150 Game Changing Wins that Made 2012 the Gayest Year Ever

A remarkably short four decades ago, the Stonewall Revolt of 1969 opened the flood gates for LGBT rights. The closet, so sturdy for so long, started being swept away in a rush of pride. Still, LGBT Americans lived in a culture of "tolerance," a popular euphemism for enduring.

There have been momentous years since then — both Barney Frank's 1987 coming out and the 2003 Supreme Court ruling overturning anti-sodomy laws come to mind — but when we look back in twenty years time or ten or even five, 2012 will be remembered as quantum leap for LGBT rights in the United States of America. It's the year that equality went from being a far-off dream to becoming an inevitable, immutable and irreversible reality. Even Newt Gingrich agrees!

This was the year of equality, the year the American dream came into sharper focus and the nation crossed from begrudgingly tolerating gays, and sometimes even acknowledging their relationships, to demanding our inclusion in the greater American family. Coming out is for the large part no longer a big deal, which is a big deal in and of itself.

There have never been as many out and proud elected officials; never before has Wall Street embraced us with such force; never before have so many conservatives admitted they need to shift gears on marriage equality and embrace change. This was a year of "never before" and "never again."

AFTER THE JUMP, 150 reasons why 2012 was a year of permanence for LGBT Americans, a year that the next wave of rights began its swoop across the purple mountain majesty and above the fruited plain.

And for more of our 2012 Year in Review, be sure to read "I'm Gay: 50 Most Powerful Comings Outs of 2012" HERE.

News: Gaseous Fed, Emory, Thom Bierdz, Rudolph

A group of Emory Students have apologized after their public access program suggested that people lynch students they think are on campus because of affirmative action.

Four firefighters were shot, two fatally, while responding to a blaze in Webster, New York. "An ex-con set a car and a house ablaze in his lakeside neighborhood to lure firefighters, then opened fire on them, killing two, engaging in a shootout with police and committing suicide while several houses burned. Authorities used an armored vehicle to evacuate the area."

CNN viewers voted President Obama 2012's most intriguing person.

The Episcopal-backed The University of the South will host same-sex marriages in its chapel: "The college itself isn't part of any one diocese. Its religious governing authority is the chancellor, a post that rotates among the bishops of the 28 owning dioceses. In the midst of this announcement, McCardell is calling on alumnus to give $250 to $300 million dollars in a campaign to ensure the university's future, a future that might be jeopardized by this action that many consider outside the bounds of Biblical faith even though culturally acceptable."

Florida's first openly gay lawmakers see equality as a priority. "I’ve done work on civil rights for a long time. But in the campaign, my focus was mostly on jobs, education and fairness and opportunity," said Rep. Joe Saunders, a former Florida Equality activist.

How Gwyneth travels.

Oh, Mariah...

Check out the new trailer for Mark Wahlberg's forthcoming flick Broken City.

Kellan Lutz is obviously someplace very warm.

Gay actor Thom Bierdz looks good naked and isn't afraid to show off. Check it out via this not-so work friendly link Oh, and he's single and looking for a boyfriend.

Hugh Jackman goes for a modestly-sized Christmas tree.

Rudolph's red nose explained.

NOM henchman Frank Schubert on failed GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich accepting the "reality" of marriage equality: "Sometimes good men say stupid things, and this is one of those times. Gingrich’s conclusion that gay 'marriage' is inevitable is ridiculous. His comments suggest the results of marriage races in Maine, Maryland and Washington, which allowed three deep-blue states to endorse redefining marriage means that it is inevitable."

Gay Avengers Hulkling And Wiccan share a kiss in Gay Times.

Federal employee chided for "disrupt[ing] the work floor by passing gas and releasing an unpleasant odor." Makes for a great bloated government joke.

Minnesota political analyst Larry Jacobs doesn't see marriage equality passing there next month, as some Democrats had hoped.

Dylan Smith, a 23-year old New Yorker who helped save neighbors' lives during Superstorm Sandy, died in a surfing accident in Puerto Rico over the weekend.

