Reasons to Have Pride in 2012, Part 1

We came out, we saw ourselves in media, and we conquered hearts and minds in the last year. From major wins to small victories, here is the first of four parts of 181 reasons to feel proud of not being straight and narrow.

BY Advocate Contributors

May 15 2012 6:00 AM ET

Because “don’t ask, don’t tell” is history

Last September, the 18-year-old policy that was supposed to make life better for gay and lesbian troops but didn’t was finally consigned to the dustbin of history, thanks to the tenacity of activists and political allies. Activists aren’t taking it easy, instead turning their efforts toward assuring trans and intersex individuals an equal right to fight for their country, and persuading the government to recognize military members’ same-sex marriages. Gay service members did take time to celebrate, as evidenced by the many photos of them joyously kissing their spouses, providing same-sex equivalents of the iconic kiss captured by Life magazine photographer Alfred Eisenstadt at the end of World War II.