Dear John,
As we welcome the month of June, I want to wish you a happy, joyful, unapologetic, and life-affirming PRIDE!!! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤
This month, I look forward to celebrating pride and reaffirming every day the fight for a world in which every LGBTQ+ person can live authentically as their whole self, can thrive, and shine.
As we do, I want to acknowledge the history of the fight for equality in New Mexico. LGBTQ+ rights in New Mexico have been a long-fought battle carried forth by generations of New Mexicans who have bravely come before us. New Mexicans organized Albuquerque’s first Pride march in 1976—laying the foundation for the traditions that we carry on today, including the candlelight vigil at Morningside Park to honor LGBTQIA+ members of our community who are no longer with us. The road to equality has also been rocky. The first marchers in 1976 braved harassment—from verbal abuse to having eggs thrown at them.
But, the road has also been joyful. This year, New Mexico’s State Legislature passed some of the most progressive LGBTQ+ legislation in the country, protecting gender-affirming care and enshrining LGBTQ+ civil rights in our state’s laws.
New Mexico is a shining light as our country is confronting a frightening tide of anti-LGBTQ+—and particularly transphobic—legislation nationwide, as state legislatures across the country are targeting trans youth and families and trying to roll back marriage equality. This is why we must reaffirm our commitment to fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
