Oh my!

We knew him first as as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the USS Enterprise, but we have come to know him as so much more. George Takei is also a very outspoken activist who is paving the way for LGBTQ+ generations yet to come. When I watched him on the bridge during those Star Trek episodes, I had no idea George was a gay man, but know the whole world knows and is proud.

Most people might know him largely from his voice work and his acting, including a classic Twilight Zone episode, an old Perry Mason, and his legacy project, the more recent musical Allegiance.  I really like his activism though and all the things he is accomplishing now as an openly gay married man.  With husband Brad by his side, he really is going where no man has gone before.

Now about that whole "oh my!" thing. I love that he says it, but so do I and I've been saying it since I was in high school. No, I didn't copy George Takei. I'd never heard of him back when I first said it.

I remember the first time I met him. Kind, polite, and warm. I don't easily say that about many celebrities. It was at an LGBTQ event, and we didn't have time for much conversation, but I've seen a lot of him in public, including his famous facebook posts, and I can easily say he is making a positive difference.  He seemed like the perfect person to end the month with.

Happy Pride!

Adam's pictures

The Pride Celebrations each June, the rainbow flag, and The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt are all things that make a visible difference.  Who doesn't recognize panels of The Quilt when you see them, or the rainbow flag?  Well, the NoH8 Campaign is another example.  Photographer Adam Bouska created this visual program along with partner Jeff Parshley, back in 2009 in response to California's Proposition 8, the ballot proposition opposing same-sex marriage.

Openly gay Bouska has really made a difference taking pictures of thousands in the past eight years.  I remember seeing a friend at work with the NoH8 on his cheek.  It made an immediate impact on me.  There is something very empowering seeing your favorite celebrities, including many non-gay people, in these poses with the duct tape and the NoH8 lettering. 

Our lgbtq community is fortunate to have so many great leaders.  There just aren't enough days in the month to mention everyone, but I encourage you to mention some others for me, using the comments section below.

If you want to keep up with Adam Bouska's NoH8 pictures, check out their website at http://www.noh8campaign.com/ - you can donate money to this great campaign through their website too.  (I love looking through all the pictures).  Adam makes a difference in many other ways as well.  I really appreciate all of his positive and encouraging tweets.  You can keep up with him at his website http://www.adambouska.com/ 

Ellen

I would probably love Ellen Lee DeGeneres even if she wasn't an LGBTQ+ activist. I loved her sitcoms and her talk show and her movies, and I love her stand-up comedy performances. I also love her caring and her humanitarianism.

Lately I have been thinking about how much I miss Ellen.  I used to watch her daytime show regularly, either as it aired or a replay later in the day.  Her visibility as a gay woman was such a great thing for the LGBTQ+ community.  There was really something special though about all of those people she helped.

I'll never forget the time she featured two guys on her show who attended the prom together. They were best friends, but only one of the two was gay.

Ellen really has that whole "random acts of kindness" thing down pat. That's the part of her show I really enjoyed the most. She changed a lot of lives for the better and her closing line each day was such a great reminder - "Be kind to one another!"

Thanks, Ellen, for a lot of great entertainment and for being such a great role model.  Thanks for making a difference.  I hope we will be seeing more of you real soon.

Randy was first

Back in the late 70s, when I lived in San Francisco, I met a television reporter named Randy Shilts.  A major magazine in a brief mention, said he was the first openly gay television news reporter.  I remember saying to him, "I've always been openly gay, so what made you the first?"  Regardless of who was actually first, Randy was covering things that nobody else was. 

After leaving the public tv station where he had been working, Randy went on to the major local newspaper, where he again paid more attention to lgbt issues, than any other reporter.  Books followed.  He gave us only three, but three important ones:  Conduct Unbecoming: Gays and Lesbians in the US Military, And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic, and The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk.

He wanted to write more.  Homosexuality in the Roman Catholic Church was to have been examined in his next book, but AIDS claimed his life at the young age of 42, before he was able to get to that.

