Pouring over a year’s worth of stories, there’s plenty to get discouraged over. Homophobia, discrimination and persecution remain steady themes in LGBT media. But there’s also so much to feel good about!
These are the stories we love to share, about people we’re overwhelmingly proud to call our brothers, sisters, friends or allies.
And 2014 was a great year for people doing incredible things.
Here are our top ten picks:
Students Drown Out Antigay Hate Preacher With Inspiring Love Ballad
A preacher visited campus to condemn sinful acts like homosexuality, drinking and listening to ungodly music — you know, college. It’s how students reacted that really got us.
Nine-Year-Old Girl Writes Letter To Her Gay Teacher, Totally Nails It
File this under d’awww: A 9-year-old girl handwrote her teacher this letter after he came out during a class lesson on homophobia, and it’s safe to say she aced this one.
This Kid’s Rap About Transgender Acceptance Is Just Plain Perfect
Alex can’t be more than eight years old, but he seems armed with all the confidence in the world as he raps his story of coming out as transgender.
Viral Sensation Brendan Jordan Gives Queen Latifah Club Kid Flashbacks. “This Is Life!”
This queen has Drag Race season 18 written all over her.
Meet The Most Influential Transgender Teenager Of 2014
In a landmark year for transgender visibility in the media, Jazz Jennings stands out for how much she’s already accomplished.
High School Jock Comes Out By Slow Dancing With The Homecoming King
This just screams feel-good tearjerker, and even comes complete with a Taylor Swift soundtrack. How very now.
Gay Couple Ties The Knot After An Awe-Inspiring 72 Years Together
Vivian Boyack and Alice “Nonie” Dubes shared their first kiss in Yule, Iowa. The year was 1942.
Dad Accidentally Discovers His Teenage Son Is Gay And Handles It Like A Real Man
Luckily, there are dads like this one out there in the world.
An Ex-Gay Therapist Was No Match For This Amazing Harvard Law School Student
We love when logic prevails, and we love it even more when someone as adorable is this makes it happen.
Asti now wants to win her case, not just for the money owed her, but for “the act of humanity which is necessary here.”
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
Thank you to Viral Sensation Brendan Jordan who by dint of his unique and exceptional talent has inspired fem gay boys everywhere to become the brain surgeons, rocket scientists, serious artists of tomorrow. A role model indeed.
jantheman4903
yes he is unique isn’t he? noone has ever created a persona based on other people and refused to show a real one before. god he is obnoxious. i do wish him the best i just turn the channel.
aliengod
@PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID: LOL
JDJase
So the Editors of Queerty — Oh, excuse me, the “Edirots” according to the signature — were tasked with finding the most inspiring stories of the whole year but couldn’t be bothered looking for anything older than 2 months?
craigbrew2
Viral Sensation Brendan Jordan should NOT be held up as an inspiration. He is a kid crying out for attention and just like any child who throws a temper tantrum he should be disciplined. We as a community should say it is OK to be yourself but there are some standards that everyone should live up to. He is obnoxious and annoying. This is not something that we should say is OK.
IvanPH
Brendan Jordan? Ugh. You picked this shallow queen over Michael Sam?
Annoying freak does nothing but bring gay stereotypes to whole new levels. How is that inspiring?!
Where is the story about the massive counterprotest done by the University of Missouri students to defend Michael Sam against the Westboro Baptist Cult?
Where is the story about sportscaster Dale Hansen lashing out against the homophobia, hypocrisy and double standards of the sports industry?
Where is the story about the huge protests against Arizona’s “license to discriminate” bill that forced AZ gov Brewer to veto it?
Jacob23
Half of these supposedly inspiring stories have nothing to do with being gay, but are about people who identify as the opposite sex or people who engage in crossdressing. The gay man in Australia who lost his life trying to disarm a terrorist doesn’t make the cut of inspiring stories. Nor did the 20 year old gay man from Georgia who was brutally thrown out of his home, but who used the situation to raise awareness and money for homeless youth. These gay people aren’t inspiring apparently, and were left off the list to make room for a story about a transsexual who rapped in a video and another transsexual who was all upset about available pooping venues.