As folks flock to department store sales and many more to parades honoring the man, the legend, and symbol of settler colonialism, Indigenous people from across Turtle Island come together to commemorate Native cultures. Like most days throughout the year, today we dance, sing, eat, laugh, and Indigenize social media together. Today, however, we do so with a special purpose: to reclaim and redefine a holiday intended to celebrate the genocide and forced assimilation of Native peoples.

Out of the mouths of babes.

The pope blessed a lesbian, Los Angeles is getting serious about gender parity, marriage equality is happening for real in Ireland, and also a tiny dog being a farmhand. AND MORE!

The first batch of good news out of 2015 includes Ari Fitz on ElixHER’s cover, a cricket engaygement, badass queers in Uganda, Amber Rose’s approval, marriage equality spreading around the world in under 80 days, and kittens playing with tiny trucks.

Both rulings have been stayed, but marriage equality in the South seems kind of inevitable now.

Monty apologizes to Stef and Lena about the Great Kissing Debacle of 2015, so Stef decides to let her live.

A blast from the (lesbian, not-so-far) past, three really helpful and also adorable dogs, Miles learning about love from his two moms, religious people not sucking, a gay priest in Ireland, unconditional love, and Skellie the basic bitch skeleton are here to make things cheery as f*ck.

Valentines from your favorite teevee stars, a chance to win a free suit and a swanky night out, a first look at Thailand’s trans women models, REALLY GOOD NEWS ABOUT COFFEE, and two chicks making out in front of a homophobic Russian dude! All that and some white cheddar popcorn inside.

Come on in!

Kids in New South Wales won’t see Gayby Baby at school for Wear It Purple Day, Donald Trump kicks Jorge Ramos out of his press conference, women vote in Saudi Arabia, Walmart no longer selling assault weapons, and more.

The death of trans teen activist Blake Brockington, good legislative news for same-sex parents in Maryland, Roy Moore says something regrettable, Ellen Pao takes sexism in venture capitalism to court, and more!

Documentary films. Policy initiatives. Direct action. These 20 activists are doing it all to save the world — and they’re Autostraddle readers just like you!

In commemoration of Indigenous People’s Day, here are 12 Native American and First Nation queer, two-spirit, lesbian, agender and otherwise relevant-to-your-interests humans way more worthy of a holiday than Christopher Columbus.

Supernatural kills Charlie, Gotham tropes Barbara, Arrow marries Nyssa off to a man. But on the upside, Samira Wiley crushed it on Law & Order: SVU and Raven was amazing on Black-ish.

A new study examines straight attitudes towards the rights of queer couples. There’s broad support for things like hospital visitation, but still a lot of discomfort with public same-gender smooching.

Really unclear why we didn’t spend at least one semester reading Emily Dickinson’s love letters to her girlfriend.

Cookie is (maybe) going to be queer on Empire, Mulan will return to Once Upon a Time, women are still underrepresented on television, and Caitlyn Jenner clarifies her position on marriage equality.

Planned Parenthood created a new video series about consent, an infographic on the issues bisexuals face, a mother and daughter were assaulted in an anti-gay attack, Shadi Petosky, a trans woman, was detained by TSA at an Orlando airport and more news stories.

Also, Queen Elizabeth thinks you’re wonderful. Yes, you!

Sisters, won’t you step into the light with us?