I've written here about Randy Shilts before, and you may think it odd that I bring him up so much.  We knew each other, but never became close.  Randy made a difference though.  He brought us news we needed to hear.  He talked about HIV/AIDS when nobody else was.  Although there is some controversy, especially when he called for the closure of gay bathhouses, Randy continued to dig up the facts and report them to us.  He might not be recognized by everyone, but I am thrilled that he was one of the first to receive a plaque on San Francisco's Rainbow Honor Walk.

Thanks for the reports and for the books Randy.  Thanks for making a difference!

HISTORY WAS MADE!

Where were you on the morning of June 26, 2015?  Can you remember?  History was made eight years ago on this date.  Perhaps it changed your life.  Let me give you some help - an historic decision was made by the US Supreme Court, effecting the entire nation. They affirmed equality. They said that gay people can marry too. Some states had already done it, but now with the High Court's ruling, same-sex couples could marry nationwide.  Now eight years later in 2023 it might not seem like as big a deal, but it was!  It really was.

In writing the majority opinion, Justice Anthony McLeod Kennedy said these words, which have since ended up on posters:

No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In the forming of a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization's oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right. The judgement of the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is reversed. It is so ordered.

I know I just wrote about marriage equality last week, but this day in 2015 was so very important, I simply HAD to say something. There was a lot of celebrating back then.  It was a happy day.  Since then there has been progress in other countries.  I won't pretend that the whole world has changed.  I won't pretend that there is not still a lot of work to do.  I also won't pretend that everyone is happy about the advancements and is celebrating.  We do have reason for joy though.  We do have reason to hope for brighter tomorrows.  On this date eight years ago, things got a little better.  History was made!

Birthday wishes to Mikey Bustos

Visibility is important and the B in LGBTQ+ is often left out, that's why it was a very positive thing when he came out as bisexual in 2019. Somehow it has become a tradition now for me to write about him here on his birthday, which falls during Pride Month.

I follow Mikey on social media and watch his videos (some of them, like 'I Love to Eat Balut' I have watched over and over). Something really stand out too - Mikey is a happy person who freely shares that happiness.

Moving from his native Canada to the Philippines a few years ago, we have seen Mikey and boyfriend RJ Garcia build their dream house and continue to grow in their relationship.

Thanks for the smile Mikey and for all of the entertainment and encouragement. Happy birthday to you, and Happy Pride!

TransMarch

Twenty years! Oh my! This year marks a milestone for sure, as the San Francisco area comes together for the 20th time to honor the resilience, strength, and beauty of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.  I remember being there the very first year and going back year after year.  I also remember all of those wonderful souls who are no longer with us.

Tomorrow's event begins in the morning with the Señora Felicia Flames Intergenerational Brunch, honoring another giant of the community. Later comes the stage performances and the resource fair. The march itself comes in the evening and ends with a rally demanding equality and respect.

Toronto has a Trans March too as do several other cities, but I can write about the San Francisco event from experience. It is always a wonderful day increasing visibility, activism and acceptance of all.  I have always been made to feel very welcome and wish I could be present tomorrow.

More information is available at https://www.transmarch.org/

marriage equality

When I began writing this blog back in 2008, same-sex marriage was only a dream in most of the United States. The Netherlands had been the first back in 2001, and it had become legal in Belgium, Canada, Spain, and South Africa in the years that followed. It was also legal in two US states (Massachusetts and Connecticut) but would be a long time coming for the rest of the country.

There are now these thirty four places around the world, where same-sex marriage is legal: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States, and Uruguay. Let me point out that these thirty four countries are actually only a small portion of the world.

A vote is due early next week, and activists are hoping Estonia’s parliament will back a government bill that would allow gay and lesbian couples to marry there. Estonia would become first ex-Soviet state to back same sex marriage.

Attitudes are changing and progress is being made. Younger generations express higher levels of support for same-sex marriage.  Let's keep hoping and working for more progress.

Lance makes a difference every day

Who hasn't heard of Lance Bass?  He's a pop singer, a dancer, actor, producer, radio and tv personality, author, and activist. He might not have started out to be all those things, but over time, they have developed.  He is also making a huge difference for the LGBTQ+ community. 

