LGBT rights milestones: A brief recent history

The last 10 years have seen unprecedented advances for the increasingly globalized LGBT rights movement. These are some key milestones from the recent past.

Dec. 1993 — U.S. military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy goes into effect
Sept. 1996 — U.S. Defense of Marriage Act enacted
Apr. 2001 — The Netherlands becomes first country to legalize same-sex marriage
Sept. 2001 — Rev. Jerry Falwell blames gays for 9/11
May 2005 — Massachusetts becomes first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage
July 2005 — Spain legalizes gay marriage
2008 — Candidate Barack Obama promises to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" if elected
Jan. 2009 — Iceland elects world's first openly gay head of state, Johanna Sigurdardottir 
May 2009 — Lt. Dan Choi comes out on U.S. national TV
July 2009 — Homosexual acts decriminalized in India
Oct. 2009 — Ugandan MP introduces “Kill the Gays” Bill
July 2010 — Argentina legalizes gay marriage
Sept. 2010 — A rash of U.S. teen bullying suicides, inspiring the “It Gets Better” campaign
Dec. 2010 — Don't Ask, Don't Tell repealed
June 2011 — UN passes first-ever Gay Rights Protection Resolution
June 2011 — New York legalizes gay marriage 
Sept. 2011 — Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal goes into effect