Presidential Document2021-11973
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month, 2021
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 7, 2021
Signed
June 1, 2021
Issuing agencies
Executive Office of the President
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 107 (Monday, June 7, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 107 (Monday, June 7, 2021)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 30135-30136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11973]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 107 / Monday, June 7, 2021 /
Presidential Documents
[[Page 30135]]
Proclamation 10222 of June 1, 2021
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer
Pride Month, 2021
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
The uprising at the Stonewall Inn in June, 1969,
sparked a liberation movement--a call to action that
continues to inspire us to live up to our Nation's
promise of equality, liberty, and justice for all.
Pride is a time to recall the trials the Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) community has
endured and to rejoice in the triumphs of trailblazing
individuals who have bravely fought--and continue to
fight--for full equality. Pride is both a jubilant
communal celebration of visibility and a personal
celebration of self-worth and dignity. This Pride
Month, we recognize the valuable contributions of
LGBTQ+ individuals across America, and we reaffirm our
commitment to standing in solidarity with LGBTQ+
Americans in their ongoing struggle against
discrimination and injustice.
The LGBTQ+ community in America has achieved remarkable
progress since Stonewall. Historic Supreme Court
rulings in recent years have struck down regressive
laws, affirmed the right to marriage equality, and
secured workplace protections for LGBTQ+ individuals in
every State and Territory. The Matthew Shepard and
James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act broadened
the definition of hate crimes to include crimes
motivated by sexual orientation or gender identity.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community now serve in nearly
every level of public office--in city halls and State
capitals, Governors' mansions and the halls of the
Congress, and throughout my Administration. Nearly 14
percent of my 1,500 agency appointees identify as
LGBTQ+, and I am particularly honored by the service of
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the first
openly LGBTQ+ person to serve in the Cabinet, and
Assistant Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, the first
openly transgender person to be confirmed by the
Senate.
For all of our progress, there are many States in which
LGBTQ+ individuals still lack protections for
fundamental rights and dignity in hospitals, schools,
public accommodations, and other spaces. Our Nation
continues to witness a tragic spike in violence against
transgender women of color. LGBTQ+ individuals--
especially youth who defy sex or gender norms--face
bullying and harassment in educational settings and are
at a disproportionate risk of self-harm and death by
suicide. Some States have chosen to actively target
transgender youth through discriminatory bills that
defy our Nation's values of inclusivity and freedom for
all.
Our Nation also continues to face tragic levels of
violence against transgender people, especially
transgender women of color. And we are still haunted by
tragedies such as the Pulse Nightclub shooting in
Orlando. Ending violence and discrimination against the
LGBTQ+ community demands our continued focus and
diligence. As President, I am committed to defending
the rights of all LGBTQ+ individuals.
My Administration is taking historic actions to finally
deliver full equality for LGBTQ+ families. On my first
day in office, I signed an Executive Order charging
Federal agencies to fully enforce all Federal laws that
prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity
or sexual orientation. As a result, the Federal
Government has taken steps to prevent discrimination
[[Page 30136]]
against LGBTQ+ people in employment, health care,
housing, lending, and education. I also signed an
Executive Order affirming all qualified Americans will
be able to serve in the Armed Forces of the United
States--including patriotic transgender Americans who
can once again proudly and openly serve their Nation in
uniform--and a National Security Memorandum that
commits to supporting LGBTQ+ Federal employees serving
overseas. My Administration is also working to promote
and protect LGBTQ+ human rights abroad. LGBTQ+ rights
are human rights, which is why my Administration has
reaffirmed America's commitment to supporting those on
the front lines of the equality and democracy movements
around the world, often at great risk. We see you, we
support you, and we are inspired by your courage to
accept nothing less than full equality.
While I am proud of the progress my Administration has
made in advancing protections for the LGBTQ+ community,
I will not rest until full equality for LGBTQ+
Americans is finally achieved and codified into law.
That is why I continue to call on the Congress to pass
the Equality Act, which will ensure civil rights
protections for LGBTQ+ people and families across our
country. And that is why we must recognize emerging
challenges, like the fact that many LGBTQ+ seniors, who
faced discrimination and oppression throughout their
lives, are isolated and need support and elder care.
During LGBTQ+ Pride Month, we recognize the resilience
and determination of the many individuals who are
fighting to live freely and authentically. In doing so,
they are opening hearts and minds, and laying the
foundation for a more just and equitable America. This
Pride Month, we affirm our obligation to uphold the
dignity of all people, and dedicate ourselves to
protecting the most vulnerable among us.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of
the United States of America, by virtue of the
authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws
of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2021 as
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride
Month. I call upon the people of the United States to
recognize the achievements of the LGBTQ+ community, to
celebrate the great diversity of the American people,
and to wave their flags of pride high.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand
twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
(Presidential Sig.)
[FR Doc. 2021-11973
Filed 6-4-21; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F1-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on June 7, 2021.
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