page_title: Black Tie Dinner
section_title: Elizabeth Birch Equality Award
hierarchical_section_title: Black Tie Dinner / Awards / Elizabeth Birch Equality Award
caption_attribution_description: English: 2009 Black Tie Dinner - Elizabeth Birch Equality Award
context_page_description: Black Tie Dinner is a formal charity dinner held each year in Dallas, Texas to raise money for the North Texas lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community. The first dinner was held in 1982. Since its inception, Black Tie Dinner has remained one of the largest LGBTQ fund-raising dinners in the nation, both in attendance and distribution. Today, the dinner is attended by over 2,500 guests per year, and has an annual distribution of over $1 Million. Each year, Black Tie Dinner selects up to 20 LGBT focused organizations in the North Texas area to receive proceeds from the dinner, in addition to one standing National beneficiary, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. To date, Black Tie Dinner has raised over $25 million.
  Over the years, Black Tie Dinner has attracted an array of high-profile politicians, Hollywood celebrities, and other public figures; both as program entertainment and as attendees of the dinner. Examples include Billy Porter, Debra Messing, Connie Britton, Goldie Hawn, Megan Mullally, Geena Davis, Sharon Stone, Martin Sheen and Lily Tomlin.
context_section_description: Named for the former executive director of the Human Rights Campaign, The Elizabeth Birch Equality Award is given in recognition of demonstrated national impact on LGBTQ rights. Recipients have included:
  Billy Porter (2019)
  Edith Windsor (2017)
  Greg Louganis (2016)
  The Trevor Project (2015)
  David Boies and Ted Olson (2014)
  Zach Wahls (2013) 
  Chaz Bono (2012)
  Eric Alva (2011)
  American Airlines (2010)
  Judy Shepard (2009)
  Bishop V. Gene Robinson (2008)
  Alan Cumming (2006)
  Sharon Stone (2005)
  Robert Greenblatt and Showtime Networks (2004)
  Elizabeth Birch (2003)
caption: Elizabeth Birch presents her namesake award to Judy Shepard at the 2009 Black Tie Dinner.
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