Sandra Fluke -- birth control championing attorney, Rush Limbaugh target and all-around kick-ass lady -- is under consideration to be TIME Magazine's 2012 Person Of The Year, the magazine announced on November 26th.
Given Fluke's highly publicized activism earlier this year, it is perhaps unsurprising that she's attracted some outspoken critics. She testified in front of House Democrats arguing that religiously-affiliated institutions' health insurance plans for employees and students should be required to cover birth control.
However, Fluke has also won the support of women around the country, from celebrities like Martha Plimpton to college students.
At HuffPost Women, we're in the latter camp. To celebrate Fluke's TIME nomination, we've complied six reasons to love Sandra Fluke:
1. She is one of the only people Rush Limbaugh has ever apologized to -- and she rejected it.
2. She champions other women. When HuffPost Women asked Fluke at the 2012 Glamour Women of the Year Awards how she was brave enough to do what she did, she answered:
"What I did doesn't compare to what either [Ruth Bader Ginsburg or Zaha Hadid] did. But what I find amazing -- I was thinking about Erin [Merryn], the awardee that stepped forward and talked about the abuse that she had suffered and has done so much for young girls and young boys as well that makes it possible for them to come forward and talk about it. It just exemplifies what we can all do. We can all step forward and face what we're afraid of, and people will support us when we do that. It’s so amazing to see so many women tonight who have done that."
3. She is willing to cross political lines for what she believes is right. When Clueless actress Stacey Dash tweeted an endorsement of Mitt Romney only to be met with racist attacks, Fluke defended Dash:
4. Did we mention she's gracious? When she got engaged to her long-term boyfriend in the aftermath of her testimony and Limbaugh's attack, she told the Daily Beast that, "having dated for over eight years, we're just excited that our friends and family were kind enough to pretend to be surprised at our engagement. We're really looking forward to spending the next eight years planning our wedding."
5. Despite all the attention, she remains accessible. She has a Tumblr where she allows fans to ask her anything. She also posts personal anecdotes she receives on how important access to affordable birth control is for women.
6. Oh, and this:
Did we miss anything? Why do you love Sandra Fluke? Tell us in the comments!