Celebrating Pride Month

Dear Friend, 

There’s no better way to kick off the summer than by celebrating Pride Month. Senator Harris is proud to represent and defend the millions of LGBTQ individuals throughout California and our nation.

As a Californian and a Latino member of the LGBTQ community, I feel so proud to work for and be represented by Senator Harris, who, back in 2013 - in her capacity as Attorney General - officiated the first gay marriage in San Francisco between Kristin Perry and Sandy Stier. Today, she continues to lead the charge in defense of the LGBTQ community and won’t back down from defending their rights. 

Click here to watch Senator Harris speak out against judicial nominees with anti-LGBTQ records

Senator Harris has a long-standing record of fighting for the LGBTQ community, a fight which she continues as a senator. Just last week she spoke out against the Trump Administration’s pattern of nominating judicial nominees with discriminatory records towards the LGBTQ community. 

Senator Harris has supported a number of bills, resolutions, and letters aimed at protecting the LGBTQ community in the face of this administration. 

• Do No Harm Act: Introduced a bill to prevent the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act from being used to avoid complying with civil rights, labor, child welfare, or health care laws, effectively ensuring religious liberty can’t be used as pretext to discriminate against the LGBTQ community, women, and religious minorities. Full text of the bill is available here.

• A bill to prevent discrimination: Cosponsored a bill to nullify the effect of the executive order laying a foundation for discrimination against LGBTQ individuals, women, religious minorities, and others under the pretext of religious freedom. Full text of the bill is available here.
  
  
• Equality Act: Cosponsored a bill to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and for other purposes. Full text of the bill is available here.
   
• Resolution Designating LGBT Equality Day: Cosponsored a resolution expressing support for the designation of June 26, 2017, as “LGBT Equality Day”. Full text of the resolution is available here.
  
  
• A letter urging AG Sessions to uphold protections for LGBTQ asylum seekers fleeing persecution: Full text of the letter available here.
   
• A letter urging Secretary Mattis not to implement a ban on transgender servicemembers: Full text of the letter is available here.
   
• A letter urging AG Sessions to protect transgender workers from discrimination: Full text of the letter is available here.

Pride Month is a time to celebrate the diversity that the LGBT community represents, and to recognize the progress we’ve made. Let’s continue to celebrate how far we’ve come and to fight for where we’re heading.

Best,
Josh

Josh Wodka
Special Assistant
U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris