Moments of Joy from 2020

In no particular order:

❤ Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Northern Ireland and on Feb 11, 2020 Robyn Peoples and Sharni Edwards become the first legal same-sex married couple.

❤ Alexandra Quiros and Dunia Araya are the first same-sex couple to marry in Costa Rica, as a result of a ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice. Costa Rica is the first country in Central America to recognize same-sex marriage. 

❤ In the west African country of Gabon, the parliament removes the provision in the penal code that criminalizes homosexuality, following a lower house vote on June 23rd.

❤ The LGBTQIA2S+ community took to twitter with the #Proudboys displacing any posts made by the neo Nazi, white supremist group. Proving once again love triumphs hate. 

❤ In a historic first, 36 countries from all regions of the world called on the UN Human Rights Council to protect intersex persons in their bodily autonomy and right to health.

❤ Tokyo had plans to open a Pride House to highlight LGBTQ rights during the Olympics.

❤ In a new documentary Francesco Pope Francis took a stance unconventional to Catholicism, “Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it,” he said.

❤ In Canada, Equitas and Dignity Network Canada launch the new Act Together for Inclusion Fund, a historic new $10M fund to support the advancement of human rights for LGBTIQ people globally.

❤ Canada reintroduced the bill banning conversion therapy.

❤ Cori Bush is the first African-American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri. 

❤ “We won”: Indigenous group in Canada scoops up billion dollar seafood firm.

❤ Elliot Page coming out publicly as Trans and what that means for young trans people everywhere.

❤ Tot Waffles were introduced to the world and we will never use our waffle iron the same way again. 

❤ Cap’n Crunch announced that Crunch Berries are now available in Canada (cereal-holics used to have to travel over the border to stock up on this sugar-filled breakfast food)

❤ The Dutch government has apologized to transgender people for previously mandating surgeries, including sterilization, as a prerequisite for legal gender recognition. 

❤ The parliament of Buthan decriminalized homosexuality on Human Rights day, making it an extremely momentous occasion and a huge win for the country.

❤ David Aruquipa and Guido Montaño of Bolivia became the first same sex couple to be married in Bolivia.

❤ First same sex RELIGIOUS wedding in Northern Ireland when Chris and Jon ties the knot!

❤ Swiss lawmakers voted to legalize same-sex marriage and allow transgender people to change their legal gender 

❤ Major companies such as 3M and Apple pooled resources or shifted production to make millions of masks to help keep people safe.

❤ Restaurants from around the world shared their secret recipes so we could make them at home.

❤ Humans came up with creative ways to celebrate big milestones like drive-by birthdays and Zoom parties.

❤ Dolly Parton began a series “Goodnight with Dolly” to help people entertain their children.

❤ America’s first female vice-president, first Black vice-president and first Asian American vice-president: Sen. Kamala Harris of California was elected.

❤ NASA named its headquarters building in D.C. after Mary W. Jackson, the agency’s first African American female engineer.

❤ More animals in shelters were adopted during the pandemic

❤ Four local Canadian healthcare heroes win the lottery.

❤ Grieving orca mother successfully gave birth to a new healthy orca calf.

❤ Tiny Owl Is Found safe in the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree After 170-Mile Journey.

❤ In Israel a change of gender on a passport no longer requires surgery and the age for which this change is possible has been lowered to 16 from 18.

❤ Club Qurantine was born – an underground queer Zoom nightclub that brought the queer community together across the world.

❤ US Supreme Court ruled that workers cannot be fired for being queer or trans (should’ve happened a long time ago but still an important moment!) 

❤ Instagram model raises $700,000 for Australia wildfires by trading photos for donations.

❤ Doggface208 created a chill, positive vibe that reverberated worldwide in a viral sensation.