By being openly gay, Lance is another person showing the world that gay people want the same things as everyone else:  respect, equality, and freedom from hate.  Every time he says "my husband and I," he is making a difference.  The wedding of Lance and his spouse Michael Turchin (pictured here), back in 2014 was recorded and shown on cable tv.  Sometimes just being yourself is all it takes.

 

So much talent in this guy!  Seriously.  I love his talk show appearances.  He always speaks his mind.  That is important. Now I have spoken many times about the importance of being open and honest, and it is my hope that one day closets will again be only for clothing, but let me be very clear.  I do not wish to see anyone in danger.  There are still times when some need to remain in the closet for their own safety, and that should be respected.

I've met Lance and seen him at a couple of different lgbtq events, but he is also making a difference in other areas as well.  He's done telethons for various causes, been an active supporter for animal rights, and is also involved with the Environmental Media Association.  Thank you Lance, thank you Michael, and happy Pride Month!

all kinds of heroes

The Pride Celebrations of the LGBTQ+ communities all around the world are happy and joyous, in part - but they are also rallies for justice and continuations of the fight for equality.  Along the way there have been many heroes.  In this blog, I write about making a difference, and while there have been numerous leaders over the years, a number of whom I will write about here, not all of the lgbtq heroes identify as LGBTQ+.  There are numerous non-gay allies who have made an incredible difference.

These days we know more and more names because folks are less fearful of the gay, bisexual, or transgender label.  Many celebrities are coming out, and that in itself makes a difference, with more visibility.  More people are coming out to family and friends too.  Think for a moment.  How many people do you know who are part of the LGBTQ+ community?

The heroes?  Well, there are certainly too many to write about in just one short blog post, but they include Cleve Jones, Phyllis Lyon, Del Martin, Harvey Milk, Brooklyn Owen, Gavin Newsom, Cecilia Chung, Ken Jones, Dustin Lance Black, Barbara Gittings, Neil Giuliano, Gilbert Baker, and Vic Basile. Also Troy Perry, Bayard Rustin, Adam Bouska, José Sarria, Chaz Bono, Felicia Elizondo, Blake Brockington, Ryan Cassata, Dan Savage, and Tamara Ching.  The list can go on and on, and hopefully more and more folks will come forward and fight for what is right - equality for all.  I said some of that rarlier in the month.

Please do feel free to share your LGBTQ+ Pride stories.  What is the most moving experience you have ever had.  Who are your heroes? 

Performing Arts and the LGBTQ+ Community

Everyone loves a good performance, right? Well the performing arts has long been a safer place for the LGBTQ+ community, even though it is hardly perfect and full of stereotypes. Many people think that all male ballet dancers are gay, for example, and I happen to know dozens who are not.

It is still nearly impossible to find representation of trans or bisexual people in theatre, and gay women are too often narrowly represented in terms of stereotypes.  Things though are certainly better in opera, ballet, theatre, and other performing arts, then they might be elsewhere.  

It's lovely to see so many regional theatres opening their seasons in the middle of Pride Month.  It is in regional theatre that so many of our LGBTQ+ sisters and brothers across the country are able to be themselves and perfect their craft.  Don;e get me wrong.  Broadway is a wonderful exhibit of commercial theatre, but those small 99-seat theatres across the country reach some many people in those little places where there might not be any other opportunity.

Speaking of Broadway, how wonderful that the Tony Awards came right in the middle on Pride Month too. On Sunday night nonbinary performers, J. Harrison Ghee and Alex Newell won Tony Awards, and that is a first. It was Parade director Michael Arden who got my tears flowing though during his acceptance speech.

                        "Growing up, I was called the F-word more times than I could
                         remember. And all I can say now is I'm a faggot with a Tony!"

Parade star Ben Platt seemed very pleased.

Remembering

Seven years ago in Orlando, Florida, a 29-year-old man, killed 49 people and wounded 53 more in a mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub which as hosting a Latin Night.  It was not the first incident of violence against the LGBTQ+ community and sadly, not the last, but it was the deadliest.

The history of assaults on transgender people, lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals, is extensive.  We all know about the Stonewall Inn, the arson at the Upstairs Lounge in New Orleans, and the murder of Harvey Milk, but the list of other incidents goes on and on.

