Missed President Trump’s Pride Month proclamation? Yeah, so did we. But, as usual, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson issued hers.
Johnson has worked closely with the LGBT community since she served in the Texas legislature where she wrote the first legislation in Texas dealing with the AIDS crisis. She’s consistently sponsored legislation including employment nondiscrimination and has a 100 percent voting record with Human Rights Campaign, celebrated marriage equality and mourned our losses with us. Here’s what she said today (June 1):
This June, as we celebrate LGBT Pride Month let’s renew our fight to end discrimination against LGBT Americans.
A year ago this month, the LGBT community was violently attacked at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Although our celebration this year is marred by sorrow, we must remain resilient in fighting to protect the rights of those in the LGBT community. They should be able to freely enjoy themselves in public places without fear of being attacked. So this month, we will continue to remember the 49 beautiful souls who lost their lives, and all of the survivors and family members still reeling from this hateful attack.
We still live in a time when across this country our LGBT friends and family members can still be fired from their jobs or evicted from their apartment just because of who they are or who they love. We all must to do more to protect the dignity of the LGBT community. I commit myself to continuing to fight for full legal and societal equality for LGBT people. Last month, I was proud to join 194 of my House colleagues in reintroducing the Equality Act, comprehensive civil rights legislation that will provide nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people all across this country.
Pride Month recognizes the courage it takes for LGBT people to come out as their true selves into a society that is not always accepting. It is an observance of those who have fought for equality, in some case losing their freedom or even their lives. And it is a celebration of how far we have all come, for when we are more welcoming to our LGBT friends and family we are a stronger, more resilient and more unified society.
I pledge to keep fighting to ensure LGBT Americans have the safety and security they deserve in our Dallas community and across the nation. So I am joining countless others in taking this Pride Month to recognize the significant contributions our LGBT friends and family members have made to the fabric of our nation and stand together in the fight for full and total equality.
SOURCE: Dallas Voice
