ABCD is committed to equity and inclusion in all its forms and celebrates the legacy of the LGBTQIA+ community in Boston.
This year, the month of June, known to many as Pride Month, kicked off less than two weeks after the 20th anniversary of same sex marriage in Massachusetts—a first in the nation. As we marked that important milestone, RAND published a study that refutes conservative arguments that same sex marriage would be detrimental to traditional marriage. It states: “the benefits of access to legal marriage for same sex couples is unambiguously positive.” No surprise there.
In Boston, Pride got its start in the 1970s thanks to a committed community of activists, and just a few years ago, new voices challenged the status quo and formed “Boston Pride for the People (BP4TP).” Their vision to center the rich diversity, cultures, and intersectionality of Greater Boston’s LGBTQ+ community was right on time. The BP4TP Parade, Festival, and Block Party took place on Saturday, June 8th, and ABCD Health Services, Energy Services, and others attended the festival on Boston Common, sharing information and strengthening community connections.
In June 1969, a spirit of resistance catalyzed the Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village, a series of events that launched the modern Gay Liberation Movement, as it was known. That spirit is still essential as anti-LGBTQ+ legislation hits an all-time high. According to the Human Rights Campaign, the number of rights-limiting bills signed into law this year stands at 75, doubling last year’s count—with more than 700 pieces of similarly restrictive legislation pending in state legislatures nationwide. That harsh reality has prompted HRC to issue a State of Emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans.
The side effects of such discrimination include health disparities and poverty stemming from work and housing instability, and more. If you’d like to stay informed about the issues or get involved, check out local organizations such as Fenway Health, the Boston Alliance for LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY), and the Massachusetts Transgender Coalition, and national organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD), and The Trevor Project.
At ABCD, we believe everyone deserves dignity and respect as well as access to resources and opportunities that will enable them to live a stable and fulfilling life. All of us, members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies, commit to equity and inclusion in every aspect of life.