The names include Terry Knudsen, Robert Allen Taylor, Steven Charles, Anthony Milano, Rebecca Wight, Gordon Church, Venus Xtravaganza, Matthew Shepard, James Zappalorti, Julio Rivera, Allen Schindler, Brandon Teena, Nicholas West, Scott Amedure, Chanelle Pickett, Roxanne Ellis, Michelle Abdill, Fred Mangione, and so many others.  Some of the names are unknown.  Some of the incidents are unknown because there were not classified at the time as hate crimes.

A mass shooting at a gay bar in Colorado Springs last November left five people dead and twentyfive more injured.  The violence has not stopped, and the increase of anti-LGBTQ legislation has only made things worse.

I wish the violence would end.  I wish the hate would end.  We must fight for an end to all anti-LGBTQ+ violence.  I wish that Pride Month could be thirty days of celebrating, but we must remember our history and we must continue working for all the justice and rights that we (and all people) deserve.  On this day, please take a moment to remember that attack at Pulse and the loss of lives there, and

                                                     One more time please, say their names -

Stanley Almodovar III, 23

Amanda Alvear, 25

Oscar A. Aracena-Montero, 26

Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33

Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21

Martin Benitez Torres, 33

Antonio D. Brown, 30

Darryl R. Burt II, 29

Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24

Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28

Simon A. Carrillo Fernandez, 31

Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25

Luis D. Conde, 39

Cory J. Connell, 21

Tevin E. Crosby, 25

Franky J. Dejesus Velazquez, 50

Deonka D. Drayton, 32

Mercedez M. Flores, 26

Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22

Juan R. Guerrero, 22

Paul T. Henry, 41

Frank Hernandez, 27

Miguel A. Honorato, 30

Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40

Jason B. Josaphat, 19

Eddie J. Justice, 30

Anthony L. Laureano Disla, 25

Christopher A. Leinonen, 32

Brenda L. Marquez McCool, 49

Jean C. Mendez Perez, 35

Akyra Monet Murray, 18

Kimberly Morris, 37

Jean C. Nieves Rodriguez, 27

Luis O. Ocasio-Capo, 20

Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25

Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36

Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32

Enrique L. Rios Jr., 25

Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37

Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24

Christopher J. Sanfeliz, 24

Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35

Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25

Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34

Shane E. Tomlinson, 33

Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25

Luis S. Vielma, 22

Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37

Jerald A. Wright, 31

 May they, and every single victim of LGBTQ violence and hate, rest in peace.

At the Movies

Everybody loves a good movie, right?  The number of films with an LGBTQ theme is not as large as you might think. Bisexuals are almost invisible and so often, if there is a gay man he is a stereotype. Things do seem to be improving though.  

Last year I made a list, and nothing has happened since then to make me change it, so here are my top twenty LGBTQ+ themed films:  20-Carol (2015), 19-Boys Don’t Cry (1999), 18-The Crying Game (1992), 17-The Queen (1968), 16-The Times of Harvey Milk (1984), 15-Transamerica (2006), 14-Love! Valour! Compassion! (1997), 13-Longtime Companion (1990), 12-The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994), 11-Milk (2008), 10-The Boys in the Band (1970), 9-The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995), 8-Love, Simon (2018), 7-Aimée und Jaguar (1999), 6-My Own Private Idaho (1991), 5-The Birdcage (1996), 4-Call Me by Your Name (2018), 3-Brokeback Mountain (2005), 2-The Wedding Banquet (1993), and 1-Torch Song Trilogy (1988).

Some of these I have watched over and over.  The Birdcage is fun and I always enjoy it, but not in the same way as The Wedding Banquet and Torch Song Trilogy, where I always cry.  Sometimes when I'm at the movies and I suddenly discover a gay character, I get choked up, even if that isn't the central theme.  I'm sure these are some more recent offerings, but I don't seem to get out as much.

I was told I should include The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2000), but having never seen it, I have kept it off my list.  What else might I be missing though?  Do you have some favorite LGBTQ+ themed films?

