. mayor's election. This June, though the media failed to include LGBT voters in exit polling, anecdotal evidence indicated a huge LGBT vote for Antonio.

In the 30-plus days since his inauguration, Villaraigosa has started keeping his campaign pledges to include gays in his administration and commission appointments and immediately signed the City Council's resolution endorsing the gay marriage bill.

At an Oct. 6 news conference to review his first 100 days in office, Villaraigosa once again demonstrated that he is willing to put his power where his progressive heart is, unequivocally saying he would oppose next June's expected anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment as vigorously as he fought against Prop. 22.

"Look, I don't believe government should be in our bedrooms," said Villaraigosa. "I don't believe the government should be making decisions about who we love and who we chose to make a family with. It's a basic, simple notion of the right of privacy and the right of liberty. And yes, I will be very active on that issue because I don't believe we should be engaged in those issues."

For engaging in the battle for LGBT equal rights, IN is proud to dub Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa an honorary Gay Power Player.