Here are some of the most popular non-Gaelick links from our Facebook page this year. Lovely!

16. Women have US Navy’s first same-sex homecoming kiss

They’re gorgeous, they’re confident, and they wear amazing uniforms. They’re Officers Gaeta and Snell, and they were the first same-sex couple to have the Navy’s traditional “homecoming kiss” since the repeal of DADT. They’re the new this.

As well as the Beeb’s story, there was the video, as well as the original story and pics from The Virginian-Pilot.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta (23) and her girlfriend of two years, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell (22) share the traditional dockside “first kiss” since the US ended a ban on gays in the army.

Aren’t they only gorgeous?

15. Amber Heard: Staying in the closet in Hollywood is a horribly detrimental lie

We do love Amber Heard here on Gaelick. (At least, some of us are obsessed.)

14. Billie Jean King and Martina Navrátilová respond to Margaret Court’s homophobic rant

13. Gay couple being told they will become grandparents

12. In memory of Sonia Pierre, human rights defender

Sonia Pierre was a prominent human rights defender of African descent from the Dominican Republic, who founded and served as Director of the Movement of Dominican-Haitian Women (MUDHA). Sonia passed away at the age of 48 from a heart attack on 4 December.

11. Same-sex partnerships from abroad to be recognised in Ireland

This brings to 32 the number of jurisdictions in respect of which Ireland recognises same-sex relationships as civil partnerships, as of 25th December 2011. Of these 32 jurisdictions, 18 provide for marriage equality.

This means that (despite The Journal‘s headline) if you are validly married under the law in any of these 18 places, your marriage will be downgraded by Ireland to a civil partnership.

Happy Christmas.

10. onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview (‘/outbound/www.youtube.com’);”>Ellen and Sofia Vergara shoot a CoverGirl ad

9. “What’s goin’ on”

8. onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview (‘/outbound/www.youtube.com’);”>“Sarah Silverman’s It Gets Better message is to adults: antigay adults. Blunt and to the point.”

7. Gay Agenda planning

From the Recruitment Committee: We are facing an uphill battle. The world’s population has reached 7 billion. This means that we will have to work hard to not only maintain our strength at 10 percent of the population, but each current member will have to recruit at least three new members to reach our target goal of 11 percent in 2012. (Remember our long-range plan: 16 percent by ’16!)

6. Recently, a Michigan mayor wrote on Facebook, “I think I am going to throw away my I Love New York carrying bag now that queers can get married there”. This woman stood up with her wife and her two children and spoke directly to the mayor. onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview (‘/outbound/www.youtube.com’);”>She was magnificent.

5. onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview (‘/outbound/www.youtube.com’);”>Margaret Cho feat. Tegan & Sara: “Intervention”

4. The primary reason why cats will never develop a system of organised religion

3. onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview (‘/outbound/www.youtube.com’);”>Yoga Cat

2. Ah, the Burke family, of ..somewhere in Mayo

1. From Jack to Jackie: “Why I had a sex change at 16”

“I do feel guilty sometimes,” says Jackie “because my mum’s gone through all this with me and I know people judge her and think she’s done the wrong thing. But I just couldn’t wait for it to happen. She and my dad have been brilliant. When they both came to terms with the situation they helped me so much. I owe them my life.”