White House issues proclamation
The words have profound meaning: “White House issues proclamation.” As someone who played a role in White House proclamations when I led a division at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), I appreciate the soft power of the proclamation.
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A proclamation does not make anyone do anything, but as persuasion, it can be a powerful force for good.
Last week’s White House Proclamation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month put the weight of the office behind recognition of LGBTQ+ pride and called for solidarity:
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.
This updated “pride and progress” flag design honors Black and brown members of the LGBTQ+ community; incorporates blue and pink to represent transgender people; and takes the purple circle on yellow from the intersex flag.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper also issued a proclamation, which includes, among other statements, the commitment to continue to advocate for statewide protections for all LGBTQ+ individuals to make our state a place where all people – regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression – are treated with dignity and respect. At Gillings, we celebrate our LGBTQ+ students and colleagues and are committed to act as allies to protect their rights as members of our community and larger communities beyond the School.
Barbara
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[…] Read original article here: Celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month […]
Roy Baron
06/19/2021
RE: LGBTQ + Pride Month Hi Barbara, You might be interested to know about one of David' serious ongoing commitments to social justice, equality, and inclusion through his company, Nugget Comfort (https://nuggetcomfort.com). Two recent posts from their Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/nuggetcomfort/) follow . . . #1 nuggetcomfort Storytime w/ Kiara Mel (Part 1) Today we’re lucky to be joined by @thekiaramel from Drag Queen Story Hour Raleigh, to read two books that teach us about pride and identity: Our Rainbow from @littlebeebooks and @glaad, and My Rainbow by DeShanna and Trinity Neal (@trinitysmamabear), and @art_twink. Before COVID-19, many of @dqshraleigh’s events took place at the LGBT Center of Raleigh (@lgbtcenterofraleigh). As part of our partnership this month, we’re donating $10,000 to the Center — if you enjoy this story time, we hope you’ll consider donating too. You can find a link to the center by tapping the link in our bio and selecting yesterday’s rainbow mural image. NOTE: To celebrate and enjoy this fun event, we will be leaving the comments section turned on, however, comments that do not respect others and stray from our community guidelines will be taken down. You can find our community guidelines in the FAQ section of our site. #2 nuggetcomfort Yesterday, we let folks know about our upcoming collaboration with @thekiaramel of Drag Queen Story Hour (@dqshraleigh), and amid the replies of excitement and encouragement, there were the predictable complaints, outrage, and pledges to never buy from us again. Some asked for refunds, and one customer even said they would willingly drive their Nuggets back to us in North Carolina to return them. A common point of contention was the content we're "forcing" on children with these messages. "I support LGBT," they would write, "but how confusing is this for children?" Here's our guess: not nearly as confusing as it is to some adults. The truth is, things were "forced" on us too — messages about what colors to like, what games to play, what feelings to feel, how we should act, all based on our biology. In hindsight, it was really stupid, and it made a whole lot of people grow up feeling unwelcome, unworthy, and unloved. It made our society a less free, less happy place. Today, kids are growing up in a world based less than ever on these arbitrary rules, and that's a good thing. If only we had been so lucky. Maybe we'd all be a bit more empathetic, more understanding, and in touch with the full spectrum of our identities, not just those that were presented or permitted for us when we were young. Our Drag Queen Story Hour with @thekiaramel goes up on our IGTV tomorrow at 12 Noon ET. For those who find a celebration of identities different from their own uncomfortable or upsetting, please understand that what you feel is just a fraction of what many others feel on a daily basis. We all can play a part in making that burden lighter, and it starts with learning and growth. See ya tomorrow! 👋 #yallmeansall . . . BTW, David never intended to become a "businessman." But he was lured to it through his role in Campus Y's HOPE Gardens, his commitment to environmental causes, an inspiration birthed in the excessive number of trashed dorm-room futons lining campus dumpsters at the end of each academic year, and his embrace of the philosophy of Conscientious Capitalism while minoring in UNC's Entrepreneurship Program. Nugget HQ, grew from a dad and son project in our garage, moved to an abandoned tobacco warehouse (with no running water) in Durham, then to a larger, more sanitary, transitional facility just outside Durham, before finally locating in Butner, NC. Hope you and Bernard are doing well, Best, Roy
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The views expressed in this blog are Barbara Rimer’s alone and do not represent the views and policies of The University of North Carolina or the Gillings School.
Celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month - TheTopMag