Hollywood sexual assault allegations, natural disasters, and a political divide like none the United States has ever seen dominated 2017. But not everything that happened in 2017 was terrible. A lot of groups that have previously been targeted gained a lot of ground. Here, I take a look at some of the happiest and most inspirational headline-makers that happened in 2017.
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March 14th: The oldest golf club in the world, Muirfield (in Scotland), voted for the first time to admit women as club members. It is evident that those defending the rights of women have become more vocal this year, speaking out against a legacy of gender inequality that has existed for hundreds of years.
March 15th: The Walt Disney Company refused to cut a gay moment from live-action film Beauty and the Beast in Malaysia. Instead of cutting the scene from Malaysian movie theaters, Disney pulled the movie from the country altogether. In a year marked by defending women, another historically persecuted group, gay individuals, is receiving mainstream support.
March 30th: North Carolina repealed its controversial law that restricted transgender individuals from using their bathroom of choice. Legislators originally instated the law on the grounds that it could be a precursor to sexual assault. However, after no evidence that this was a realistic outcome, the transgender community secured another human rights victory.