Every Thanksgiving we gather together with our families, whether biological or self-created, to give thanks for all of the good that each of us have in our individual and collective lives. It's a time of feasting, remembrance and celebration of the sense of community that bonds and ties us together as human beings.
However, queer people often don't seem to have a significant place in what we think about when constructing the history of Thanksgiving.
But we at HuffPost Gay Voices think that is far from true. In fact, Thanksgiving is actually extremely queer -- you just don't know it yet.
In honor of both the holiday and our shared history as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, HuffPost Gay Voices wants to not only wish you an incredibly happy holiday, but share with you just how queer Thanksgiving really is with the 13 Queerest Things About Thanksgiving.
1. Gay Turkeys Want Lovin' Too!Multiple studies have confirmed that homosexuality has been recorded in over 1,500 different animal species. Not "natural?" Just ask these guys.
2. Think The Pilgrims Landed In Plymouth? Think Again.While history tell us that the pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts, they actually arrived in one of the gayest towns in the world -- good ol' Provincetown.
No word on whether they indulged in tea dances or hanky panky under the docks, but here's to hoping! Think there weren't any gay pilgrims to join in on the fun? Well...
3. Queer PilgrimsWhile gays and lesbians living among the pilgrims may not have been able to be out and proud, two men at Plymouth faced execution because they were "convicted of what the law books said was a grave moral crime" -- being in a gay relationship.
4. Thanksgiving's Unofficial FruitIt's believed the term '"fruit" first became used to refer to gay men in 1935, and some believe it was due to the word's prior association with "a girl or woman willing to oblige." Gay men have long been connected to slang that serves to emasculate them -- and "fruit" most likely falls into that category.
Make sure to indulge in lots of fruits this holiday!
5. Clueless About Cooking? Ask These Drag QueensPandora Boxx, one of our favorite "RuPaul's Drag Race" queens and a blogger for HuffPost Gay Voices, joins Daphne Dumount and Saltina Obama Bouvier to help you make a drag-tastic holiday dessert.
6. The Big, Gay Macy's Thanksgiving Day ParadeDuring the first hour of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the female lead from every Broadway show currently in production and a slew of chorus boys will make their way down the streets of New York. Between this, The Rockettes and the cast of Glee -- could it really get any gayer?
7. Go Gaga Over ThanksgivingFor the second time, international pop icon Lady Gaga is slated to host a Thanksgiving special -- this time with the Muppets! "I hope Miss Piggy's still not mad about Kermit," Gaga said in a statement. "We're just friends!"
"Lady Gaga and the Muppets' Holiday Spectacular" will air on ABC.
8. The Gay Art Of ThanksgivingGay illustrator J.C. Leyendecker's Thanksgiving covers were published almost exclusively for "The Saturday Evening Post." "Between the Post, his work for U.S. military campaign posters and promotions, and his art for men’s fashion companies — most notably the Arrow Shirt Collar Co. — Leyendecker created a gold mine of male beauty," stated The Advocate. "His lucrative commissions financed a hedonistic Roaring Twenties lifestyle with his lover and favorite model, Charles Beach."
9. The NFL Is Gayer Than EverNot only did the San Francisco 49ers became the first National Football League team to film an "It Gets Better" video last year, but if you're watching the big NFL games today, you can rest easier knowing that the National Football League wants to do everything it can to welcome gay players into its fold.
10. Abraham Lincoln Declared Thanksgiving An Annual National Holiday And we all know the speculation surrounding Honest Abe's sexuality...
11. Native Americans And The Two-Spirit TraditionThanksgiving in present day America is a mix of Native American autumnal celebratory traditions and traditions brought to the New World by colonists.
The NorthEast Two-Spirit Society notes that there are roughly 400 indigenous Nations in the United States and 155 of those Nations have "documented multiple gender traditions" including those who are "Two Spirit," or individuals whose spirits "are a blending of male and female."
Curious to learn more about two-spirit identity? Head here.
12. Still not convinced about the queerness of Thanksgiving?We'll just leave this gay pilgrim making a Turkey here.
13. Queer People Have A LOT To Be Thankful For2013 has been an incredible year for the LGBT community, and we sure have a hell of a lot to be thankful for. From the repeal of the third section of DOMA, to the legalization of gay marriage now in 16 states, to the passage of ENDA in the Senate -- when you're with your family, whether bonded through blood or love and friendship, take a moment and be thankful for all that we, as queer people, have accomplished together throughout the course of this year alone.
Happy Thanksgiving queers!