News: Top 10 LGBTQ Stories That Made 2017
The past year had a lot of ups and downs, especially for the LGBTQ community. In just the space of a year, we’ve had to grapple with a concerted effort to exterminate gay men in Chechnya as well as the exclusion of our transgender brothers and sisters from the military. But it was also a year that saw another win for marriage equality, as well as election victories for transgender candidates.
As the year 2018 just started, let’s look back at some of the top stories that affected the LGBT community in 2017.
1. Donald Trump withdraws Obama-era guidelines on transgender students
Just a little over a month after his inauguration, Donald Trump proved himself to not be an ally of the LGBTQ community after he rescinded Obama-era guidelines that gave transgender students unfettered access to bathrooms and locker rooms that matched their gender identity. Aside from sparking protests across America, it also resulted in condemnation from transgender celebrities like Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner.
2. Moonlight wins Best Picture
The flub involving La La Land may be what people remember, but Moonlight’s wins and nominations at the 84th Academy Awards accomplished a number of things. Its Best Picture win made it the first LGBT film to win the award, as well as the first film with an all-black cast to do so. Mahershala Ali was also the first Muslim to win an acting Oscar, while Joi McMilon became the first black woman to be nominated for an editing Oscar.
No symbol has become more closely associated with the LGBTQ community like the rainbow flag, which was made and designed by American artist and gay rights activist Gilbert Baker. Baker was a US Army veteran who taught himself how to sew and eventually made a name for himself as a vexillographer (flag maker). He passed away of natural causes on March 31 of this year.
In news that horrified the world, the Chechen government began rounding up and detaining hundreds of gay men in Chechnya. When news first started to come out about these detentions, the Chechen government not only denied them, but even questioned whether there were any gay men in Chechnya at all. In a statement obtained by Radio Free Europe, Alvi Karimov, spokesman for Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, said that “You cannot arrest or repress people who just don’t exist in the republic.”
Gay rights groups from all over the world responded, raising money to help the gay men in danger of being rounded up. Adam4Adam was part of those efforts, and thanks to all of you A4A users, we were able to raise $15,000 to help Rainbow Railroad get Chechen gay men to safety.
5. Trump bans transgender people from the military
Aside from rolling back protections for transgender students, Trump also signed a directive banning transgender people from serving in the military. In a series of tweets that came out in July, Trump claimed allowing transgender people in the military would burden the institution with “tremendous medical costs and disruption”. A month later, Trump signed the directive that formalized his tweets as government policy. The policy has encountered strong opposition, with opponents successfully obtaining a court order prohibiting the ban from being enacted.
6. CDC declares undetectable HIV viral load can’t be transmitted
Progress is continually being made with regards to HIV, and one of the biggest developments to come out in 2017 was the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) announcement that people who have an undetectable HIV viral load have no risk of sexually transmitting the virus to an HIV-negative partner. “No risk” means the person with HIV poses no danger of infecting his partner, even if he has sex without a condom or he’s not using PrEP. That said, the CDC also points out that lower income and educational levels, as well as stigma and discrimination directed towards those infected with HIV, prevents those infected from seeking treatment and prevention services.
7. Kevin Spacey comes out amid sexual assault allegations
A lot of people suspected, but it was only late into the year that Kevin Spacey finally came out of the closet as a gay men. But a decision that would have usually been met with support and encouragement was met with condemnation instead, as Spacey only came out after fellow actor Anthony Rapp came forward with allegations that Spacey had assaulted him when he was just 14-years-old. Since then, more people have come forward with allegations against Spacey, resulting in his firing from House of Cards and the Ridley Scott movie, All The Money In The World.
8. Marriage equality becomes law in Australia
Australia made marriage equality the law of the land after a postal survey conducted by the government showed that Australians were massively in favor of same-sex marriage. Those in favor of marriage equality made up 61.6% of the votes, with those against making up only 38.4% of the votes. On December 7, the Australian parliament voted overwhelmingly to legalize same-sex marriage, with only four parliamentarians voting against it.
9. Call Me By Your Name gains awards season buzz
Moonlight’s critical success may not be a one-time deal as yet another film exploring the gay experience has caught the attention of critics and audiences alike. Luca Guadgnino’s sensual coming-of-age film has propelled its stars, Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet , into the spotlight. The film has also earned three Golden Globe nominations and is practically a shoo-in for a number of Oscar nominations as well.
10. Transgender politicians win big
Trump and his administration may have relentlessly attacked transgender people in the past year, but the first US elections held under his administration showed that the transgender community is definitely pushing back. The lion’s share of the coverage went to Danica Roem, who won a seat in the Virginia state legislature. It’s the highest elected office ever for a transgender candidate. Aside from Roem, four other transgender candidates were voted onto city councils in Minneapolis, Doraville, Georgia, Palm Springs, California, and to a Pennsylvania school board.
