193 Reasons to Have Pride: Part 3

 Because
THE MAJORITY RULES — IN OUR FAVOR
Granted, the rights of a minority shouldn’t be subject to a popular vote, but we couldn’t help being happy when support for marriage equality broke the 50% barrier in recent CNN and Washington Post/ABC News polls. And as the torch passes to a new generation, young people’s open-mindedness on all things LGBT makes the future look brighter.

Because
OF AWESOME, SUPPORTIVE CHILDREN
When University of Iowa engineering student Zach Wahls stood up to the Iowa house of representatives the day before it advanced a measure that could give voters the right to decide if marriage rights for the state’s same-sex couples should be repealed, he provided proof that kids raised by gay couples are no different from those in any American family. “The sense of family comes from the commitment we make to each other,” he said in his rousing speech (the YouTube video had 1.76 million views at press time), “to work through the hard times so we can enjoy the good ones. It comes from the love that binds us. That’s what makes a family. So what you’re voting on is not going to change us.”

 Because
WE’RE HILARIOUS, EVEN WHEN PICKETING
While we are serving a purpose by marching in the streets and rallying for marriage equality, funny protest signs displaying outlandish quotes from Deuteronomy, jokes about the many loves of Elizabeth Taylor and Liza Minnelli, and cracks on the religious right certainly help ease the tension.

 Because
LESBIANS AND BI WOMEN WILL WHIP YOUR BUTT INTO SHAPE
Body by Jake’s got nothing on tough, toned ladies like Jackie Warner, Briana Stockton, Shawnee Harkins, Jillian Michaels (pictured), and, of course, Susan Powter.