There were huge ways that LGBT people made gains this year. Alex Temblador counts them out.
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January 4, 2015
Austria allows same-sex couples to adopt.
January 20, 2015
President Obama uses the word “transgender” in a State of the Union address, the first for any U.S. president.
January 21, 2015
Israel now allows transgender persons to legally change their gender without gender-reassignment surgery.
February 18, 2015
Kate Brown of Oregon becomes the first openly bisexual governor in the U.S.
March 4, 2015
Same sex marriage becomes legal in Slovenia.
March 17, 2015
Marked the first time an LGBT group was allowed to march in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City.
March 31, 2015
Tokyo’s Shibuya ward is the first in Japan and East Asia to offer same-sex partnerships.
April 8, 2015
The White House provides its first gender neutral bathroom to be inclusive of transgender employees and visitors.
April 22, 2015
Andreja Pejic became the first openly transgender model to be featured on the cover of Vogue.
May 2, 2015
Hawaii passed a bill that allows transgender individuals to change gender on birth certificate without showing proof of gender reassignment surgery.
May 17, 2015
Costa Rica bans LGBT discrimination in some contexts like
May 23, 2015
Ireland passes same-sex marriage in a country-wide vote.
May 28, 2015
Even though homosexuality is a crime in India, the first commercial to feature a lesbian couple was released and went viral.
June 1, 2015
Obama declared June as LGBT Pride Month.
June 3, 2015
The release of the Midnighter comic book series was significant in that it became the first comic book to headline a gay character.
June 4, 2015
Philadelphia raises a transgender pride flag for the first time.
June 5, 2015
Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko becomes the first Ukranian president to ever talk about LGBT rights, and when he does so, he shows support to LGBT activists.
June 8, 2015
Chris Mosier became the first openly transgender athlete to join a U.S. national team that matches their gender identity.
June 9, 2015
The Military Equal Opportunity policy is extended to include gay service members.
June 9, 2015
Guam legalized same sex marriage.
June 12, 2015
Mexico’s Supreme Court recognized same-sex marriage for the first time (though it doesn’t become a national law).
June 24, 2015
Stonewall Inn gets landmark status.
June 26, 2015
Same-sex marriage becomes legal in the United States.
June 29, 2015
Mozambique decriminalizes homosexuality.
July 13, 2015
The U.S. military announces that it will start working to remove the transgender ban.
July 27, 2015
Boys Scouts of America removes the ban that restricted openly gay scout leaders and employees.
August 18, 2015
White House hired an openly transgender staff member.
August 20,, 2015
Conversion therapy banned in Illinois.
September 18, 2015
Obama nominates Eric Fanning, the first openly gay U.S. Army secretary.
October 16, 2015
The first LGBT Family playground was built in Florida.
November 4, 2015
Colombia allows same sex adoption.
November 10, 2015
Dallas, Texas, passes a non-discrimination law that protects transgender persons.
November 12, 2015
Ukraine bans LGBT discrimination in the workplace.
Last but not least…
As of today, 49 out of 50 states in the United States allow same sex adoption, and as of now a fight is currently underway in Mississippi, the only state with a same-sex adoption ban, to bring equal rights to all parents across the United States.
Originally appeared on The Next Family.
Top Photo: Flickr/Dylan