Title
Commemorating the 51st Anniversary of Twin Cities Pride.
Body
WHEREAS, the 1969 Stonewall Riots marked a turning point in American history when Black trans women and trans people of color in New York led the fight back against police who arrested LGBTQ people for their sexual orientation and gender expression; and
WHEREAS, this moment launched a resistance centered on the dignity and rights of genderqueer people of color in the face of state violence and disenfranchisement; and
WHEREAS, in 1972 members of the LGBT community gathered in Loring Park in Minneapolis to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots, representing the first Twin Cities march for Gay liberation; and
WHEREAS, 51 years later, this small gathering has grown into the Twin Cities Pride Festival as we know it today; and
WHEREAS in 1972 Saint Paul would pass a human rights ordinance ensuring protections for LGBT community members, which was repealed by a public referendum in 1978; and
WHEREAS the Saint Paul City Council would once again successfully pass a human rights ordinance in 1990; and
WHEREAS, members of the LGBTQ+ community continue to face discrimination in significant ways including in health care, housing, and education; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul is committed to protecting our most vulnerable voices so that young, BIPOC, and transgender community members can achieve safety, justice, and acceptance; and
WHEREAS, LGBTQ+ people in our city and country have achieved significant milestones, ensuring that future generations of LGBTQ+ people will enjoy a more equitable and just society; and
WHEREAS, despite being marginalized throughout the history of the United States, the LGBTQ+ community continues to celebrate their identities, love, and contributions in various expressions of pride;
WHEREAS, in 2013, Minnesotans, legislators, and Governor Dayton passed same-sex marriage, allowing our neighbors, friends, and family the most fundamental human right to be written into state law - the ability to marry who you love; and
WHEREAS, on June 26th, 2015, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges, same-sex couples have the constitutional right to marry and that states are legally required to acknowledge and protect marriages regardless of where they were licensed; and
WHEREAS, in June 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States, in a landmark decision, Bostock v Clayton, voted to ensure the protection of LGBTQ+ people from workplace discrimination under Title VII of Civil Rights Act; and
WHEREAS, Saint Paul banned conversion therapy on June 17, 2020 and the State of Minnesota followed in 2023, recognizing that no child should endure its harmful effects;
WHEREAS, in 2023, a record 520 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in state legislatures; and
WHEREAS, in 2023, the State of Minnesota took action to lead by example and passed model laws protecting the LGBTQ+ community in the legislative session, including expanding access to healthcare for trans Minnesotans, making Minnesota a trans refuge state, codifying access to abortion and reproductive freedoms and making record investments in LGBTQ+ communities in every area of life; and now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, the Saint Paul City Council recognizes the 51th Anniversary of Twin Cities Pride and will continue furthering the actions around LGBTQ+ issues to ensure that Saint Paul continues to be an inclusive community for people of all backgrounds and orientations.