Our 2020 Reflection

It's safe to say 2020 has not been the easiest year. We've gone from Australia catching fire, to murder hornets, a universal pandemic, and on top of it all; an election. 

In this hectic storm of events, it is more important than ever to find the things we are grateful for. Whether we learned something new, met someone important, or just got to slow down a bit and live in the moment, it is time to reflect back and truly appreciate the little things. What has gone right this year? 

January

Same-sex marriage legislation goes fully into effect in Northern Ireland

A law allowing third gender option on driver licenses took effect in New Hampshire

February

Croatia's top court ruled blocking gay couples from fostering children as unconstitutional, making fostering legal for gay couples in Croatia, overruling part of a law regarding the foster system introduced in 2018 that barred gay couples from fosteringFo

March

In Virginia, the governor signed a bill into law that banned conversion therapy for minors

April

Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Sark, France

May

Same-sex marriage became legal in Costa Rica

June

The Supreme Court extended federal job protections provided to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender workers in a 6-3 ruling

July

Scotland becomes the first country in the world to add LGBTQ+ history to school curriculum

Sudan has abolished the death penalty for homosexuality

Instagram blocks the promotion of ‘conversion therapy’ 

August

A federal judge blocked an effort by the Trump administration to erase protections for transgender patients against discrimination by doctors, hospitals and health insurance companies

September

LGBTQ+ inclusive lessons are now mandatory in all schools across England

October

Pope Francis expressed support for same-sex civil unions, a significant break from his predecessors that staked out new ground for the church in its recognition of gay people

November

Sarah McBride became the First Transgender State Senator in U.S. History

Nevada became the first state to constitutionally protect same-sex marriage  

Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States 

December

Elliot Page, Oscar-nominated Juno star, comes out as transgender

Lawmakers in Bhutan voted to amend a line from Bhutan’s penal code that criminalizes “sodomy or any other sexual conduct that is against the order of nature” 

Hig Roberts, a two-time U.S. national champion, becomes the first elite men’s Alpine skier to publicly come out as gay, hoping to encourage others to be themselves

Britain announced that it would loosen restrictions on blood donation by gay and bisexual men beginning next year, a shift hailed by activists who have long fought rules they described as discriminatory

Over 370 international spiritual leaders signed a declaration demanding a global ban on disputed conversion therapy

In Conclusion… 

While the world may seem to be in a dark place, we have to remind ourselves that this is all temporary. It is now more important than ever to remember what makes us human. 2020 definitely brought us challenges, but we have to be optimistic and look at the wins as well. At Pride Palace, we will continue fighting to spread love and understanding through our presence on every social media platform. We are so proud and thankful to have witnessed our community of love grow and spread to people of all continents and identities. No matter what happens in the future, Pride Palace will continue to grow alongside the LGBTQ+ amazing community. Have a Happy New Year!

By Paloma Pinto