For the second year in a row, President
Donald Trump has failed to recognize June as LGBT Pride Month.
In recent days, Trump issued
proclamations recognizing National Caribbean-American Heritage Month,
National Ocean Month, Great Outdoors Month, National Homeownership
Month and African-American Music Appreciation Month.
Trump also failed to issue a
proclamation recognizing June as LGBT Pride Month last year.
For eight years, President Barack Obama
issued a Pride proclamation and hosted a reception at the White House
every June.
While campaigning for the White House,
Trump pledged to be a better “friend” to the LGBT community than
Hillary Clinton, his Democratic rival. But since entering the Oval
Office, Trump has rolled out a number of anti-LGBT policies,
including banning transgender troops, withdrawing guidance protecting
transgender students and promoting executive actions in the name of
“religious freedom” that may allow discrimination against people
who are LGBT.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who
during his Senate confirmation hearing refused to say whether he
believes gay sex is a “perversion,” issued a statement
recognizing June as LGBT Pride Month.
“[The United States] joins people
around the world in celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,
and Intersex (LGBTI) Pride Month,” Pompeo wrote, “and reaffirms
its commitment to protecting and defending the human rights of all,
including LGBTI persons.”
Democrats also welcomed LGBT Pride
Month.
“The Democratic Party stands with
LGBTQ communities in America and the world,” DNC Chair Tom Perez
said in a statement. “We believe that no one should face
discrimination, bullying or violence because of who they are or who
they love. And we will never stop fighting for the equality every
human being deserves.”