A video of a 14 year old girl asking the people of Maryland to vote “No” on marriage equality has gone viral on Buzz Feed. She spent her birthday with the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee and made her birthday wish to lawmakers. Here’s what she said

This summer people in North Carolina will be voting on an anti same-sex marriage amendment which is aiming to take their fight for marriage equality in the wrong direction. True to form, however, people aren’t taking it lying down. Enter Curtis Brown

Yesterday, Canada’s Globe and Mail published a story stating that lawyers, on behalf of the Canadian Government, were set to argue that a same-sex marriage contracted between two non-residents was never a valid marriage in the first place, and thereby decline to allow a divorce.

Following a successful nomination to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) by Marriage Equality, Senator Katherine Zappone and Dr Ann Louise Gilligan have been featured in the EU organisation’s “Women Inspiring Europe” 2012 calendar along with leading inspirational female role models in Europe.

2011 has been celebrated as a great year for the LGBT community. Of course, as long as severe inequality persists, it’s difficult to wholeheartedly agree that it was a great year. All the same, 2011 has certainly upheld that crucial message; that it gets better. So, grab a cup o’ kindness and we’ll run through some of the achievements of the LGBT movement in 2011.

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

These are the top 10 articles on Gaelick that you just could keep your peepers off this year. Is your favourite here, or have we left out something very important? Read! Share! Comment!

Our friends at Marriage Equality are pulling out all the stops for the Christmas season, starting with the now annual raffle! If you fancy a trip to sunny Orlando, Florida instead, get your tickets for Winter Warm Up Raffle soon, they’re going fast and with these awesome prizes like these you definitely don’t want to miss out!

A new ad for Marriage Equality, this time from the land of Oz, has become an internet hit. The ad depicts one person simply loving and caring for a man, the person turning out, of course, to be a man himself. Simple but to the point

This is one busy weekend around the country, including the Gay Prom, festive highlights, the return of Bitches Be Crazy, regular youth group meetings, and the start of 16 Days. Clear the diaries, folks!

LGBT Noise are having a table quiz on 1st December next. Fighting for equality is expensive work and funds need to be raised in order to be able to continue fighting for our rights – So join LGBT Noise and pals in the Front Lounge to help raise money and be in with a chance of winning some amazing prizes!

The work of some of Ireland’s leading artists will come under the hammer at an art auction fundraising event for Marriage Equality. Entitled “Art for Marriage Equality”, the auction takes place on Saturday, 26th November.

From Carlow to Wexford, there is plenty to keep you the comely maidens and pals occupied this week in Ireland. (Send us your news of any other events we’ve missed.) Enjoy!

This morning the Green Party tweeted that Ireland’s outgoing President, Mary McAleese, “commended” civil partnership. It’s disappointing that her views in support of equality for LGBT people would be so blatantly misrepresented.

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees of this year’s Galas 2011, in their third year, and thanks to everyone who voted! The award winners were well represented by the LBT (and non-LBT) women of Ireland.

The fight for marriage equality in Ireland suffered a minor setback yesterday when the Supreme Court ruled against Senator Katherine Zappone and Dr Ann Louise Gilligan on a technical point.

Yes, I’ve prattled on before about the changing nature of marriage – through time and in its variations around the world – but I think it’s important to take a look at marriage in Ireland, trace its history, and ask: can equality be legislated?