Pride Month arrives each June, bringing our communities together in a celebration that strengthens with each passing year. Massachusetts made history in 1989 as the second state to enact protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation. Then in 2004, Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage. Our state has consistently led the country in advancing LGBTQ rights, and I take pride in how our communities have established themselves as champions of inclusion and acceptance.
As we mark Pride throughout our communities, we recognize both the progress we’ve achieved as a nation and the distance still ahead. In Washington, Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans are working to undo the hard-won victories the LGBTQ community has achieved. As your representative in Congress, I pledge to you: I will continue the fight for equal rights for all people.
Last June, I convened bipartisan leaders at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute to discuss advocacy and activism in the LGBTQ community following the 2016 presidential election. Our panel’s theme was “stronger together” — when communities stand together against those who seek to divide us, we are most powerful in resisting discrimination. This principle guides my work.
The LGBTQ community has fought tirelessly for their rights, and I’m committed to supporting my constituents on the issues that matter most. My record includes co-sponsoring legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act; opposing efforts to define marriage as solely between a man and a woman; working to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell; supporting the Employment Non-Discrimination Act; and backing the right of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents to sponsor same-sex spouses for green cards before court decisions made this possible.
While I’m honored by my 100% rating from the Human Rights Campaign, I’m equally proud of my work as Somerville’s mayor, where I fought insurance companies that denied benefits to same-sex couples and successfully expanded bereavement leave eligibility to include domestic partners — actions I undertook before laws mandated them.
We’ve made remarkable strides. This Saturday, I look forward to marching in Boston’s 48th Pride Parade, celebrating 48 years of honoring who people are, who they love, and the struggles that have transformed our city, state and nation into places where acceptance is the standard, not the exception. Important work remains ahead in Massachusetts and across the country. During Pride Week, I’m honored to stand with the LGBTQ community and celebrate the uniqueness of every individual.
Wishing everyone a joyful Pride Parade, Pride Week and Pride Month — and to many more years of building greater opportunities for everyone.