The LGBT movement did not end with the legalization of same-sex marriage in America back in 2015.  Homophobia and transphobia are still rampant across America and the world.  With the Orlando Pulse shooting, mass imprisonment of gay men in Chechnya, Russia, and Egypt, Trans-ban in the American military, the world seems like an impossible place to LGBT individuals.

• In 2016 hundreds of gay men were imprisoned and tortured in Chechnya, Russia. Those that managed to escape are now refugees in Western Europe and Canada. Still, the Chechen police set traps for those who left by luring them to secluded areas and forcing them back to Chechnya.
• Egypt has been on what the media dubbed “Rainbow Raids,” where police arrest anyone suspected of being gay, using something as simple as rainbow colored clothes as evidence. Multiple people have already received prison sentences, and many more await trail through the coming weeks.
• Australia has been in heavy debate over same-sex marriage. The recent poll, which will determine if there is a true vote, has been mostly in favor of same sex marriage, but the “No” campaign has received multiple big donations, including one for one million dollars from the Sydney Anglican diocese.
• The Trump Administration so far has stopped the push to allow trans people to be out in the military and on Aug. 24 issued an official memo to the military to not allow trans people in the military at all. It is still unclear on whether trans people enrolled prior will be discharged. America also voted against the United Nation’s ban on death penalties for crimes of specific forms of conduct, such as apostasy, blasphemy, adultery and consensual same-sex relations.

It is easy to get lost in the negative and forget about the progress the movement has made.

• America made huge strides under President Obama in regards to gay rights. One June 26, 2015 same-sex marriage was legalized by the Supreme Court. The Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Repeal act was approved on July 22, 2011 and implanted 60 days later on Sept. 22, and the Federal administration openly spoke out against conversion therapy after the push for Leelah’s law, an act that would ban conversion therapy in honor of a young trans girl who killed herself as a result of her transphobic parents’ abuse.
• This year, according to CNN, the Court of Appeals ruled that the Civil Rights act prohibits workplace discriminating against LGBT individuals, although the Attorney General recently revered the policy to exclude transgender people.
• District of Columbia residents can now mark “X” for gender on their driver’s license, a practice that is already common in India, Canada, Nepal, and multiple other countries.
• Outside of America, Britain has posthumously pardoned thousands of gay men of now abolished sexual offenses. Same-sex marriage has been made legal in 11 other countries including Germany, Bermuda, and parts of Mexico.