May 29, 2009  |  By: Amy Cavanaugh  | COMMENTS     

Equality Maryland announced this week that actress Cynthia Nixon will receive the Out for Equality Award for her dedication to gay causes at the organization’s annual Night Out for Equality event.

Nixon, best known for her role as Miranda Hobbs on “Sex and the City,” for which she won an Emmy, announced her engagement to Christine Marinoni during a recent rally in New York.

Night Out for Equality also will honor several Allies for Equality, including former U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, a Republican who represented Maryland’s Eastern Shore in Congress; state Dels. Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties) and Ben Barnes (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties); and state Sens. Jamie Raskin (D-Montgomery County) and James Robey (D-Howard County).

Other guests include U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards of Maryland, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, state Sen. Rich Madaleno (D-Montgomery County), and state Dels. Brian Feldman (D-Montgomery County), Del. Anne Kaiser (D-Montgomery County) and Del. Sheila Hixson (D-Montgomery County).

The event, set for June 7, will be held at the Marriott Bethesda North Hotel & Conference Center. It includes a cocktail reception, silent auction, dinner, awards ceremony and dancing. Tickets start at $140 and are available online at equalitymaryland.org.