Panzi
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
activist.
Hansen was educated at Pace University
Pace University
Pace University is an American private, co-educational, and comprehensive multi-campus university in the New York metropolitan area with campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York.-Programs:...
, where he studied business and accounting; thereafter he began working as a financial analyst, a business manager in the textile industry and an actor. He went on to establish his own real estate management firm which he ran for 10 years and is currently a Vice President in the International Division of a major direct marketing firm. Hansen is openly
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
and has been involved in the LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community since the early 70's.
Imperial Court System
Panzi joined the Imperial CourtImperial Court System
The International Imperial Court System is one of the oldest and largest predominantly gay organizations in the world. The court raises money for charity through large annual fancy-dress costume balls in communities throughout North America and numerous smaller fundraisers each year...
of New York in 1993 and was elected to serve as its Empress XII "The Empress of Loyalty and Laughter" between 1998-99 and President of the Board of Directors from 2003-2006. Panzi also served as the Executive Secretary on the International Court Council, which oversees over 70 local Imperial Courts
Imperial Court System
The International Imperial Court System is one of the oldest and largest predominantly gay organizations in the world. The court raises money for charity through large annual fancy-dress costume balls in communities throughout North America and numerous smaller fundraisers each year...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
from 1997 to 2007. In August 2007 he was elected President of the Council at the Hamilton-Wentworth, Canada meeting of the International Court Council.
LGBT activities
Since the early 70's, Thom (Panzi) has been a LGBTLGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
activist with various organizations including the Christopher Street Liberation Day Committee (known as Heritage of Pride
Heritage of Pride
Heritage of Pride is a wholly volunteer-managed, non-partisan, tax-exempt, non-profit organization that organizes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride events in New York City to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots...
today); GMHC and the Arts Project of Cherry Grove
Cherry Grove, New York
Cherry Grove is an unincorporated hamlet in the Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located on Fire Island, a barrier island separated from the southern side of Long Island by the Great South Bay...
. In the early 90's, Thom was the Executive Director of the Community Research Initiative (an HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS in the United States
[[File:New HIV Cases 22 States 2006 CDC.svg|thumb|300px|Estimated Number of New HIV Cases—22 States 2006...
Research Organization). He also has participated in almost every March on Washington, D.C. and most demonstrations in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Panzi continues to raise money for the LGBT community.
Film and television
Panzi has appeared in several films, several Off-Broadway Shows and most notably on Cable Television, as the wacky neighbor, Mary Ellen on the Brini MaxwellBrini Maxwell
Sabrina “Brini” Maxwell is a fictional character created by actor Ben Sander. Described by Guy Trebey of the Village Voice as the "prototypical, pre-feminist, 1960’s homemaker", Maxwell has also been described as a composite of Doris Day, Mary Tyler Moore, Auntie Mame, That Girl and Donna Reed and...
Show.