Sandra Fluke to Speak at THR’s Women in Entertainment Breakfast

The Hollywood Reporter has announced that women’s rights activist Sandra Fluke will address the audience at the 21st annual THR Women In Entertainment Breakfast.

In addition, Mindy Kaling will welcome guests and actress Kerry Washington will introduce THR‘s Big Brothers and Big Sisters mentorship program.

VIDEO: THR’s 2011 Women in Entertainment Breakfast Highlights

The breakfast, which will take place Dec. 5 at the Beverly Hills Hotel, will coincide with the launch of THR‘s annual list of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Entertainment, which hits stands the same day. Diane Keaton will also be on hand at the event to receive this year’s Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, which recognizes a woman in the entertainment industry who is a pioneer, mentor and philanthropist.

“We’re thrilled to have big newsmakers and fresh voices such as Mindy, Kerry and Sandra as part of our legendary THR Women in Entertainment breakfast, especially in a year where politics, Hollywood and women’s issues uniquely intersected,” says THR Editorial Director Janice Min. 

Fluke, a 31-year-old former Georgetown University law student, has campaigned against gender inequity, human trafficking and domestic violence. She unwittingly rose to national prominence during the 2012 election season after a stunning verbal attack from conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, who called her a “slut” and “prostitute” for advocating insurance coverage of contraceptives and complaining after Republicans blocked her from testifying at a congressional hearing on birth control. The Democratic party later invited Fluke to be a featured speaker at its 2012 national convention.

Fluke, a native of Saxton, Pa., also earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, where she majored in policy analysis and management and feminist, gender and sexuality studies, in 2003. She is among a group of newsmakers currently being considered for Time magazine’s Person of the Year.

VIDEO: THR Women in Entertainment Attendees Answer: What Makes a Power Leader?

Kaling is the creator and star of Fox’s The Mindy Project, making her one of a very select group of women under 40 to serve as showrunner for a major network series. She also made waves for her work as writer, actor and producer on The Office, which earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award as well as a Writers Guild of America Award.

Award-winning actor Washington is the star of ABC’s political thriller Scandal and a political activist who also was tapped to speak at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. She’s appeared on Broadway in David Mamet’s Race, as well as in Howard Zinn’s documentary, The People Speak.

As the Sherry Lansing Award recipient, Keaton joins a roster of women that includes last year’s honoree, Jane Fonda, as well as Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep, Halle Berry, Jodie Foster, Glenn Close and Barbara Walters.