The LGBTQ+ Music

The LGBTQ+ anthems on my list might not be the same as yours, but here is the list I made last year - 25: Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) - Abba, 24: Same Love - Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, 23: Over the Rainbow - Judy Garland, 22: Ice Cream Truck - Cazwell, 21: Believe - Cher, 20: The Night I Fell in Love - Pet Shop Boys, 19: If I Had You - Adam Lambert, 18: Don't Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston, 17: You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) - Sylvester, 16: True Trans Soul Rebel - Against Me, 15: Tainted Love - Imelda May, 14: Born this Way - Lady Gaga, 13: No More Tears - Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer, 12: Express Yourself - Madonna, 11: True Colors - Cindi Lauper, 10: Take Me Or Leave Me - Rent, 9: It's Raining Men - The Weather Girls, 8: Constant Craving - kd lang, 7: YMCA - The Village People, and a favorite of mine 6: Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other - Willie Nelson. The top five -- 5: Your Song - Elton John, 4: I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor, 3: I Am What I Am - John Barrowman, 2: Raise Your Glass - Pink, and 1: I’m Coming Out - Diana Ross.

Does this list do the LGBTQ+ community justice?  Should it be revised? What song would you add? Are there any that just have to be dropped from this list? I tried to keep this list vast and diverse, but I don't know how I did, so feedback really would be appreciated.  Just how does a song become a gay anthem anyway?  

Nobody makes mix tapes anymore, right?  At least we have YouTube!  I think I'll cue up Gloria Gaynor singing 'I Will Survive.'

Mister Secretary

Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg (yup, that's his full name) was the 32nd mayor of South Bend, Indiana, serving for two terms, ran for the nation's highest office, and currently serves as the United States Secretary of Transportation. Oh yeah, and he is gay. That's a big deal.

Representation matters. Visibility matter. That seems to be a theme this month, but it's true. Buttigieg was the first person from the LGBTQ community to be mayor of South Bend, and was in fact Indiana's first openly gay elected executive. He was the first gay man to launch a major presidential campaign. He even won the Iowa caucuses! As Transportation Secretary, he became the first openly LGBTQ Cabinet member in American history.  I have heard people say that Buttigieg gives them hope.  Indeed.

His husband Chasten Buttigieg who used to perform improv comedy, has written a book,   I Have Something to Tell You, which details his life and tells of his experiences with husband Pete on the 2020 campaign trail.  Pete is a published author as well having written Shortest Way Home : One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future and Trust: America's Best Chance.

During this Pride Month, it's exciting to see such a visible member of the LGBTQ community.  I've written here about him before and am sure I will have more to say.  Thank you Mister Secretary for making a difference.

Inspiration from Ken

When I first wrote here about Kenneth Felts, I said "he is proof that it is never too late."  At the age of 90 he had just come out as gay!

After serving in the US Navy during the Korean War, and through his college and working years (at Colorado State Rehabilitation), Ken lived as any heterosexual man.  Nobody knew his secret.  All that changed though in 2020.  He told his daughter, who is also gay, and then he told the world.

Since then, Ken met a man and fell in love. How wonderful! They have been together now for three years.

Ken has also written a book, My Handful of Stars: Coming Out at Age 90, which tells the story of his life and of his coming out. Now he is writing a second story about growing up in the 1930s as a gay person in the mid-west.

Coming out certainly agrees with him. Look at the smile on his face. Ken says he hopes his story will give others the courage to embrace their sexual orientation as well.  I'm personally grateful to have him in my life.  What an inspiration!

We need to know our history

Hearing a story recently about someone who wasn't quite sure who Marsha P. Johnson was, I knew I had to write something here.  (A random person on the street had described her to a friend of mine saying "Oh! Is she the one who threw the first bottle at Stonehenge?"  Stonehenge? Um.  No).

Marsha P. Johnson was an activist in New York City from the 60s to the 90s. Co-founder of the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, Marsha was also a visible presence at protests and marches and at the same time was a mother figure to young trans women. Facing ridicule, bullying, and harassment, Marsha did not yield from being her true self, and in doing so made a huge difference. (The middle initial P, according to her was Pay it No Mind).

Many of us are aware of those who make a difference in the town where we live, but folks in other places do things that lead to a better life for us all.  Whether you are from New Jersey where Marsha was born, New York where she became known, or the other side of the earth, it's important to know that things she did, made a difference.   

