Minneapolis declares June 2017 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month

May 26, 2017 (MINNEAPOLIS) The Minneapolis City Council and Mayor Betsy Hodges approved a resolution declaring June 2017 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month in Minneapolis. The declaration coincides with the LGBT Pride celebration, which is held annually in June and is the largest outdoor festival in the city.

The 35W Bridge will be lit in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple June 23 and June 24.

“I’m proud of the role Minneapolis and Minnesota have played, and continue to play, in pushing for equal rights,” said Mayor Betsy Hodges. “And I’m excited to celebrate the diversity and growing equality that make our community stronger.”

“We encourage residents and visitors to participate in the numerous activities celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month in the city and in the ongoing work of leading Minnesota toward full LGBT equality,” said City Council Member John Quincy, main author of the resolution.

The City of Minneapolis has a long history of supporting LGBT rights. The resolution notes that this year the City Council approved the creation of the Transgender Equity Council, which was intended to serve as an advisory board to the City and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board on matters of importance to the transgender community.

In 2014, Minneapolis was part of a partnership with the Minneapolis School District and numerous organizations that successfully advocated at the State Capitol for passage of the Safe and Supportive Minnesota Schools Act, which focuses on bullying prevention in Minnesota schools.

Minneapolis was a vocal proponent of the marriage equality statute passed in 2013 by the Minnesota Legislature and signed by the governor. It was also the first city in the state to create a domestic partner registry back in 1991.

Minneapolis was also the first city in Minnesota to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, a position subsequently adopted by numerous Minnesota cities and the State itself.

Find the full resolution and more information here.

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