HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-06-05 - LGBTQ+ Pride MonthProclamation
__________________________
Lydia Kou
Mayor
LGBTQ+ PRIDE MONTH
June 2023
WHEREAS, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month is celebrated
nationwide each year in the month of June; and
WHEREAS, this month was chosen to commemorate the riots that took place 50 years ago at the Stonewall
Inn in Manhattan, New York, the morning of June 28, 1969, often viewed as the birth of the modern LGBTQ+
Rights Movement; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting that several major United States Supreme Court decisions impacting LGBTQ+
rights in a positive way have been announced in June, including Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 (2003),
which struck down sodomy laws; U.S. v. Windsor, 570 U.S. 744 (2013), which struck down the federal Defense
of Marriage Act; Obergefell v. Hodges, 135 S. Ct. 2584 (2015), which affirmed the right of same-sex couples to
marry; and Pavan v. Smith, 137 S. Ct. 2075 (2017), which held that both mothers of a child had the legal right
to be listed on their child’s birth certificate; and
WHEREAS, despite this extraordinary progress, the LGBTQ+ community continues to face systematic
discrimination through anti-LGBTQ+ legislation targeting LGBTQ+ families, children, athletes, and students;
and
WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto has a diverse LGBTQ+ community and is committed to supporting
visibility, dignity, and equity for all people in the community; and
WHEREAS, we will continue to push back against the forces of hate and intolerance to ensure all feel safe
and welcomed, acknowledging how the need for education and awareness remains vital to end discrimination
and prejudice.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Lydia Kou, Mayor of the City of Palo Alto on behalf of the entire City Council do
hereby proclaim the month of June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month
and encourage all citizens to join in celebrating our diversity, promoting inclusion and equal protection under
the law, and eliminating discriminatory policies toward any culture, race, or group.
PRESENTED: June 5, 2023