The Year in Gay Rights: A major

victory for marriage, but more to

do
Advocates celebrate the defeat of DOMA, but there are still major obstacles
for gay-rights activists to overcome in 2014
December 30, 2013 9:00AM ET

by Dexter Mullins @DexterMullins

For gay Americans, 2013 was a monumental year.

Among the many milestones achieved in their struggle for equal rights, the
landmark Supreme Court decision in Windsor v. United States had the most
impact. In overturning a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA),
the decision paved the way for federal government agencies to provide equal
benefits to same-sex couples.
By years end, six more states had legalized gay marriage in 2013, raising the
total to 18 states and the District of Columbia. In Washington state alone, samesex couples accounted for 17 percent of all weddings. Yet state-by-state progress
lagged nationwide sentiment, a conclusion suggested by a Gallup poll showing
that a majority of Americans now support gay marriage.
Reflecting that major attitudinal shift were a slew of federal regulatory changes.
The Internal Revenue Service finally allowed married same-sex couples to jointly
file their taxes, which means they will be treated the same as married
heterosexuals for all federal-tax purposes including income, gift and estate taxes.
Same-sex spouses are now eligible to receive military spousal benefits, apply for
a visa or green card, collect a deceased spouses Social Security and take family

or medical leave if their partners are sick all things barred for gay Americans
before the Supreme Court overturned DOMA.
Gay rights also made gains in the corporate world when the Senate passed the
Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in November after years of
wrangling and delay. More than 90 percent of the nations biggest companies
announced their support for ENDA, with some CEOs such as Apples Tim
Cook publicly calling on Congress to pass the measure. The bill remains stalled
in the House.
Not for long if lawmakers tune in to popular culture. The pop-rap duo Macklemore
& Ryan Lewis wrote Same Love, a smash-hit anthem calling for the freedom to
marry nationwide. Mary Lambert, featured on the track, had her own hit with She
Keeps Me Warm. And on social media, more than 10 million people participated
in the Human Rights Campaigns call for Facebook and Twitter users to
temporarily swap their profile picture with a red equal sign in support of same-sex
marriage.
Among the bold-faced names who came out in 2013 was Robin Roberts, the
Good Morning America figure who is as much a part of morning in many
households as coffee or tea. She acknowledged her same-sex partner of a
decade. Fans shrugged. Major League Soccers Robbie Rogers, the NBAs
Jason Collins and pro wrestler Darren Young also came out. Again, fans
shrugged, which makes it easier for other gay sports stars to follow. There were
plans for an NFL player to come out as gay, and while that didnt happen, stay
tuned.
The new outlook was years in the making. After all, 2013 marked 10 years since
Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love decided to improve its economic outlook
by marketing itself as one of, if not the most lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender friendly cities in the world.

The struggle continues

Yet for all the advances in 2013, obstacles remain both globally and domestically.
As the world prepares for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, President
Vladimir Putin is defending a controversial anti-gay law that critics say has led to
a spike in hate crimes against gay men and lesbians. As a result, some are
calling for a boycott of the Winter Games.
Elsewhere this year, Australia approved and then overturned gay marriage in a
matter of days, crushing the hopes of thousands, India reinstated a colonial-era
ban against gay sex, and homosexuality is still a crime in 38 African countries.
In the United States, despite the defeat of DOMA, the marriage debate is far from
settled. In more than 12 states, there are either cases pending or legislation
being drafted to challenge bans on gay marriage or to put the issue to a public
vote. Expect contentious debate throughout 2014.
Violence directed at gay and lesbian Americans continues unabated. Over the
summer, two gay men walking arm in arm in New York City were brutally
attacked by a group of men. Just a few months later, a gay man was gunned
down in Greenwich Village, an urban enclave long recognized for tolerance.
Nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 8
lesbians, 4 in 10 gay men and nearly half of bisexual women and men have
experienced some form of sexual violence, and nearly 4 million will experience
sexual violence in their lifetime.
The Southern Poverty Law Center reported that nearly 20 states and
Washington, D.C., allow some form of conversion therapy a controversial
practice that seeks to change people from gay to straight. The practice has been
criticized by nearly all major American medical, psychiatric and psychological
associations because it has been shown to cause anxiety, depression and
suicidal thoughts in patients. Several states have taken steps to ban it.

Furthermore, gay Americans may be fired or refused employment for their sexual
orientation or gender identity in 29 states, and transgender Americans may be
fired or passed up for employment in 33 states, making full passage of ENDA a
major agenda item for gay-rights activists in 2014.
The transgender community faces increased profiling and discrimination from law
enforcement at a time when relations between police and minorities of all types is
as tense as ever.
Gay couples seeking to adopt children continue to face a complicated and
inconsistent patchwork of laws from coast to coast, with nearly every state
restricting adoption in some form or another.
Will all these obstacles be overcome in 2014? Expect continued progress but it is
unlikely discrimination that runs as deep as homophobia will disappear as quickly
as many want. Still, the advances of 2013 are real and momentous and indicative
of bigger changes to come, given what Pope Francis said of gay priests soon
after assuming his office in March: If someone is gay and he searches for the
Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?