Gay Viral Videos Of 2011: Zach Wahls, Michele Bachmann, Gay Grandpas And More

Posted: 12/27/11 12:10 PM ET

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Michele Bachmann , Australia , Gay Marriage , Same-Sex Marriage , Randy Phillips , Randy Phillips Gay , Marriage Equality , Zach Wahls , Zach Wahls Iowa , Zach Wahls Speech , Gay Voices News

America's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community will likely look back on 2011 as a banner year, with New York becoming the sixth state to allow same-sex marriage and the U.S. military's controversial "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" measure repealed in September.

The national relevance of LGBT issues was confirmed yet again when Iowa student Zach Wahls' impassioned marriage equality and same-sex parenting speech to Iowa legislators was designated as the most-watched political clip on YouTube after going viral twice this year.

As moving as it is, however, Wahls' speech is just one of many LGBT-related videos to sweep Twitter, Facebook and other social media outlets this year. So did a touching clip of a gay couple being told they're going to become grandfathers, an Australian advocacy group's sweet (and sexy) plea for marriage equality, and a hapless Al Jazeera reporter's "photobomb" moment while covering the Spanish elections. Oh, yeah, and Tim Tebow's man-on-man smooch pretty much made our day, too.

For more on the best of 2011, visit AOL's Best of 2011.

Take a look at HuffPost Gay Voices' picks for the 11 best gay viral videos this year:

An Amazing Gay Wedding Proposal

Danny Rose set a new precedent for gay grooms-to-be with his amazing proposal video. Titled "What Are We Waiting For," the video features a dance-pop soundtrack and "Glee"-style choreography, along with a number of slick costume changes to boot. "I started writing the song in December and took me a month to complete," said Rose. "Then I prepped the music video for a few weeks and shot it all in one day...After the video I got down on one knee and asked him to make me the happiest person in the world and spend his life with me! He said of course and it was a great moment. But wanted to watch the video again 30 more times. There are a lot of inside jokes and even some wardrobe choices in there designed to experiences in our history."
Tim Tebow's Man-On-Man Smooch

Although Tebow filmed a Superbowl commercial in 2010 for the anti-gay, anti-abortion organization Focus On The Family (FOTF), he seemed to have no problem sharing a male-on-male lip-lock with Demaryius Thomas in front of thousands (millions?) of onlookers in October.
Woman Proposes To Girlfriend At Hockey Game

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'Testimony'

Penned by "Wicked" Stephen Schwartz, "Testimony" has become an Internet hit, thanks to a video performance by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (SFGMC) which has gone viral. The song has been dubbed the "It Gets Better" anthem.
Eighth Grader's 'Don't Say Gay' PSA

An eighth grader's hilarious public service announcement on the misuse of the word "gay" made the rounds of the LGBT blogosphere and beyond in November.
Zach Wahls' Pro-Gay Marriage Speech In Iowa

Wahls' profound pro-gay parenting, pro-marriage equality speech went viral twice this year. The 19-year-old's moving testimony in front of the Iowa House of Representatives swept Twitter and Facebook in February and in December due to the continuing debates about same-sex marriage and gay parenting in the United States.
Gay Couple Reacts After Being Told They're Going To Be Grandfathers

It's easy to see why a video of a gay couple being told they're going to be grandparents went viral again over a year after it was originally uploaded to YouTube.
Australia's 'It's Time' Marriage Equality Ad

An Australian same-sex marriage advocacy group's sexy, dramatic new campaign had the blogosphere abuzz in late fall. Produced by independent advocacy organization GetUp! Action for Australia, the new ad, simply titled "A Love Story," which depicts two handsome men frolicking on a beach and dealing with family crises before a proposal and the subsequent nuptials.
Gay Kiss Upstages Al Jazeera Reporter

One gay couple expressed their views on the victory of Spain's Mariano Rajoy and his conservative People's Party by "videobombing" an Al Jazeera reporter, kissing passionately as the hapless correspondent spoke on the election.
Jonah Mowry's Brave Confession

A bullied teen's poignant video caught the eye of the blogosphere over three months after it was originally posted. The clip, simply titled "Whats goin on..." [sic] and uploaded to YouTube in August, features eighth grader Jonah Mowry, who addresses the audience with a series of revealing notecards while Sia's "Breathe Me" plays in the background.
Michigan Senator Slams 'Matt's Safe School Law'

In a stinging floor speech, Michigan Senator Gretchen Whitmer expressed her dissatisfaction with "Matt's Safe School Law," which -- at the time -- created a special exception for bullies who have "a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction," as well as neglecting to protect to bullying against students based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Gay Soldier Comes Out To Father On YouTube

Hours after the U.S. military repealed "Don't Ask Don't Tell," Randy Phillips, a young American soldier stationed in Germany <a href="http://main.aol.com/2011/09/20/soldier-comes-out-to-father-on-youtube_n_971994.html" target="_hplink">had something to tell his father</a>. "Dad, I'm gay," the soldier uttered into his cellphone. "Always have been and always known forever," he adds.
Bachmann Confronted By 8-Year-Old LGBT Activist

In early December, Michele Bachmann was left speechless after an awkward encounter with a young activist named Elijah at a South Carolina book signing. The video, however, drew plenty of criticism from some unusual sources.
'Gay Is The Word'

Produced by staff and students from the University of Liverpool and based on an original idea from the staff's LGBT Network, "Gay is the Word" shows a British fellow attempting to come out to his mates as a gay man, yet failing when his friends don't understand that "gay" also means "homosexual."