Pride is a celebration of generations of LGBTQIA+ people who have fought bravely to live openly and authentically. And it is a reminder that we still have generational work to do to ensure that everyone enjoys the full promise of equity, dignity, protection, and freedom. At a time when erasure, homophobia, and transphobia are running rampant throughout the nation, we want to take time to “Reflect. Empower. Unite.” Reflect on the challenges and successes of the past. Empower the next generation of change makers. Unite all members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies in the name of justice.
The Stonewall Riots ushered in a new wave of social justice advocacy and refreshed the diligent strides of the 1960s counterculture in which individuals and organizations acted to build a better society. Today, many young LGBTQIA+ advocates, activists, and their allies have taken up that same mantle to push the needle of progress further in their pursuit of a more inclusive, more just, and more diverse world.
Between the 1960s to the present-day, LGBTQIA+ protests, campaigns, and organizations have played a pivotal role in dismantling negative images of the community, supported other liberation movements, and advocated for HIV/AIDS funding and access to equal healthcare.
Within the Commonwealth of Virginia, LGBTQIA+ organizations have been successful in their efforts to obtain marriage equality, making it the first state in the South to legislate protections for members of this community against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, public and private employment, public accommodations, and access to credit.
The fabric of American society has been strengthened by countless members of the LGBTQIA+ community making strides in all areas of life and bringing us ever closer to the Beloved Community. We remember all those who have lost their lives promoting equal rights for all, we honor the events of June 1969, and we look to a new generation of change makers, advocates, and activists to carry us into the fullness of liberation, equal justice, and opportunity.
The Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, on behalf of 51鱨վ recognizes LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, and in doing so, we renew our commitment to dismantling discrimination and prejudices wherever it stands and call this observance to the attention of the Monarch Community.