Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and Councilmember Evan Glass were joined by LGBTQ+ community leaders, elected officials, and community members today for the eighth annual Pride Flag Raising Ceremony to kick off Pride Month.
The event’s keynote speakers included Karen Holmes, veteran and transgender advocate, and Valeria Carranza, senior director of government relations at MomsRising.
Speakers, councilmembers and LGBTQ+ community leaders arrived in the Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s #RideWithPride Ride On bus. The bus will be serving residents on routes across the County throughout the month of June. This is the fourth year Montgomery County has supported a Pride bus.
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This is the eighth annual formal recognition of June as Pride Month in Montgomery County, an initiative spearheaded by Councilmember Glass, the Council’s first openly LGBTQ+ member.
“This year, it is more important than ever for us to speak loudly and clearly that we are an inclusive community, and we will continue to welcome and celebrate all our residents, said County Executive Elrich. “Pride Month is about celebrating Montgomery County’s diversity and recommitting to inclusion and acceptance.”
“This year’s pride flag raising sends a clear and unequivocal message: hate has no home in Montgomery County,” said Councilmember Glass. “At a time when our neighbors are under attack for who they love, how they identify and where they pray, we need to stand together as a community and fight for our values. We will always defend every person’s right to live openly, safely and authentically. Everyone is welcomed, valued and respected in Montgomery County for exactly who they are. That is why this Pride is so important.”
Montgomery County leaders proudly celebrate diversity and believe that everyone should be able to live without fear of prejudice, discrimination, violence, and hatred based on race, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation, age or disability. Montgomery County has strengthened protections of LGBTQ+ rights, including the passage of the LGBTQ+ Bill of Rights in 2020. The annual flag raising ceremony recognizes the meaningful contributions that LGBTQ+ residents have made in Montgomery County, the state of Maryland and worldwide.
The Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag is an inclusive symbol that reflects the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. The flag features black and brown stripes to represent the disproportionate number of LGBTQ+ lives lost to HIV/AIDS, especially in Black and Brown communities, pink, light blue and white stripes to represent the transgender community, and elements of the intersex flag to symbolize intersex inclusion.
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Councilmember Glass is hosting a series of community events celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month. View a full list of upcoming Pride Month events.
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Read the original article at mcgov