Although the police report her death as suicide, there is much evidence to suggest that her death was as a result of a hate crime.  As part of her legacy, we should all pledge to do everything possible to end the plague of hate crimes against our trans sisters and brothers.

so many to write about

For a number of years now I have spent the entire month of June writing about LGBTQ+ issues and heroes.  There are so many to write about and only thirty days in the month.  Even though I might not write in depth about some, that doesn't mean they are forgotten.

I'll always be grateful for the time I shared with Felicia, Dan, Malcolm, Ken, the several Jasons, Richard Jonathan, Phyllis and Del, and Susan.  There are dozens of additional names - no, actually hundreds of additional names that I could add.  It always warms my heart when people step up and do something powerful that makes a difference.  I'm sure your list of heroes might include so many other names.

It there an LGBTQ+ champion that stands a bit taller than the others?  I don't really like to make it into a contest.  I keep hoping for the day when we can truly celebrate equality for everyone and that being gay or being bi or being trans is just being, and it's no big deal.  Let's make it so!

41 years of AIDS

Today is the 42nd anniversary of the first published cases of what would later be known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or AIDS. It is also HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day. Remember the names of all those we have lost, especially in the earliest days, and remember too all those living with HIV, as we continue the work to get to zero new HIV infections.

In addition to working for a cure, it's sad that we also have to keep fighting the stigma.  In the many years I have been writing this blog, I have devoted more space here to HIV/AIDS, and I am still amazed that so many still don't understand or in some cases, don't even care. HIV is not a gay disease. It's not a punishment for having done wrongs. It can be transmitted by homosexual AND heterosexual practices, and although it is primarily a sexually transmitted disease, there are other means of transmission.

Back in the early days of AIDS in the early '80s, HIV/AIDS was considered a death sentence. I can't tell you how many people I said goodbye to. I remember reporting on the lack of concern on the part of our leaders and even within the health community. Activists led the way, as so often is the case. Activist made a difference and continue to do so. I remember my first AIDS Walk 36 years ago and I am amazed at how that annual event has grown and has spread across the country.  I am also thinking this morning of my friends Gilberto and Jason and so many others who are participating in another AIDS LifeCycle.

I can remember the candlelight marches and the beginning of The Quilt.  I remember the celebrity deaths including Dack Rambo, Freddie Mercury, Robert Reed, and Liberace.  I can recall the first days of the Asian AIDS Project, which later became API Wellness and now is San Francisco Community Health.  I can remember fundraisers big and small and so many caring loving people who got involved.  I can remember so many heroes including Donald Francis, Elizabeth Glaser, Brownie Mary, Nurse Alison Moed, and Keith Haring.  Along the way I remember so many that we lost - so many lives cut short.

Now in 2023 I have no intention of giving up.  I'll keep fundraising and speaking up and talking until I drive some folks crazy.  I will also keep caring, because we have to care when we speak of human lives.  On this 42nd anniversary though, I will mostly be remembering and trying to recall each person I said goodbye to.  Today I will think back.  Today I am grateful for the progress, but I don't want us to keep having anniversaries.  

Can I interest you in a donut?

The Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village in New York City is the primary reason why we celebrate Pride during June.  Most of usnknow about The Stonewall Inn and the history behind it, but can I interest you in a donut?  What many claim was the first LGBTQ+ uprising in the United States occurred ten years before Stonewall at Cooper Donuts in Los Angeles.

How about the Dewey’s Lunch Counter sit-in back in Philadelphia in 1965? That too was before Stonewall. The Compton's Cafeteria Riot occurred the following year in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco.  Again, before Stonewall, yet that is the one most folks know about.  There have been other incidents where the LGBTQ+ community stood up and fought back - some famous and some not as well known.

The parades and marches and celebrations during Pride Month every year (and in some places at other times) remember our history and bring us together to see that we continue down the path of equality, fairness, and justice.  

Of course, there is a rich and important history connected to LGBTQ Pride Month, and I'll continue telling you about it here.  Do feel free to share some information about your neck-of-the-woods in the comments section below!  If there isn't a big parade in your community, let's at least eat a donut in remembrance of the LA uprising at Cooper Donuts, and share our hopes for the future.

