WHAT A YEAR

2024 in Review, Part 1

By Nancy Ford

As I’ve said at this time of every year for the last 36 years (please sing along if you know the words), “What a year, what a year.”

And what a year it’s been. If I have any New Year’s resolution for the coming year, it will be to drop the remote and watch less political news. Wish me luck on that one, please. That resolution will be a lot easier to keep if 2024 finds Kamala Harris sitting behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.

But as I write this column, we don’t yet know who will be our next president. Jesus, take the wheel. And if the next president turns out to be the Orange Foolius, Jesus, take the wheel and drop us off in Canada.

That said, here is our annual month-by-month replay of some of the more noteworthy events that delighted and enraged us this year. A lot of good, bad and ridiculous newsworthy events transpired — too many to fit into just one What a World. We’ll complete our review of 2024 in next month’s issue.

JANUARY

“[Here on the Right, there are] surprises and there’s joy. This is festive and cool and something you want to be a part of. And you look at the Left…so sad and boring and trans.”
—U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) at Iowa Caucus. Via LGBQTNation.com

FEBRUARY

“I signed and was responsible for the Music Modernization Act for Taylor Swift and all other Musical Artists. Joe Biden didn’t do anything for Taylor, and never will. There’s no way she could endorse Crooked Joe Biden, the worst and most corrupt President in the History of our Country, and be disloyal to the man who made her so much money.”
—Donald Trump, writing on Truth Social. Swift glowingly endorsed Kamala Harris in September. Via LGBTQNation.com

MARCH

“GLAAD’s Ellis has lived a life of luxury on your donations — into the millions of dollars. This includes renting a seven-bedroom Swiss chateau, a vacation home in Provincetown, remodeling her home office at $20,000, enjoying Mercedes car service, and flying first class — along with a salary listed in 2021 as $575,000, with additional compensation over $27,000.”
—Mark Segal, reporting on a New York Times story discussing expenditures by GLAAD president, Sarah Kate Ellis. Via LGBQTNation.com

APRIL

“The most stylish president and first lady in our lifetimes are Donald Trump and Melania Trump. Donald Trump is a style icon! He changed American fashion in The Apprentice. People spent the next 10 years trying to dress like Donald Trump.”
—Trump advisor, Stephen Miller on FOX News. Via LGBQTNation.com

MAY

“The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologizes to those who felt offended by the use of the term.”
—Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, after Pope Francis claimed seminaries, or priesthood colleges, are already too full of “frociaggine”, a vulgar Italian term roughly translating as “faggotness”. Via NPR.org and Reuters.com

JUNE

“To the entire LGBTQI+ community — and especially transgender children — please know that your President and my entire Administration have your back. We see you for who you are: made in the image of God and deserving of dignity, respect, and support. That is why I have taken historic action to protect the LGBTQI+ community. We are ensuring that the LGBTQI+ community is protected against discrimination when accessing health care, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Justice launched a safety partnership to provide critical training and support to the community, including resources to help report hate crimes and better protect festivals, marches, community centers, businesses, and health care providers serving the community. The Department of Education and the Department of Justice are also addressing whether book bans may violate Federal civil rights laws when they target LGBTQI+ students or students of color and create hostile classroom environments. Additionally, we are providing specialized services through the nationwide crisis hotline for LGBTQI+ youth who feel isolated and overwhelmed — anyone who needs help can call 988 and then press 3 to be connected to a professional counselor. We are committing more resources for mental health programs that help families support and affirm their kids and are starting a new Federal initiative to address LGBTQI+ homelessness. We finalized new regulations requiring States to protect LGBTQI+ kids in foster care.

“America is the only Nation in the world founded on an idea: We are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. We have never fully lived up to that idea, but we have never fully walked away from it either. This month, we recommit to realizing the promise of America for all Americans, to celebrating courageous LGBTQI+ people, and to taking pride in the example they set for our Nation and the world.”
—President Joe Biden. Via WhiteHouse.gov.

Thank you, Joe, for all you have done not only for our country but for the whole world.

Give that man an ice cream cone.

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