The recent bathroom bills that riled up our nation around transgender issues have, in recent weeks, seemed to fade from the national spotlight. Though the transgender community still faces discrimination, many people have shifted their focus towards other topics, like gun violence and animal rights.
Though discussions about the rights of LGBT individuals seem to ebb and flow in the public eye, the month of June provides an opportunity to seize the spotlight. June, for many years, has been considered LGBT Pride Month, and is filled with weeks of partying in celebration of how far we’ve come while raising awareness for the long road ahead.
The month of June has held special significance for members of the LGBT+ community in the United States. Several major Supreme Court decisions were handed down on June 26th, including Lawrence v. Texas (539 U.S. 558) in 2003, U.S. v. Windsor and Collingsworth v. Perry (570 U.S. __) in 2013 and now Obergefell v. Hodges (576 U.S. __) in 2015. Each of these cases extended government protection of rights for people facing discrimination based on their sexual orientation, from privacy in the home to marriage and adoption rights. Though each of these battles have been won, the war is far from over. Celebrating Gay Pride in June is a reminder of all of the victories and losses that paved the way for the rights we have today, as well as a call to arms in the fight for complete equality moving forward.
LGBT Pride celebrations are not for only members of the LGBT community — in fact, many of my experiences celebrating have been with heterosexual individuals. There are numerous opportunities for experiencing LGBT pride, including the famous Pride Parades. There are several sites in Texas where you can go to experience celebrations:
- El Paso - June 1-5
- Houston - June 19-26
- Austin - August 20-27
- Lubbock - August 27
- North Texas (McKinney) - September 10
- Dallas - September 18
- Fort Worth - September 28-October 9
