June marks LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in the United States and many other countries around the world, with the June 28, 1969 Stonewall Uprising viewed by many as the cornerstone moment of the modern LGBTQIA+ rights movement and the birth of Pride. Pride Month is a time to honor and uplift the voices of those who have fought tirelessly for equality and acceptance, and to reflect on how far we have come in our journey toward a more inclusive and compassionate society.
There are Pride celebrations and marches around New England, with Boston Pride being the largest. June 10, 2023 will see the first Boston-wide Pride parade since 2019, four years after COVID-19 shuttered Pride celebrations and two years since Boston Pride leadership chose to dissolve the organization amid community criticism over a lack of BIPOC and transgender inclusion. This year, Boston Pride For The People is promising a celebration that is truly for the entire community, including not just a parade, but two festivals all kicking off at 11 AM. You can listen to an interview with Adrianna Boulin, Director of Community Impact & Engagement at Fenway Health and President of Boston Pride For The People on our podcast, Pride in Your Health.
As we gather to celebrate the progress we have made, we must also acknowledge that the fight for equality is not yet over. LGBTQIA+ rights, especially the rights of trans and gender diverse young people, have become the focus of political attacks around the country. At least 45 states currently have at least one anti-LGBTQIA+ bill on their legislative agenda, including all 6 New England States. At least 150 of those are anti-trans bills seeking to criminalize access to gender affirming care and/or participation in school sports or restrict the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.
Fenway Health is working with other healthcare and advocacy organizations across the country to help defeat these bills and promote LGBTQIA+ rights and more progressive public health laws and policies. If you would like to receive action alerts from us about important legislative advocacy opportunities locally, sign up here. Organizations like Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD are good places to find regular updates on ways to get involved nationally.
We hope your Pride Month is filled with love, joy, and of course, pride. Our staff will be out and about at Pride events around New England and we look forward to connecting and celebrating with many of you.