October marked many occasions, including LGBT History Month. The past year saw lots of progress for gay rights—the right to marry and legalized civil unions in some states and the end of the military’s policy “Don’t ask, don’t tell;” two examples of progress.

Individual milestones also occurred: Anthony Alfano came out as the first openly gay student body president at DePaul University, the largest Catholic university in the country. He said his decision to talk about his sexual orientation in a very public way was difficult, but he hoped it would a positive impact on others.

Alfano pointed to the “It Gets Better” project as a positive influence for people struggling with their sexuality. The project is the series of testimonials from gay and straight people encouraging teens that a brighter future is possible. Eight Forty-Eight checked the pulse of the projects’ impact and the state of gay rights with Windy City Times publisher Tracy Baim.