For Second Year, Trump Fails To Recognize LGBT Pride
- By
- Carlos Santoscoy
- | June 02, 2018
For the second year in a row, President Donald Trump has failed to recognize June as LGBT Pride Month.
In recent days, Trump issued proclamations recognizing National Caribbean-American Heritage Month, National Ocean Month, Great Outdoors Month, National Homeownership Month and African-American Music Appreciation Month.
Trump also failed to issue a proclamation recognizing June as LGBT Pride Month last year.
For eight years, President Barack Obama issued a Pride proclamation and hosted a reception at the White House every June.
While campaigning for the White House, Trump pledged to be a better “friend” to the LGBT community than Hillary Clinton, his Democratic rival. But since entering the Oval Office, Trump has rolled out a number of anti-LGBT policies, including banning transgender troops, withdrawing guidance protecting transgender students and promoting executive actions in the name of “religious freedom” that may allow discrimination against people who are LGBT.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who during his Senate confirmation hearing refused to say whether he believes gay sex is a “perversion,” issued a statement recognizing June as LGBT Pride Month.
“[The United States] joins people around the world in celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) Pride Month,” Pompeo wrote, “and reaffirms its commitment to protecting and defending the human rights of all, including LGBTI persons.”
Democrats also welcomed LGBT Pride Month.
“The Democratic Party stands with LGBTQ communities in America and the world,” DNC Chair Tom Perez said in a statement. “We believe that no one should face discrimination, bullying or violence because of who they are or who they love. And we will never stop fighting for the equality every human being deserves.”