HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.279
Reps. Pohutsky, Rheingans, Hoskins, Morgan, Dievendorf, Coffia,
Byrnes, Brabec, Snyder, Puri, Hill, Skaggs, McFall, Hood, Rogers,
Glanville, Wegela, Arbit, Steckloff, Price, Breen, Fitzgerald,
Haadsma, MacDonell, Paiz and Weiss offered the following resolution:
1 A resolution to declare June 2024 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
8 as activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, risked their
9 lives to protest the over-policing and injustice that threatened
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1 their existence daily, and elevated the visibility of the movement
2 to a national scale; and
3 Whereas, The LGBTQ+ community has persevered through tragedies
4 and struggles, such as the government's insufficient and delayed
5 response to assisting those with HIV/AIDS and the ongoing effort to
6 protect the rights and ensure the safety of the LGBTQ+ community;
7 and
8 Whereas, The movement has also celebrated victories of
9 recognition, especially the historic Obergefell v. Hodges decision
10 in 2015 which recognized marriage equality nationwide, the Bostock
11 v. Clayton County decision in 2020 that upheld federal employment
12 protections for the LGBTQ+ community, and Rouch World v. Department
13 of Civil Rights in 2022 that affirmed LGBTQ+ protections are
14 included in Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act; and
15 Whereas, After a fifty-year legislative effort, the Michigan
16 House and Senate in its 102nd Legislature at long last added sexual
17 orientation and gender identity or expression as protected classes
18 in the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which was signed into law
19 as Public Act 6 of 2023; and
20 Whereas, Still today, the LGBTQ+ community, and
21 disproportionally trans women of color, continue to be a target of
22 harassment, violence, and discrimination, yet through community
23 support and solidarity continues to celebrate love, authentic
24 living, and self-acceptance; and
25 Whereas, Michigan stands out in this watershed moment as a
26 state that embraces equality because our communities benefit from
27 diversity and variety in viewpoints, talents, and cultural
28 perspectives of its residents and from preserving the freedom,
29 worth, and dignity of those in the LGBTQ+ community; and
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1 Whereas, Michigan should expend all efforts to attract and
2 retain talent and signal to the nation we are welcoming to all
3 those who wish to contribute to the economic vitality of our state;
4 and
5 Whereas, The people of Michigan understand, appreciate, and
6 value the cultural, civic, and economic contributions of the LGBTQ+
7 communities to the larger success of the state, and affirm a
8 celebration of love, living authentically, and accepting ourselves;
9 and
10 Whereas, Michigan commits to the learning, humility and work
11 necessary to make the state fair, safe, equitable and a refuge of
12 stability regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or
13 expression; and
14 Whereas, June is recognized and celebrated as LGBTQ+ Pride
15 Month throughout the country and worldwide; now, therefore, be it
16 Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of
17 this legislative body declare June 2024 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
18 Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month in the state of
19 Michigan.