Pride is not about me

Typing words here every morning is a great exercise.  I've been able to mention a lot of wonderful acts which we all can do, offer suggestions (including ones which came from you), and spotlight people I consider heroes.  During LGBTQ+ Pride Month, I am looking only in that direction and I can recall the many leaders I have come in contact with other the years, some of whom I have already mentioned here in years past.  I have been involved in marches and protests and all manner of celebration, including volunteering for San Francisco Pride for many years and serving on their board of directors.  This blog is NOT about me of course, but I just wanted to give you some background on how I have had the privilege of meeting so many wonderful people.

Some of the LGBT leaders are folks I simply bumped into.  I remember marching for Marriage Equality, surrounded by a lot of folks I knew, but also meeting new people along the way.  This is a great way to network.  I always think that grass roots campaigns are so important because you can get everyone involved.

Sometimes people have reached out to me.  I can't tell you number of heart-warming stories I heard at Pride events.  Once a guy still in high school, had taken the bus to San Francisco on a June Sunday for the annual Pride Parade.  He came up to me and struck up a conversation, telling me that at home in Turlock, he felt all alone.  It wasn't a problem of bullying or harassment (fortunately), but simply one of loneliness.  He told me it was such a wonderful experience being in the presence of thousands of other LGBTQ+ people.  He thanked me, but it was I who should have thanked him.  That's the reason for doing these Pride events - so nobody has to feel alone.

I have no idea how many people who read this blog are from the LGBTQ+ community, but a few years ago a reader posted the most encouraging comment I think I have ever received.  It said "Our only daughter is 22 yrs old, and happens to be straight. When she was little, she said she wanted a gay big brother. Not just a big brother, but specifically gay. Now she has many gay best friends, and spent last evening in the Castro, celebrating with them. That gay big brother, had he existed, would have come into a family that believes what this woman -- Glennon Melton -- wrote. THIS is a mountain I'm willing to die on." 

I'm one of the fortunate ones.  I have had and continue to have many LGBTQ+ friends and we have shared many positive experiences.  We have seen a lot of change, although I generally think it isn't coming fast enough.  Just like this blog is NOT about me (it's about us all, and our potential), Pride too is NOT about me.  It is an important experience though and I'm glad we have this.  Thanks to all the people and organizations I have written about during Pride Months, and thanks to everyone who makes a difference.  In 2023 this is more important than ever.

The man who gave us the rainbow flag

He would have turned 72 today.  A lot of you don't know his name, but you know one of his creations - the rainbow flag.  His name was Gilbert Baker and although he is best known for that famous LGBTQ+ symbol, Gilbert did so much more.

 

After a stint in the Army, Gilbert worked on the first marijuana legalization initiative in California and learned to sew so he could create banners for protest marches. He was for a time a member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (which has been in the news a lot lately). He also served on the Board of Directors of San Francisco Pride where I had the great pleasure of working with him.

Baker first created the Rainbow Flag in 1978. In 1984, he also designed flags for the Democratic National Convention. Sometimes I'm bad with dates, but I remember when we marched to Castro and Market in San Francisco, and raised a giant rainbow flag on the newly installed flagpole. A rainbow flag has flown there ever since.

In 1994, Baker moved to New York City, and lived there for the rest of his life. In 2003, to commemorate the Rainbow Flag's 25th anniversary, Gilbert made a Rainbow Flag that stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean in Key West.

As you look at all of the beautiful rainbow flags flying this month, or any time, take a moment and think of Gilbert Baker.  I am so glad he came our way.

Biden Proclaims June LGBTQI Pride Month

Yesterday President Joe Biden proclaimed 

June LGBTQI Pride Month. It wasn't a surprise, but it sure felt good. Actually I cried. It's a good feeling know the President is on your side. 

I remember President Biden telling of when he saw a gay couple for the first time. "I was a senior in high school," he said "and my dad was dropping me off.  "I was about to get out of the car and I look to my right, and two well-dressed men in suits kissed each other."  Mr. Biden continued "I turned and looked at my dad, and he said, 'Joey, it's simple, they love each other.'"

