In the near future, I intend to introduce a resolution recognizing June 2026 as LGBTQ+ Pride Month in Pennsylvania. I have introduced this resolution each of the ten years in which I have been a member of this body, and I continue to be disappointed that some members have blocked passage of this resolution by unanimous consent in prior years. It is my hope that with enough co-sponsors, this will be the year we pass this important resolution.

LGBTQ+ Pride Month is a national recognition of the progress made by the queer community over the last half century. LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians are a vibrant and integral part of our Commonwealth, and their fight for equality is deeply rooted in our history.

Many pivotal moments in that history took place here in Pennsylvania. In 1965, supporters of equal rights staged a sit-in at Dewey’s Lunch Counter in Philadelphia. That same year, activists began the Annual Reminders at Independence Hall, marching in front of the Liberty Bell to demand equal treatment under the law. June commemorates the anniversary of the Stonewall uprising and the emergence of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement that followed.

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the Philadelphia Gay News, one of the nation’s oldest and most influential LGBTQ+ publications, which has documented, uplifted, and strengthened the community in Pennsylvania for five decades. It was founded by Mark Segal, a participant in the Stonewall uprising who has dedicated his life to advancing equality and building lasting institutions, including the creation of the John C. Anderson Apartments, the nation’s first affordable housing community for LGBTQ+ seniors.

At the same time, LGBTQ+ people continue to face renewed attacks. Across the country and here at home, we have seen repeated efforts to single out transgender individuals, particularly young people, for exclusion from everyday activities like school and athletics. These efforts contribute to a broader climate that undermines dignity and safety. We know that when harmful rhetoric goes unchecked, it can lead to real harm.

For these reasons, it is more important than ever that we recognize both the history and the ongoing contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. Pride Month is not only a celebration, it is a reaffirmation of the basic principle that all people deserve dignity, respect, and equal protection under the law.

I urge you to join me in sponsoring this important resolution.

If you have any questions, please contact my Chief of Staff, Micah Mahjoubian, a gay man and longtime advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, at micah.mahjoubian@pasenate.com.