June is Pride Month — a celebration of equality and a time to remember the advocates and trailblazers who fought for LGBTQ+ civil rights.
This year, our celebrations will be a bit different. But I’m proud that this week, the Supreme Court finally ruled that LGBTQ+ Americans cannot be fired from their job because of who they are or who they love. There is still much more work to be done — like passing the Equality Act to ensure that these protections extend beyond just the workplace.
For now, Pride is a chance for all of us, no matter how we identify, to celebrate the progress we’ve made toward building a more just, equitable country. By broadening the reach of our democracy, we ensure that everyone can live with dignity and respect, free from fear or violence, and protected against discrimination regardless of who they are or who they love.
But as much as pride has become a celebration, we should remember that the first pride was not a parade, but a protest. Pride month began as a celebration of the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots. Angered by excessive police violence and injustice toward the LGBTQ+ community, protesters stood up against violence and put their own lives at risk to further the cause of civil rights for LGBTQ+ Americans.
It’s because of their courage in the face of violence and brutality that we can celebrate love and equality today.
I can’t help but think of the similarities between the Stonewall Riots and the Black Lives Matter protests. I have been so moved to see Americans showing up time after time to demand an end to the policies, attitudes, and beliefs that perpetuate racism in America. Now more than ever, we must remember that none of us are equal until all of us are equal.
As we celebrate Pride month, I hope you will also celebrate and remember the origin of the Stonewall Riots.
All of us can and must commit to fighting injustice in our community and eliminating prejudice wherever it exists.
Sincerely,
