The 17 most-read PinkNews stories of 2017

From Melissa McCarthy to Disney characters, from Kid Rock to an NYPD cop with a lot of Trump in between, here are our most-read stories of 2017.

It’s the end of the year, so we’ve scrolled back through a year’s worth of colourful content to show you the most popular stories from the last 12 months.

Here they are, our most-clicked-on stories, counting down from 17 all the way to number one.

17. Supergirl shuts down woman who complained about explaining homosexuality to her kids

Soaring into our reader’s screens in the beginning of 2017 was the news that a character was going to come out as gay in the CW show, Supergirl.

When a viewer tweeted her displeasure of the ‘homosexual messages’ in the coming out episode, the official Supergirl Twitter account slammed the woman in a powerful tweet.

No amount of kryptonite could stop this anti-homophobic Twitter hero.

16. Lesbian couple pinned to the floor and beaten in brutal attack by their neighbours

In recent years, Colombia has taken many steps on the path to LGBT equality, but the road has been anything but smooth.

Earlier this year, Maria and Angie were viciously attacked in front of their home by two of their neighbours.

Maria called on everyone to speak out against homophobic attacks, saying that “they must raise their voices and not allow such situations to be forgotten and unpunished!”

15. Chechnya has opened concentration camps for gay men

2017 saw an event global human rights groups condemned as a Nazi-like effort to rid an area of gay people.

Gay concentration camps were set up in the Russian region of Chechnya during President Ramzan Kadyrov’s purge of the republic’s gay men.

Detainees faced electric shock torture and violent beatings, while some were held to ransom and used to extort their families.

Others were killed.

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14. Demi Lovato has said she is open to dating women

Confident singer Demi Lovato revealing she’s looking for a human connection that “doesn’t discriminate (between) men or women” came in at 15 on our list.

She was interviewed on the red carpet during the launch of her documentary, Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated, when she made the revelation.

She did not label herself, so neither will we, and we’re sorry not sorry about that.

13. Pink on her sexuality: ‘Leave it alone’

P!nk clarified this year that being in a monogamous relationship with a man does not mean that she must be completely straight.

The Just Give Me A Reason singer explained: “I don’t need you to put me in a box or to figure me out or to figure out what I am.”

“Cos I don’t know yet. And I never say never.”

12. Simba will be gay in upcoming live-action Lion King remake, Disney confirms

Our April Fool’s prank about Pride Rock becoming much more aptly named in the reboot of the beloved Disney movie The Lion King came in at 12.

We joked that diversity was coming to the jungle with Simba being gay in the reboot.

Simba’s childhood friend and eventual girlfriend Nala would be replaced with the male lion Naji, we added.

It caused quite a stir.

11. Queen Elizabeth revealed her favourite pop song and it’s a gay anthem

“I always try to dance when this song comes on, because I am a queen, and I like to dance,” is a common reaction to ABBA’s Dancing Queen.

This Queen however is no regular queen, but rather, her Majesty the Queen.

The British Head of State, who has served as monarch for 65 years, was quoted by BBC Radio 2 host Chris Evans as putting the ‘queen’ in Dancing Queen.

10. Kid Rock opens Senate bid with anti-LGBT rant

From Kanye West to The Rock, quite a few unlikely celebrities have spoken about speculation that they might run for President in 2020.

Following in the footsteps of Donald Trump, musician Kid Rock launched his apparent bid for the Senate this year, making our top 10.

The outspoken Republican opened his Senate bid with an anti-LGBT+ rant.

Speaking about transgender rights, he said that “you don’t get to choose because whatever you have between your legs should determine the bathroom that you use.”

Thankfully, he soon dropped out of the race.

9. This lesbian couple both just had babies…and the sperm donors are husbands

Coming in at number 9 is the news that Mariely Martinez and her wife Carla Melendez both gave birth within a month of each other, with their friends Juny Roman and Alex Torres as sperm donors.

But the unlikely twist was that Juny and Alex were also married.

Dubbed the “ultimate modern family,” Melendez said: “I think it’s good to let the world know that love is the more important thing in this world and it doesn’t matter where it comes from.”

8. 12 beautiful bigger women show off their bodies for naked calendar

Breaking the plastic pattern of Photoshopped bodies in calendars were the ladies behind the Adipositivity Project.

The women pictured in the calendar were educators, executives, mothers, musicians, professionals, performers, artists, activists, clerks, and writers.

They are women we see every day, and the project hoped to use them to fight against sizeist perceptions of beauty.

7. NYPD cop who won hearts with viral dance at Pride dies, aged 44

When police officer Michael Hance twerked to Michael Jackson’s ‘Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough’ at New York Pride, it captured the heart of both pride goers and online viewers.

The short video received more than 8 million views on YouTube, and Hance won praise for his openness to the LGBT+ community.

But Hance passed away earlier this year of brain cancer, and many LGBT+ people and allies paid tribute to him.

6. Melissa McCarthy killed it as press secretary Sean Spicer on SNL

Melissa McCarthy appearing as White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on SNL rolls in at number 6.

McCarthy perfectly mocked relations between the Trump administration and the press in her sketch.

“I’d like to begin today by apologising on behalf of you, to me, for how you treated me in the last two weeks,” she quipped.

Brilliant.

5. The impeachment of President Donald Trump has officially begun

A plan to impeach President Trump was proposed by six House Democrats in November.

However, the plans were voted down by Republicans and Democrats alike, as it didn’t seem like the best time to impeach the President.

There’s always next year.

4. Teen killed in vicious homophobic attack where he was beaten, burnt and raped for hours

T. Nhaveen was out celebrating with his friends in Malaysia after quitting his job to start university the next day.

But his life was cut short when a group of classmates jumped the group and brutally attacked him and his friends.

He was pronounced brain dead, then passed away from his injuries.

3. Donald Trump tells homophobic hate group they will ‘no longer be silenced’

Donald Trump has hit a lot of firsts for a President, and addressing a conference of a recognised anti-LGBT hate group was one of them.

Speaking at the Family Research Council’s Values Voter Summit – classed as a “hate group” – he told the crowds their anti-LGBT views would no longer be silenced.

“I am honoured and thrilled to be the first sitting president to address this gathering of friends, so many friends,” Trump added.

2. Trans woman pleads for her life before being beaten to death

The second most-read story on PinkNews is one that must never be forgotten.

Dandara dos Santos, 42, was taken from her home in Brazil, beaten, stripped and thrown in a wheelbarrow before being taken away to be killed.

Five of the six killers were put in front of a jury earlier this year.

If you believe that there should be tougher sentences for transphobic crimes in Brazil and around the world, please sign this petition.

1. Orange is the New Black stars tie the knot in beautiful intimate ceremony

Scoring the number 1 slot as our most-read story this year was the news that Orange is the New Black stars Lauren Morelli and Samira Wiley had tied the knot.

The wedding saw the two hold an intimate affair with just close friends and family present.

The theme was confetti, and the couple walked down the aisle to This is How We Do It by Montell Jordan.

Beautiful.