What other news stories do you think should have made the list? Share your thoughts and suggestions with us in the comments section below!
As a gay man, I really don’t care about about “TQ”. LGBTQ just wants to put people who are as different from each other as night and day into one little closet.
I have no problem with the transgender ban.
I am a gay man who proudly voted for Trump. Cue the flame war responses if necessary, but I think for myself.
I’m in agreement, Matt
A typical trump cult member…I don’t care about anybody but myself. Sad!
And that response is classic narcissism.
Agreed. Voted for Trump.as well. When I looked at how our last Administration heightened terrorism, promoted putting nuclear armament into unstable hands, increased racial tensions, made healthcare costs skyrocket, sent US jobs overseas with poorly negotiated economic deals, and the Democratic Party was only offering a candidate who would do the same, there was no choice. Trump offered the only chances for “Hope and Change”. He is difficult to support on a number of issues, and I can’t agree with some of this positions, but he has made several changes for the betterment of the US and the world … unpopular as those have been for some who hang their votes on single/few issues (which is of course their right).
It’s obvious you only think for yourself and not the rest of the US citizens. Very selfish gay man you are. Even if you don’t understand transgender, to deny them rights is plain awful, you know, the way people always want to deny gay rights all the time. Remember that not long ago the Republican party was doing all they can to not allow gay marriage.
exactly my point of view as well anonimatovato.
What’s obvious is that you and Dave only think about your own narrow views. Nuclear, racial , economic, healthcare issues relate to ALl people. No one who is concerned with them is selfish. President Trump was given the Presidency because of the single issue thinking you and Dave are mired in. LGTBQs need come out of their box and be ready to be equal with, not more special than, every one else.
blabla…
I agree with you Matt. The Left is trying very hard to Psychological manipulate people. Everyones a victim. Keep thinking for yourself and avoid the dangerous group think.
Would you consider doing a survey poll or article about men discriminating against other men with a smaller penis?
I, too, am overdone with the whole Trans thing, which has very little to do with being gay, and much more to do with mental illness. A hetero woman who transitions to being a “man” does not suddenly become gay. It was a huge mistake to take them into our vulnerable community before we were completely socially and politically secure. We now stand to lose our basic rights because of them. The non-elected “leaders” of the gay community decided to adopt them for us, without asking us, without our agreement. How dare they. And now it has been enshrined in law, at least for the moment. These self-mutilating medical mutants are just plain freaks, sad to say.
Do we now have to believe in the perceived reality of schizophrenics and psychotics? Same thing.
The whole gender questioning caused by this is an undue, unfair burden on young people, and it pushes straights to be even moreso, more macho, more nasty. But the trans people I have encountered online, if you don’t support/agree with them, they are the nastiest. Everything in the world has to revolve around them and their needs. Fuck them. No don’t, they have vaginas. Yecch. Worst of all, they invade our porn and dating sites, not always even disclosing what they really are.
Kevin Spacey was outed years ago!
I think your choices were kind of dumb.
They can say the same thing about you being gay.
A transwoman who confronted Caitlyn Jenner is running for Assembly District 54 in Califormia! Look out for that one!
Also, a black transwoman and a transman were elected in Minneapolis. I had no idea about the transperson elected in Georgia
I’ve never understood why transgenders are classified in the same group as gays. Transgenders have nothing to do with homosexuality.
LGBTQ is not about if YOU want to include a person to another one….they are already included… and don’t need your opinion about if you want to include them or not….
Any gay person that voted for Trump, should hopefully now see that he is a complete and total liar. He will say absolutely anything he thinks you want to hear to get whatever he wants from you, and then he will completely sell ypu down the river and leave you holding the bill for the canoe. He has done this so much in his private business life that if you even did a google search you’d know he has screwed over THOUSANDS of tradesmen and companies knowing that if they sue him, he could drag out the lawsuits for years to the point that they’d go bankrupt from lawyer’s fees and creditors on the supplies they used on his job that he won’t pay them for! If you don’t think he would do this to homosexuals, look what he did to transgender people. He said that “transgender people couldn’t have a better friend than Trump” and see how long that lasted. I know the choices really sucked last election and I am NOT a fan of Hillary, but this conservative congress and president is aiming to set us back 200 years in science, climate, women’s and minority rights, abortion rights, worker’s rights and many other places where we’ve won hard earned victories over many years of struggles. Please get out and vote this midterm. If you don’t like the candidate that the opposition puts up, then find a better candidate or run yourself! We need to block these people who want to send us back to the 1800’s, or as they call them “the good ‘ol days.” Back when blacks were slaves, when women were property and knew their place, and back when being gay would get you lynched by mob rule.