Sam Champion And Rubem Robierb Marry In New York

Sam Champion and Rubem Robierb made it official yesterday in the Big Apple.

People magazine reports that the Good Morning America weatherman and his photographer beau kept it short and sweet: a ten-minute ceremony with friends and family at their apartment. The men will also have a ceremony on New Year's Eve in Miami, where they met.

"That's going to be the big party," [Champion] said. "This is the legal moment that we wanted to celebrate with friends and family and loved ones."

The couple couldn't be more excited to make it official. "Rubem said it best. It's the societal affirmation of our relationship. We feel like it's the most important relationship in our lives, and so to be able to share that with the people we love and have it legitimized in that way is really profound. It's not something we take lightly at all."

"It's a shame we can't officially have a legal ceremony in Florida," added Champion. "We're not separating them, because we'd like to do it twice. New York it will be legal. Miami will be the spiritual side to celebrate with the people who have been with us and supporting us and been a part of our lives since we met. We want to celebrate with them."

Long out in New York City, Champion came out publicly when he announced his engagement in October.

Florida Voters Slightly More Supportive Of Marriage Equality

The latest poll numbers from Florida show that though Sunshine State voters are warming to the idea of marriage equality, they're still pretty evenly split.

The survey by Quinnipiac University of 1,261 registered voters found that 45 percent oppose gay marriage while 43 percent support it. That's a change from last May when 50 percent opposed same-sex marriage. The poll's margin of error was plus or minus 2.8 percent.

Meanwhile, the same poll showed that 52% of Florida voters remain opposed to legalized marijuana while 42% say it should be totally chill.

Charlie Crist Regrets 2006 Anti-Gay Marriage Petition: VIDEO

Former Republican Florida Gov. Charlie Crist today filed the paperwork officially making him a Democrat, a party switch Crist announced after a holiday party at the White House last weekend.

Speaking with the reporters who turned out for the event, Crist was asked about his decision in 2006 to sign a petition pushing for a constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage in The Sunshine State.

"Would I do it today? No," Crist said, according to the Tampa Bay Times. "I think the best way to judge where my heart is is to look at the deeds that I have done, whether as attorney general, governor - restoration of rights, civil rights cases, things of that nature that I think show a compassionate heart and hopefully someone who cares and knows who the boss is - and the boss is the people of Florida."

Crist also said he signed up with the Democrats because "they care"; "they're compassionate," he said, contrasting them with Florida's current governor, Rick Scott.

Watch video of Crist discussing his marriage equality position, whether anyone in the Obama administration has encouraged him to run for governor again (yes) and his place in the political world today AFTER THE JUMP.

Freshly-Minted Democrat Charlie Crist: 'The GOP Left Me'

"I've had friends for years tell me, 'You know Charlie, you're a Democrat and you don't know it," so said former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist last night after leaving a holiday party at the White House, where he finally, after dipping his toes into the water as an Obama-supporting "independent" for a few years, registered as a Democrat. And according to Crist, it's the party's fault he left in the first place.

"What changed is the leadership of the Republican Party," Crist said. "As I said at the convention, I didn't leave the Republican Party, it left me. Whether the issue was immigration, or education, or you name it — the environment. I feel at home now."

President Obama clearly approves: he reportedly congratulated Crist with a fist bump, which in Democratic circles is as good as being knighted, but doesn't necessarily guarantee Crist a spot at the head of the line for another gubernatorial run.

From the Tampa Bay Times:

Other prospective candidates include former chief financial officer and 2010 gubernatorial nominee Alex Sink, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, state Sen. Nan Rich of Weston and former Miami-Dade Commissioner Jimmy Morales.

"Crist was an absolute warrior for President Obama and as a result, many of the party activists I talk to are willing to welcome him with open arms, and there is no question he is an extremely viable candidate for governor, though I don't think that beating Alex Sink in a primary is any kind of sure thing," said Democratic strategist Steve Schale, who worked on Sink's campaign as well as both of Obama's Florida campaigns.

Sink says Crist's move has not influenced her decision whether or not to run.

[Crist's Twitter image via JMG]