Pam Spaulding has been blogging her way to political and social stardom since she began publishing tidbits of her life, thoughts and insight at Pam’s House Blend just five years ago.

Since then, her blog has grown into one of the most heavily trafficked gay blogs in the nation. With her team of citizen journalists, Spaulding documents LGBT politics, progressive news and local and state issues other national news outlets sometimes miss.

She’s honored in this year’s Out 100, a list of some of the nation’s most influential culture and society movers and shakers.

“I love reader feedback, including the batshit crazy right,” Spaulding told the national magazine. “The best way to blunt the hate is to embrace its lunacy, so I display the quotes as badges of honor.”

Another North Carolina native, Chris Hughes, is also featured. From Hickory, Hughes went on to co-found Facebook and work as Barack Obama’s social networking guru during his campaign for the White House.

info: out.com/out100/