HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.118
Reps. Dievendorf, Andrews, Arbit, Brabec, Breen, Brixie, Byrnes,
Brenda Carter, Tyrone Carter, Churches, Coffia, Conlin, Edwards,
Fitzgerald, Glanville, Grant, Haadsma, Hill, Hood, Hope, Hoskins,
Koleszar, Liberati, MacDonell, Martus, McKinney, Mentzer, Miller,
Morse, Neeley, O'Neal, Pohutsky, Price, Puri, Rheingans, Rogers,
Scott, Shannon, Skaggs, Snyder, Steckloff, Stone, Tsernoglou, Wegela
and Weiss offered the following resolution:
1 A resolution to declare June 2023 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
2 Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month in the state of
3 Michigan.
4 Whereas, Pride began in 1970 with the one year anniversary of
5 the Stonewall Riots, a multi-day protest that is credited by many
6 for starting the modern-day LGBTQ+ movement. In 1969, LGBTQ+
7 individuals, led by the efforts of Black and Brown trans women such
LGBTQ M 23H
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1 as activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, risked their
2 lives to protest the over-policing and injustice that threatened
3 their existence daily, and elevated the visibility of the movement
4 to a national scale; and
5 Whereas, The LGBTQ+ community has persevered through tragedies
6 and struggles, such as the government's insufficient and delayed
7 response to assisting those with HIV/AIDS and the ongoing effort to
8 protect the rights and ensure the safety of the LGBTQ+ community;
9 and
10 Whereas, The movement has also celebrated victories of
11 recognition, especially the historic Obergefell v. Hodges decision
12 in 2015 which recognized marriage equality nationwide, the Bostock
13 v. Clayton County decision in 2020 that upheld federal employment
14 protections for the LGBTQ+ community, and Rouch World v. Department
15 of Civil Rights in 2022 that affirmed LGBTQ+ protections are
16 included in Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act; and
17 Whereas, After a fifty-year legislative effort, the Michigan
18 House and Senate in its 102nd Legislature at long last added sexual
19 orientation and gender identity or expression as protected classes
20 in the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which was signed into law
21 as Public Act 6 of 2023; and
22 Whereas, Still today, the LGBTQ+ community, and
23 disproportionally trans women of color, continue to be a target of
24 harassment, violence, and discrimination, yet through community
25 support and solidarity continues to celebrate love, authentic
26 living, and self-acceptance; and
27 Whereas, Michigan stands out in this watershed moment as a
28 state that embraces equality because our communities benefit from
29 diversity and variety in viewpoints, talents, and cultural
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1 perspectives of its residents and from preserving the freedom,
2 worth, and dignity of those in the LGBTQ+ community; and
3 Whereas, Michigan should expend all efforts to attract and
4 retain talent and signal to the nation we are welcoming to all
5 those who wish to contribute to the economic vitality of our state;
6 and
7 Whereas, The people of Michigan understand, appreciate, and
8 value the cultural, civic, and economic contributions of the LGBTQ+
9 communities to the larger success of the state, and affirm a
10 celebration of love, living authentically, and accepting ourselves;
11 and
12 Whereas, Michigan commits to the learning, humility and work
13 necessary to make the state fair, safe, equitable and a refuge of
14 stability regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or
15 expression; and
16 Whereas, June is recognized and celebrated as LGBTQ+ Pride
17 Month throughout the country and worldwide; now, therefore, be it
18 Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of
19 this legislative body declare June 2023 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
20 Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month in the state of
21 Michigan.