Durbin, Duckworth Join Brown, Senate Democrats in Introducing Resolution to Recognize June as LGBTQ Pride Month
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and all 47 other Senate Democrats in introducing a Senate resolution recognizing June as LGBTQ Pride Month. The Senators’ resolution highlights the contributions LGBTQ individuals have made to American society, notes several major milestones in the fight for equal treatment of LGBTQ Americans and resolves to continue efforts to achieve full equality for LGBTQ individuals. The resolution also recognizes how the U.S. Supreme Court’s pending decision to overturn Roe v. Wade could potentially undermine and erode other constitutional rights also grounded in privacy, including the right for same-sex couples to marry or engage in consensual relationships without the risk of criminal prosecution.
“This month, we honor and recognize the contributions of the LGBTQ community in Illinois and across the country. Pride Month is rooted in celebrating each other’s most authentic selves while pushing for progress in our society,” said Durbin. “We have come a long way since the Stonewall Uprising, but the LGBTQ community—including LGBTQ kids—continues to face unacceptable barriers and discrimination. We must recommit ourselves to creating a country where equality can be the lived reality for every American.”
“No one should face discrimination because of who they are or who they love—we all deserve to live and thrive as our most authentic selves,” said Duckworth. “Still, we have a long way to go on the paths to true equality and recognition of the incredible contributions LGBTQ Americans have made to our nation. I’m proud to join my Democratic colleagues in introducing a resolution to officially recognize June as LGBTQ Pride Month.”
“More than 50 years ago, the Stonewall Uprising, led in large part by trans women of color, brought national attention to the ongoing movement for justice that lives on today in Ohio and across the country,” said Brown. “This Pride month – and year-round – we recommit ourselves to gender equality and to social, economic, and racial justice, and to defending marriage equality as the constitutional right that the Supreme Court guaranteed seven years ago.”
In 2021, Senate Democrats re-introduced the Equality Act, legislation to ensure civil rights laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Equality Act would unequivocally ban discrimination in a host of areas, including employment, housing, public accommodations, jury service, access to credit, federal funding assistance and education.
Along with Senators Duckworth, Durbin and Brown, the resolution was co-sponsored by all 50 Senate Democrats, including U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Angus King (I-ME), Tom Carper (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jack Reed (D-RI), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Mark Warner (D-VA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA), Krysten Sinema (D-AZ), Gary Peters (D-MI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Jon Tester (D-MT), John Ossoff (D-GA) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
Full text of the resolution is available here.
This year’s pride resolution has been endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).
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