On that fateful day on June 28, 1969, LGBT equality activists looked into the eyes of the legal system and refused to back down during the Stonewall riots in New York City. And thanks to those heroes, we have since begun the uphill battle toward equality for the LGBT community in our schools, our communities and our marriages. Because of the event’s tremendous historical value, June was selected as Pride Month to commemorate this act, and all around the country festivities and parades are held.
For the fourth year in a row, President Obama has officially declared June as Pride Month, the second president to do so, and this year released a video expressing his hope for change. President Bill Clinton was the first to declare Pride Month on June 2, 2000.
“Change never happens on its own. Change happens because ordinary people, countless unsung heroes of our American story, stand up and demand it,” states the president. “The story of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans is no different. As we celebrate LGBT Pride Month we remember the activists and advocates who refused to be treated as second-class citizens.”
Unsung heroes like “the millions of LGBT Americans for whom everyday acts have required extraordinary courage, the young people who came out as gay or transgender to their parents, not knowing what to expect,” President Obama exclaims. “The two moms or two dads who went to an open house for a PTA meeting not knowing how they’d be received. The couple who got married even if their bosses or neighbors wouldn’t approve, at least not right away. Most of these heroes didn’t set out to make history, but that’s exactly what they did.”
From the team at Equally Wed, we wish everyone a happy Pride Month!
Watch the video here:
