Recognizing the Month of June 2026 as "Pride Month" in the State of Rhode Island

WHEREAS, Rhode Island celebrates LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual +) people in June of 2026, by honoring the history, struggles, and successes of LGBTQIA+ people and by supporting peace and prosperity for everyone; and

WHEREAS, In 1949, the Rhode Island General Assembly established the State Commission for Human Rights with the understanding that "[t]he practice or policy of discrimination against individuals...is a matter of state concern", and that "discrimination foments public strife and unrest, threatens the rights and privileges of the inhabitants of the state, and undermines the foundations of a free democratic state" R.I.G.L. Section 28-5-2; and

WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights is one of the oldest state agencies in the country that specializes in antidiscrimination law enforcement; and

WHEREAS, The Commission enforces all Rhode Island antidiscrimination laws in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, credit and delivery of services; and

WHEREAS, In 1995 the Rhode Island General Assembly passed legislation which added protections for sexual orientation to our antidiscrimination laws; and

WHEREAS, In 2001, Rhode Island became the second state in the nation to pass legislation which added protections for gender identity to our antidiscrimination laws; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Island State statutes prohibit discrimination based on race, color, sex (including pregnancy and sexual harassment), disability, ancestral origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, and gender identity/expression; and

WHEREAS, Lesbian and gay Rhode Islanders organized their first PrideFest in 1976 with approximately 75 people in attendance. Called the "76ers", these individuals marched through downtown Providence despite State and City leaders attempting to block the parade. They sought to celebrate their diversity, and to highlight the contributions they had made to the wider community; and

WHEREAS, On June 25, 1978, Gilbert Baker, an Army veteran from Kansas, designed the rainbow flag as a symbol for the gay liberation movement, which flies during the annual Rhode Island Pride Parade. Each color of the flag has a meaning: hot pink for sexuality, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for the sun, green for nature, turquoise blue for art, indigo for harmony, and violet for spirit; and

WHEREAS, On November 20, 1999, Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a well-known advocate for trans rights, created the first Transgender Day of Remembrance, commemorating all the trans people who were killed by anti-transgender violence and bigotry; and

WHEREAS, The Netherlands became the first country to recognize the freedom to marry for LGBTQ+ people in 2001; Massachusetts affirmed the autonomy, dignity, and equality of LGBTQ+ people when the state’s highest court became the first to recognize the freedom to marry for LGBTQ+ people in 2003; Rhode Island passed a law that went into effect on August 1, 2013 recognizing marriage equality; and in 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ensured nationwide marriage equality ruling all state bans on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry nationwide and requiring states to recognize a lawful same-sex marriage performed in another state; and

WHEREAS, After dramatically boosting the attendance and community involvement in PrideFest, in 2018, PrideFest led to Providence being listed as one of the "World's Best Destinations for LGBT Pride Celebrations" by National Geographic; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Island will celebrate our LGBTQIA+ community on June 20, 2026 with the PrideFest Celebration and Illuminated Night Parade; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby celebrates June of 2026, as "Pride Month" and embraces the LGBTQIA+ community with appreciation for their culture, creativity and contributions; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this Senate will hereby continue to respect every Rhode Islander and work to ensure equity and justice as a hallmark of Rhode Island legislation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Rhode Island Pride.