The current occupant of the White House hasn’t given LGBT people too much to celebrate. Certainly not when Trump tried to throw transgender troops out of the military. Or the time he ordered the removal of LGBT questions on the upcoming census. And let’s not forget when Trump re-appropriated $100,000,000 in HIV/AIDS funds to send to ICE so they could lock Mexican kids up in cages.

Thankfully, there have beens some satisfying progress on the state level and at the ballot box. Here are half a dozen LGBT political highlights from NJ this passed year.

NEW GOV. When Phil Murphy became New Jersey Governor on January 16, 2018, it signaled a new day for LGBT liberty and prosperity. LGBT rights languished under Murphy’s predecessor Chris Christie who spent most of his time as governor oppressing gays to score political points in places like Iowa and New Hampshire. I don’t actually believe Christie loathes LGBTs  as much as voting record suggests. But he wanted to become president so he did things like veto marriage equality legislation to appease culturally conservative voters.  LGBT people were collateral damage the whole time Christie was in office.

Those days are over.

Chris Christie antagonized NJ’s LGBT community for 8 long years so to have a friend in Drumthwacket is pretty great. More than that, Governor Phil Murphy is an enthusiastic ally to the LGBT community and so is first lady Tammy Murphy. They even hosted a tasteful, memorable Pride celebration earlier this year.

TRANS RIGHTS This past summer Gov.Murphy signed key pro-transgender legislation to protect the liberty and dignity of NJ’s 30,000 transgender residents. The Babs Siperstein Law makes it easier for transgender men and women to amend their birth certificate. Governor Christie veto’d similar legislation twice citing the potential for fraud. I don’t know how many people out there are pretending to be transgender just to change their birth certificate. I’m guessing the number is zero. But that didn’t stop Chris Christie from appeasing his wing nuts by playing politics with our lives.

Murphy also set up the Transgender Equality Task Force to make it easier for transgender residents in NJ to thrive and  contribute meaningfully to our society.

MAYOR GUSCIORA When Reed Gusciora decided to run for mayor of Trenton, he knew he’d have to win twice to claim the prize. So he went out and did just that: he narrowly squeaked into the runoff where he notched the move votes for the win. Reed was in the legislature for 20 years so we already know he’s smart. But he showed his mettle and strategic acumen winning over the voters of NJ’s capital city, Trenton, population 88,000.

InsiderNJ interviewed Mayor Gusciora earlier this year. It was a good one.

OUT 100 InsiderNJ’s OUT 100 Power List was a first-of-its kind-tribute to influential LGBTs in New Jersey politics. Judging from the traffic and the feedback, most of y’all really loved it. When I first came out back in the 80s you’d be hard pressed to name a single politically influential LGBT person anywhere.

Having 100 from one state is pretty special.

SHERRILL d. WEBBER. Assemblyman Jay Webber spent his entire legislative career working to marginalize the LGBT community. So it was especially satisfying and gratifying to see Webber’s bid for Congress go up in flames. Mikie Sherrill, a Garden State Equality- endorsed candidate trounced on Election Day, pummeling Jay Webber by over 13 percentage points.

A faaaaaabulous drubbing.

FAHL FORWARD One of the most exciting LGBT Election Day results came when voters in Lambertville  choose Julia Fahl to be their next mayor. For the uninitiated, Lambervtille (population 4000) is a charming Delaware River-side town in Hunterdon County. Lambertville always has always been a gay- friendly town, as evidenced by their annual LGBT Pride celebration hosted jointly with New Hope, PA.

Representation matters. Especially to LGBT kids all over NJ whose aspirations are nurtured by public role models like Julia Fahl and Reed Gusciora. We want our kids to dream big, right? Equal representation helps more kids to just that.

Jay Lassiter is leading the charge to reform NJ’s marijuana laws. His award-winning podcast Heroin Uncut the Truth about the Crisis has all the answers to NJ’s opiate crisis. Listen or binge-watch if NJ’s heroin body count bothers you.