10 – Lady Gaga skrivar “Born This Way”
With lyrics like “Don’t be a drag, just be a queen” and “No matter gay, straight or bi/ Lesbian, transgendered life/ I’m on the right track, baby/ I was born to survive,” it’s clear that Lady Gaga is singing for those in the LGBT community who feel disenfranchised on her new track “Born This Way.”
“This one has more gay anthem element than most gay friendly songs,” says Gabe Liedman, comedian and pop-culture. “It calls out every color of the rainbow, like specifically, vocally. Everything’s in there. It’s got it all and it’s got a beat. It’s familiar, but it’s new. It’s Gaga. She’s got something in there for everyone, so hopefully people are into it … I think you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck, a lot of big gay noise that’s going on.”
9 – Zachary Quinto kemur út
In October, the Star Trek actor Zachary Quinto came out as gay. On his blog, Quinto wrote that the recent suicide of gay 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer had spurred him to be open.
Don Lemon, the CNN anchorman who appears in 100 million US homes also came out at the age of 45.
8 – 14 ára gamli Jamey Rodemeyer tekur lív sítt
In September, 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer killed himself after suffering homophobic bullying. He had blogged regularly about being taunted at school and messages were left on his Formspring account calling him “gay and ugly” and encouraging him to kill himself.
In November, local police said no charges would be faced by those who had allegedly bullied the teenager.
Lady Gaga called for a “law for Jamey” to ban bullying, saying: “I am meeting with our president. I will not stop fighting. This must end. Our generation has the power to end it.” She later announced the launch of the Born This Way Foundation.
7 – Sarah vinnur danska X Factor og gerast ein LGBT fyrimynd
Den kun 15-årige Sarah, der er sprunget ud som lesbisk for åben skærm, er blevet et forbillede for unge piger. Selvom hun kun er 15 år, er X Factor-deltageren Sarah allerede et forbillede for mange unge danske piger. For pigen med rock-attituden, det korte hår og den dybe stemme, har i fuld offentlighed og for åben skærm erkendt, at hun er lesbisk.
Det har resulteret i utallige henvendelser fra piger på hendes egen alder, der vil vide, hvor hun har modet fra. – Der er mange, der skriver, at det er sejt, og at det er flot, at jeg tør åbne mig så meget, siger Sarah og fortsætter.
– Der er nogle, der har skrevet, at jeg er et forbillede for dem, fordi jeg tør stå ved mig selv. Men for mig var det at springe ud ikke bare noget, jeg turde. Det var noget, jeg kun kunne gøre, fordi jeg hviler i mig selv, siger Sarah, der er ønsker, at hendes åbenhed kan inspirere andre til at få de svære ting sagt.
Hun har også været meget åben omkring sit behov for at få sin fars accept, og det er noget, der har ramt danskerne lige i hjertekulen.
– Mange skriver, at de fik tårer i øjnene, da jeg fortalte om mit forhold til min far, siger hun.
Og fordi danskerne gider at bruge tid på at fortælle hende, hvor sej, de synes, hun er, så gør Sarah også meget ud af at få svaret alle dem, der skriver til hende – både på hendes fanside og på hendes private facebook.
6 – Samkyndir menn kunnu aftur lata blóð í Bretlandi (uttan í Norður Írlandi)
The lifetime ban on gay men donating blood was lifted in November, although Northern Ireland did not make the same changes to its rules. A 12-month deferral period was introduced in place of the ban, meaning gay men will be eligible to donate blood so long as they have not been sexually active in the preceding year.
5 – “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” politikkurin verður alment avtikin í amerikanska herinum
The ban known as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, which allowed gays and lesbians to serve in the military if they kept their sexual orientation a secret, came to an end in September.
It was passed in 1993 during Bill Clinton’s presidency, and was seen as a compromise on the issue.
A statement to troops said: “The law is repealed. From this day forward, gay and lesbian soldiers may serve in our Army with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
4 – Amerikanska stjórnin lovar at viðgera LGBT rættindi í altjóða politiskum høpi
In December, instructions issued by the Obama administration called for the first time on US government agencies to consider gay rights when deciding aid and asylum cases.
Hillary Clinton delivered a groundbreaking speech to a United Nations summit in Geneva following the US’ declaration that its agencies will challenge the criminalisation of gay acts and LGBT identity overseas.
She said: “Some seem to believe it is a western phenomenon and therefore people outside the west have grounds to reject it.
“Well, in reality gay people are born into and belong to every society in the world.
“They are all ages, all races, all faiths, they are doctors and teachers, farmers and bankers, soldiers and athletes.
“Whether we know it, whether we acknowledge it, they are our family, our friends and our neighbours.
“Being gay is not a western invention, it is a human reality.”
3 – Amerikanski staturin New York dagførir sína hjúnabandslóg
After long negotiations in the New York this summer, the state senate voted 33-29 in favour of becoming the sixth US state to legalise gay marriage. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg officiated at the marriage of two of his aides at the Gracie Mansion on the shores of the East River. In August, officials estimated that gay couples were making up a quarter of all marriage applications.
2 – Konservativi flokkurin fer at dagføra hjúnabandslógina í Englandi í komandi ár
In September 2011, the government announced a consultation on how to introduce equal marriage rights for gay couples would take place in March 2012. A Downing Street source said prime minister David Cameron had “personally intervened” to ensure that the consultation takes place and that the law is changed within the lifetime of this parliament.
During his speech to the Conservative Party conference, Mr Cameron said: “To anyone who has reservations, I say this: Yes, it’s about equality, but it’s also about something else: commitment. Conservatives believe in the ties that bind us; that society is stronger when we make vows to each other and support each other.
“So I don’t support gay marriage in spite of being a Conservative. I support gay marriage because I am a Conservative.”
The decision for the government to back gay civil marriage came after a high profile campaign led by the human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell to question the current bans on gay marriage and straight civil partnerships in the European Court of Human Rights. The current government plans do not however extend to either gay religious marriage or straight civil partnerships.
1 – Danska stjórnin avgerð at dagføra hjúnarbandslógina í Danmark í 2012
Regeringen beslutter, at homoseksuelle par fremover vil kunne indgå ægteskab og kunne kalde sig ægtefæller, hvis de vælger at blive gift – både i kirken og på rådhuset. Søren Laursen, retspolitisk talsperson i organisationen LGBT Danmark, har store forventninger til fremtiden med det regeringsgrundlag, som den nye regering har præsenteret.
Keldur: The Advocate, PinkNews, Out, Out & About og Politikken