Rep. Al Green Introduces Resolution Encouraging the Celebration of the Month of June as LGBT Pride Month

Press Release

On Friday, November 15, 2013, Rep. Al Green (TX-09) introduced a resolution encouraging the celebration of the month of June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month. The resolution was introduced with 23 original cosponsors. The original cosponsors included all six of the co-chairs of the LGBT Equality Caucus: Reps. Jared Polis (CO-02), David Cicilline (RI-01), Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-08), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-09), and Mark Takano (CA-41).

"All Americans should be treated fairly and equally regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity," Congressman Al Green said. "This resolution is one more step toward granting the LGBT community justice and equality under the law."

This resolution specifically acknowledges the accomplishments of former Congressman Barney Frank as the first voluntarily, openly gay Member of the U.S. House of Representatives; Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin as the first openly gay Senator; and LGBT icon Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California. The resolution also recognizes the importance of the early contributions of the LGBT protestors at the Stonewall Inn in 1969 in the formation of the modern LGBT human rights movement. Additionally, the resolution pays tribute to recent victories in the LGBT human rights movement, including Hawaii becoming the 15th state to permit same-sex marriage and the Supreme Court striking down a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

"We have witnessed increasingly positive progress, but we cannot rest until everyone has justice and equality under the law," Congressman Al Green said. "I believe that Dr. King was right when he said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' An injustice against a member of the LGBT community is a threat to justice in every community."