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What Queerty Is Thankful For This Year

By · 21 comments · Updated on November 27, 2009

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More than four years ago, Queerty launched as a blog for LGBTs who couldn’t find a certain spirit of news, entertainment, politics, sex, and sarcasm elsewhere on the web. Little did we know that four years later, we’d have so much to be thankful for. While our American readers sit down to celebrate Thanksgiving in some form today, we invite everyone to see what Queerty has to be thankful for this year. By no means is it a comprehensive or exhaustive list; it’s just a handful of things always on our mind as we blog along each day. We’ll see you tomorrow.

Dan Choi, Victor Fehrenbach, and our gay military heroes. You volunteered to put yourselves in harm’s way to protect our country. And now you’ve volunteered to become the spokespeople for untold thousands of gay men and women serving in the shadows. You’ve put a face on America’s endorsement of discrimination, and every day you’re helping change the minds of DADT’s supporters.

Myriam Mercado, Sirdeaner Walker, Masika Bermudez, and the family of August Provost. The mothers and loved ones of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, Jaheem Herrera, and Provost aren’t just keeping the memories of their slain sons alive, but they’re demanding Americans take anti-gay violence — and, particularly, school bullying — seriously. Like Judy Shepard before them, these women are heroes, and we couldn’t ask for more upstanding ladies to fight for children just to be nice to each other.

Jared Polis, Tammy Baldwin, and even Barney Frank. These out gay politicos didn’t let their sexuality stop them from taking public office, and they’re certainly not letting right-wing criticism stop them from spearheading gay rights legislation. Add the names of (straight allies) Kirsten Gillibrand and the late Ted Kennedy to our current class of civil rights fighters.

The Leffew Family. We feel like we’ve been watching this California family grow up before our eyes. With two gay dads and two adorable children, the Leffews show us that gay families are just as loving, safe, and capable of contributing to society as any other family. And they remind us the only thing that’s necessary to be a “traditional” family is to care about the people in it.

The promises of Barack Obama. We’re thankful that while running for this nation’s highest office, President Obama promised the gay community he would be our strongest ally, our fiercest advocate. And while he’s yet to seriously live up to that commitment, his own words give us all the more reason to demand he act on our behalf.

The models. Without beautiful people, there would be no Morning Goods. And without Morning Goods, there might be no reason for y’all to stop by … at least in the early hours.

Maggie Gallagher. It’s hard to be thankful for a woman who led an organization that raped our marriage rights away. And we’re not suffering any Stockholm Syndrome when we say that, were it not for folks like Gallagher, the extremism of anti-gay bigotry would not always be so self-evident. Giving it a face helps.

Our creator. Whether it’s God, some metaphysical spirit, or some other higher power that put us on earth, thanks. But more so, thanks for putting us here and loving us unconditionally, despite what many people who claim to worship you think of us.

Our readers. Were it not for each of you, there would be no reason to publish this website. You make our days entertaining, informative — and every so often, stressful! (In a good way!) And we’re thankful to have you along for the ride each and every day.

What are you thankful for?

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