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| LGBT people made great progress during 2015, but there’s more work that needs to be done in the United States and around the world. Photo: Elvert Barnes | FlickrCC. |
A lot of wonderful things have happened for the LGBT community in 2015, including the national legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States. But that doesn’t mean the fight for LGBT equality is done. There’s a lot of work left to do yet, and with so many good things happening for the nation’s LGBT people, a strong backlash is to be expected. So let’s head into the New Year with fresh memory of what we accomplished and the inspiration and understanding of what needs to happen next.
The United States wasn’t the only country to legalize same-sex marriage.
Members from both the Democratic and Republican parties came together to sign Ken Mehlman’s pro-LGBT amicus brief in the U.S., but major strides were also made in Ireland, Luxembourg, Greenland, some Mexican states, and South Africa, where gay marriage was also legalized. More countries around the globe are supporting LGBT rights and equality, and other countries are likely to follow suit in 2016.
The Boy Scouts of America now allows gay members.
Following years of bans on both gay scout leaders and members, the organization relented in 2015 and lifted the ban. Troop leaders will still be able to choose scout leaders based on their personal criteria, but it’s important that the organization itself no longer opposes LGBT rights or membership.
The trans community gained more visibility than it’s ever had.
Because of Olympian and TV personality Caitlyn Jenner, actress Laverne Cox, improvements to healthcare that will cover transition surgeries, and television programs like Transparent, people are talking about transgender rights. Though there have been more crimes committed against and more murders of trans people this year, a social media campaign put together by Cox and fellow transgender activist Janet Mock promotes a simple message: “not one more.”
Anti-gay therapy groups could be banned.
After the conversion therapy group JONAH was found guilty of consumer fraud because it could not “cure” several young men of their homosexuality, a bill to ban such conversion therapy organizations was introduced to Congress. This piece of legislation, called the Therapeutic Fraud Protection Act, states that taking money for conversion therapy attempts or any advertising for such attempts would be considered fraud and dealt with accordingly.
Here’s to a robust new year that continues to see progress and equality for all.
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