On the House floor Thursday, Illinois
Congressman Mike Quigley reminded colleagues June is Gay Pride month.
“I rise in celebration of June as
Pride Month,” Quigley told lawmakers. “Participating and
supporting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community is a
way of life.”
“At its core, this month stands to
recognize a fundamental belief upon which this country is founded:
equality.”
“The first pride parade took place in
1970 to commemorate the Stonewall Riots in New York. Forty years
later, the event has become much more than a parade – it has
evolved into a month-long celebration of the LGBT community.”
“What was once a moment is now a
movement, bringing people together to fight for the rights and
benefits granted to them by the Constitution, rights we should all
fully support and fight for every day in Washington.”
“We’ve got a few victories under
our belt – Hate Crimes legislation and the repeal of Don’t Ask
Don’t Tell have passed these chambers – but there remains much to
be done. I look forward to celebrating equality for all this weekend
at the Chicago Pride Parade and festival, and I am as emboldened as
ever, to continue this important work in Congress.” (The video is
embedded in the right panel of this page.)