2012 and the LGBT Community

2012 was a really big year for the LGBT community. We're seeing more and more coverage and support for equal rights and LGBT issues throughout the United States and in Canada.

The USA came a long way. Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington now recognize equal marriage, totaling 8 states that now recognize full marriage equality for the gay and lesbian community, while another 10 states recognize some form of civil unions.  

President Barack Obama has said he supports full marriage equality across all 50 states. 


Gay rights have become a mainstream social issue, with giant corporations taking sides. Chick-Fil-A took sides against gay marriage, and then announced "Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day" which was met with  resistance from the LGBT community and their supporters. Eventually Chick-Fil-A did some back pedaling when Joe Moreno (Alderman of Chicago’s 1st Ward) disallowed the franchise to enter Chicago based on their discriminatory policies. 

JC Penny hired lesbian Ellen DeGeneres to be their spokesperson, and a handful of a few thousand women calling themselves "One Million Moms" campaigned for a widespread boycott against JC Penny as a result. JC Penny reiterated their support for Ellen, saying that Ellen shares the same values that JC Penny was founded on 110 years ago, which is to "treat people the way you would like to be treated yourself, fair and square".  According to their website, One Million Moms has recently "moved on". 

We've seen a pretty steep increase in gay people on TV throughout 2012. Glee, Grey's Anatomy, Modern Family, The New Normal all just some of the mainstream programming to feature gay and/or lesbian characters, as well as discussing issues relevant to the gay and lesbian community.

2012 has seen the "It Gets Better" project, which was started in response to a number of gay youth who took their own lives.  Thousands of celebrities, educational institutions, political parties and organizations have created videos and messages directed towards gay youth, spreading the message that life gets better, please stay alive to see it. 

In North America and worldwide, the mainstream is shifting focus in favor of marriage equality and is now seeing discrimination against the gay and lesbian community as civil and human rights issues.  

2012 was not all good news for members of the LGBT community. Uganda has set to pass a new anti-gay law, which originally set the death penalty against individuals found guilty of "aggravated homosexuality". They have unofficially struck the death penalty from the bill, however jail time and severe penalties will still remain. 

We are still fighting for gay rights and equality locally and worldwide. LGBT individuals are still fighting hard under the discrimination of religious groups, state laws and unkind individuals in the community. Homophobia is all around us. And yet, I see hope. I see a shift in awareness and acceptance. I believe that 2012 was an incredible for those fighting for LGBT rights and equality. I also believe that 2013 and 2014 will be equally as important. So stay tuned, and do what you can to keep the fight moving in the right direction in your community and worldwide.

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I am thankful.

I haven’t written in ages, and to be honest it is because I have had a lot going on in these last few weeks and just haven’t been able to write. Chris of “From the bungalow” suggested that I write about things I appreciate and am grateful for. So here goes:

I am thankful for optimism. Optimism allows me to see that losing my job was a blessing. Optimism shows me that being laid off is an opportunity to get new training and start a new career path doing something better. Optimism allows me to see that change can be positive.

I am thankful for courage. Courage allows me to take a chance, to lift my foot in a step towards a new career path. Courage lets me move beyond the fear of change into action. Courage gives me the freedom to create a new and better future.

I am thankful for my family, who let me know that I will always have a roof over my head, food to eat, and our basic needs met, even if we’re all broke and have so little to offer. I am thankful for my family who let me know I am safe, even if I fail.

I am thankful for my heart. My heart jumps in and loves freely, trusts until given reason not to, and loves with such intensity that it sometimes feels like it’ll kill me. I am thankful for my big, open, giving heart; my heart that is willing to risk being hurt, that gives others the benefit of the doubt, and still believes in love.

I am thankful for my strength. Strength allows me to recognize when a relationship is not healthy. Strength gives me the power to let go of love when that love is toxic. I am thankful for the strength to create healthy boundaries in my life, and to know that I am okay on my own. I am thankful for the strength to walk away, and expect better.

I am thankful for my friendships. I am thankful for the friends I have who will put on the tea kettle, or will meet me at the beach, and sit with me and listen to me and hear out my thoughts. I am thankful for my friends who allow me to speak about my concerns, my fears, and my dreams and then affirm me for all of it and allow me to follow whatever path feels right, without judging me.

I am thankful for the friends who will hold up a mirror and remind me of who I am, even after I’ve forgotten. Those friends who will pick me up and put me on my feet and show me that it is still a beautiful day. I am thankful for friends who show me how wonderful I am, that will love me forever, and will always be on my side, even if I am wrong. I am thankful for my forever friends, for demonstrating what real love looks like.

I am thankful for my son. My son allows me to see that day-to-day life doesn’t stop. My son shows me that no matter how I feel, I need to get out of bed, get dressed, and get moving. My son reminds me to live in the moment, and see each moment as the gift it really is. My son shows me that I am strong, and that I can do anything.

I am thankful for you, my community of adventurers. I am thankful for the space we have created to be positive, supportive and supported. I am thankful that even when I can’t write, you stick around. I am thankful for every twitter reply, Facebook comment, and question you ask me. I am thankful that you talk amongst yourselves in the comments sometimes. I am thankful that our community is so diverse. I am thankful for every man, woman, and otherwise individual who is reading this. I am thankful each time you share an article that moves you. I am thankful for every new “like” on Facebook. I am thankful to be reaching you, and more so thankful that you reach back.

I am thankful for my life. It is beautiful, and filled with so much love and support.