Dear Friend,

Welcome back to our deep-dive policy newsletters! In honor of San Diego Pride, this week’s newsletter explains what I’m doing in Congress to support, protect, and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and how I celebrated Pride in San Diego.

I’ve had so much fun at all the local Pride events  – from attending the Spirit of Stonewall Rally to joining faith leaders at Light Up The Cathedral. I also heard people’s lived experiences about being queer in East County at Lemon Grove Pride Vibes. At every one of these events, I’ve seen the overwhelming love, strength, and resilience of queer folks in our community.

I also hosted a listening session last month during National Pride Month with community leaders, organizations, and youth who work to expand access to gender-affirming care. Many of you already know that I’m so proud to have a trans brother and a gender non-conforming sibling – so I’ve personally seen the importance of folks getting this care.

We also can’t forget that Pride is still a protest. And that’s even more true today with Republicans introducing over 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in state legislatures across the country. And their hateful movement hasn’t stopped there: since Republicans took the House majority, they've passed anti-LGBTQ+ legislation from banning gender-affirming care to censoring school curricula to targeting drag performances. Thankfully, the Senate has blocked most of these measures.

Through my role as Vice-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus and Co-Chair of the Transgender Equality Task Force, I’m working to counter this hate by educating my colleagues who are ignorant or maybe unaware of the harm their words and policies are causing – including by introducing them to my siblings; calling out my colleagues for their hateful policies; and celebrating the LGBTQ+ community – whether it’s sharing about my siblings, introducing pro-LGBTQ+ legislation, or uplifting LGBTQ+ stories and leaders.

I’m also proud to have introduced legislation – like the Ensuring Military Readiness Not Discrimination Act to prohibit discrimination in the military and protect trans service members and a resolution to recognize International Transgender Day Of Visibility.

I know that all of this anti-LGBTQ hate can be incredibly painful and triggering for the LGBTQ+ community and their loved ones. So, if you’re part of this community, make sure that you’re taking care of yourself and your loved ones. And, know that I’m here in Congress working hard to ensure that all LGBTQ+ people can exist freely and authentically everywhere.

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