Kamala Harris Is The First Sitting VP To March In LGBTQIA+ Pride Parade
This Pride month, Vice President Kamala Harris has another history-making moment.
This past Saturday, June 12th, Vice President Harris and her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, marched in the Capital Pride Walk in Washington, D.C.
This is a large historical moment because this is a first for a Vice President in office. The Vice President wore a shirt that read, “Love is Love” while the Second Gentleman’s said, “Love First.”
June 12th was also the 5th anniversary of the deadly 2016 mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The Vice President tweeted in remembrance:
Five years ago, 49 LGBTQ+ people and allies were enjoying an evening out at Pulse Nightclub. And then, in an instant, they were gone. Today, we remember those who died and their loved ones—and we recommit to building a world free from gun violence.
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) June 12, 2021
From NBC Washington, Kamala Harris is quoted saying, “We need to make sure that our transgender community and our youth are all protected. We need, still, protections around employment and housing…There is so much more work to do, and I know we are committed.”
Kamala Harris also called for the federal government to pass the Equality Act, which would ensure federal protections for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. These protections would encompass public spaces, housing, education, public services, federally funded programs, and many others. Learn more about the Equality Act (H.R. 5) here.
Sources: NBC Washington and BET.com
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