Dear Friend,

Age is like a different country, a place with a landscape different than the one you were in before. But you carry with you memories of the land you left, many of them stories that should be passed on to those who are living there now.

Pride month became official in 1999, and having lived through that time I can tell you it was a big deal. The word “pride” meant so much to people who had been living their lives under a mantle of societal shame. The celebration was raw and real and authentic and joyful, masses of people literally freed from a closet to which they had been assigned for so long.

I share with you one story that I hope you will take to heart. When the AIDS crisis burst onto the scene during the 1980’s, I knew many young men who were grappling with the trauma of their diagnosis. One of their biggest fears was having to call their parents to break the news.

But their fear wasn’t just having to break the news that they were dying. I remember how many of them said to me, “Telling them I’m dying is going to be hard, but telling them I’m gay is going to be worse.”

So to all the people, living and dead, who did the suffering - and did the work - so that that closet door could be burst open, Pride in my mind is dedicated to you. May the joy of Pride include the memories and honor due to those who made it possible. Let’s remember as well those around the world for whom LGBTQIA+ love is still forbidden, and say a prayer in our hearts for their deliverance. Throughout the world, the freedom of LGBTQIA+ individuals is threatened, and the United States must stand firm in our commitment to their human rights.

The victory of Pride is beautiful, but the work goes on.

Here’s to love!