27 Times The Conversation On Gender And Sexuality Progressed in 2015

By Shambhavi Saxena and Rohini Banerjee:

Like every other year, 2015 had its hits and misses — but when it came to gender and sexuality, some important battles were won. Here are some of those moments:

1. The TED Talk called “The Price Of Shame”, where Monica Lewinsky “took back her narrative,” and spoke up against the slut-shaming and name-calling she had endured after her affair with former US president Bill Clinton.

2. When the #SayHerName movement garnered widespread global support on social media for black women who died at the hands of the US police.

3. When the people of Ireland won our hearts and voted “yes” during the public referendum on same-sex marriage.

4. When Caitlyn Jenner followed up that emotional Diane Sawyer interview by debuting as her actual identity in Vanity Fair (alright, alright, we know she’s supports the Republicans, but we gotta appreciate the good.)

5. When India got its first trans college principal in Manabi Bandhyopadhyay, and a brand new Transgender Policy in the state of Kerala.

6. When India’s National Academy of Legal Studies and Research issued a certificate to their student Anindita Mukherjee, with the gender-neutral honourific, Mx.

7. When these scientists were not having any of Tim Hunt’s ridiculously sexist comments about women in STEM. #distractinglysexy? Hell yes.

8. When America said yes to marriage equality — #LoveWins with the historic Supreme Court of the United States ruling that finally (finally!) legalized same-sex marriage.

9. The day Kiran Gandhi challenged menstrual taboos by running all 26 miles of the London Marathon without a tampon while on her period. Gandhi said she “ran for women who can’t show their periods in public and for women who can’t compete in athletic events.”

10. Matt McGorry’s entire social media presence, because bless this man. Remember that time he supported #FreeTheNipple?

11. When New York Magazine interviewed and featured on their cover 35 of the women who have accused former comedian Bill Cosby of sexual assault, starting an important conversation about sexual violence.

12. When Tokyo became one of the first South-East Asian cities to issue same-sex marriage certificates, and granted them equal rights, including hospital visitations and apartment rentals.

13. That time Hunger Games actor Amandla Stenberg was the undisputed queen of feminist social media, shutting down cultural appropriation and racist microaggressions directed towards women of colour.

14. When Serena Williams served up some badassery, shutting down sexism and bodyshaming FLAWLESSLY through this priceless response, and through her magnificent Sports Person of the Year acceptance speech.

15. When Viola Davis quoted Harriet Tubman during her Emmy acceptance speech and made us think about race, opportunity and representation in Hollywood.

16. Emma Watson continued slaying with this much-praised speech, and her famous rendezvous with Malala Yousafzai where they discussed important women’s issues.

17. When Netflix and Facebook announced they would be offering gender-reassignment surgery as a benefit to trans employees.

18. When the first ever French person was declared legally “gender-neutral” in all official state documents by a High Court in France.

19. When Gloria friggin’ Steinem dedicated her book to the doctor who performed her illegal abortion in back in 1957, pledging her strong support for reproductive rights.

20. When Nepal elected its first female Prime Minister, Bidhya Devi Bhandari.

21. When Peggy (Agent Carter), Jessica and Trish (Jessica Jones) and other badass female superheroes populated our television screens, challenging the patriarchal trope that women can’t be physically strong while also being emotionally layered.

22. When Sweden set up its first Rape Crisis Centre for Men, and also distributed Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “We Should All Be Feminists” to young Swedes.

23. Director Tim Miller’s announcement that the eponymous superhero of his ‘Deadpool’ movie will be pansexual — making him the first openly queer superhero to appear on a Marvel film or television series.

24. When Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formed a young, gender balanced, and ethnically diverse cabinet, “because it’s 2015,” and that’s all there is to it!

25. When pin-up-girl pioneer Pirelli gave itself a make-over with this awesome, diverse and empowering calendar.

26. For the first time in Saudi Arabia’s history, women were finally given the right to vote.

27. When actresses such as Patricia Arquette (in her Oscars acceptance speech), Jennifer Lawrence (in this personal essay) and Anushka Sharma called out wage inequality in the film business.

With every year that passes, and every act small or big that challenges the status quo, we seem to be inching closer to the kind of society we want to be — a world that is inclusive, diverse, compassionate and equal. [envoke_twitter_link]We loved these moments from 2015 and we hope to see twice as many in the year to come[/envoke_twitter_link]!