Here is the text of his proclamation:

In June 1969, a courageous group of Americans rose up to protest the violence and marginalization they faced in what became known as the Stonewall Uprising. Police had raided the Stonewall Inn — a gay bar located in New York City — and for the next six days they clashed with LGBTQI+ protestors, who bravely stood their ground. Their courage sparked a civil rights movement for the liberation of the LGBTQI+ community and changed our Nation forever.

During Pride Month, we honor a movement that has grown stronger, more vibrant, and more inclusive with every passing year. Pride is a celebration of generations of LGBTQI+ 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.

Today, our Nation faces another inflection point. In 2023 alone, State and local legislatures have already introduced over 600 hateful laws targeting the LGBTQI+ community. Books about LGBTQI+ people are being banned from libraries. Transgender youth in over a dozen States have had their medically necessary health care banned. Homophobic and transphobic vitriol spewed online has spilled over into real life, as armed hate groups intimidate people at Pride marches and drag performances, and threaten doctors’ offices and children’s hospitals that offer care to the LGBTQI+ community. Our hearts are heavy with grief for the loved ones we have lost to anti-LGBTQI+ violence.

Despite these attacks, the LGBTQI+ community remains resilient. LGBTQI+ Americans are defiantly and unapologetically proud. Youth leaders are organizing walkouts at high schools and colleges across the country to protest discriminatory laws. LGBTQI+ young people and their parents are demonstrating unimaginable courage by testifying in State capitols in defense of their basic rights.

They are not alone: My entire Administration stands proudly with the LGBTQI+ community in the enduring struggle for freedom, justice, and equality. And we are making strides. On my first day in office, I signed a historic Executive Order charging the entire Federal Government with protecting LGBTQI+ people from discrimination — from health care to housing, education, employment, banking, and the criminal justice system. Last December, surrounded by dozens of couples who have fought for marriage equality in the courts for decades, I had the great honor of signing into law the landmark Respect for Marriage Act. This bipartisan law protects the rights of same-sex and interracial couples — like caring for one’s sick partner and receiving spousal benefits. Deciding who to marry is one of life’s most profound decisions, so we etched a simple truth into law: Love is love.

Meanwhile, I have taken unprecedented steps to support LGBTQI+ youth. During Pride Month last year, I signed an Executive Order charging Federal agencies with combating the dangerous and discredited practice of so-called “conversion therapy.” I also directed agencies to help end the crisis of homelessness among LGBTQI+ youth and adults and to address discrimination that LGBTQI+ kids face in foster care. The Department of Justice is combating laws that target transgender children, and the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services have proposed new rules to protect LGBTQI+ Americans from discrimination in health care, at school, and in sports. I also established the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse to develop concrete actions to prevent and respond to online harassment and abuse, which disproportionately target LGBTQI+ people. Additionally, my Administration made it easier for LGBTQI+ youth to access vital mental health support. Now, by calling the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and dialing the number 3, LGBTQI+ youth can speak to counselors who have been specifically trained to support them.

This country is stronger and more just when America’s leaders reflect the full diversity of our Nation, so I have appointed a historic number of highly qualified openly LGBTQI+ judges and public servants at all levels of the Federal Government. Our Armed Forces are most capable when all patriots can serve their country, so I protected the right of transgender people to once again serve openly in the military.

But there is more to do, like passing the bipartisan Equality Act, which would strengthen civil rights protections for LGBTQI+ people and families across America. We must also address the disproportionate levels of homelessness, poverty, and unemployment in the LGBTQI+ community and end the crisis of violence against transgender women and girls of color. We must support LGBTQI+ activists around the globe who are standing up for basic human rights and LGBTQI+ survivors of gender-based violence. And we must end the HIV/AIDS epidemic once and for all. Our collective freedoms are inextricably linked: when one group’s dignity and equality are threatened, we all suffer. This month and every month, let us celebrate the pride that powers the movement for LGBTQI+ rights and commit to doing our part to help realize the promise of America, for all Americans.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2023 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to recognize the achievements of the LGBTQI+ community, to celebrate the great diversity of the American people, and to wave their flags of pride high.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-seventh.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.