Schakowsky Commemorates LGBTQ+ Pride Month
EVANSTON - Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, a Senior Chief Deputy Whip and Chairwoman of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement recognizing LGBTQ+ Pride Month:
"Fifty-three years ago, members of the LGBTQ+ community stood up to police as they brutally raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in the heart of New York's Greenwich Village neighborhood. Enough was enough. They decided they would no longer tolerate being harassed, beaten, and discriminated against. They sparked a movement for gay rights in the United States and around the world. Ever since, Pride Month has celebrated the strength, beauty, and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community.
"Pride month is an opportunity for us all to embrace our authentic selves. I am grateful to the pioneers who laid the foundation and the trailblazers who continue to change our world for the better.
"This year's Pride month comes at a critical point in the ongoing battle for equal rights. Across the nation, we have seen despicable attacks against the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender and nonbinary youth, by state legislatures. We cannot sit back and let hateful, transphobic, homophobic politicians attack LGBTQ+ rights. We need to come together to fight back against these cruel and discriminatory laws.
"We must also address the day-to-day harassment, bullying, and violence experienced by the LGBTQ+ community, especially the epidemic of violence against transgender women of color. Last year was the deadliest year on record for Black transgender women in the U.S. And we have seen this horrifying trend in our own community. Just this March, two Black transgender women in Chicago, Elise Malary and Tatiana Labelle, were found dead. We are dealing with an epidemic of Black trans deaths, and it must end. I will do everything I can to support Black trans women and the LGBTQ+ community and I urge everyone to do the same. This Congress, I once again voted in favor of the Equality Act to ensure that LGBTQ+ individuals have explicit statutory protections against discrimination in all areas of life. It is time for the Senate to act so the bill can be sent to President Biden. In his State of the Union Address this year, the President made it clear that he will always have the back of every LGBTQ+ American. We cannot wait another second, let's get this done.
"As the proud grandmother of a young transgender man, and as a 2015 inductee into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame, I am committed to ensuring future generations inherit a safer, kinder, and more equal world. This Pride Month, and every month, I vow to use my platform to fight for true and universal equality for all."
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