This Outspoken, Boundary-Breaking Comedian Gives Her Causes the Spotlight on Stage
Editor’s Note: This Women’s History Month, Bumble is celebrating women from all walks of life, across centuries and generations, who didn’t believe in sticking to the rules. These founding members of our First Movers Club didn’t let gender norms — or anything else! — hold them back. They left their mark by making the first move, and the world is a better place thanks to their bravery and boldness.
Margaret Cho is a force to be reckoned with, whether on stage as a controversial entertainer or on the frontlines of LGBT advocacy. She’s a woman who not only survived sexual abuse and extreme bullying but who has no qualms about disclosing her explicit experience to connect with and, hopefully, heal others who are suffering. She earns our admiration for continually refusing to back down from addressing pervasive social issues in the face of those who deny them.
- Cho began the “Be Robin” homeless outreach program in San Francisco. She established it in the memory of Robin Williams.
- Cho began “Love is Love is Love” in 2004, a website dedicated to legalizing same-sex marriage in America after it was legalized for the first time in San Francisco.
- Cho devotes a substantial portion of her shows to discuss LGBT issues, advocating for the community and speaking of her own experiences.
- Cho’s work for increased diversity and inclusion in Hollywood films —including the rejection of stereotypes for Asian-American characters and whitewashing — has led to several awards. In 2004, she received the First Amendment Award from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and was also awarded the Intrepid Award from the National Organization for Women (NOW).