On the recordJune 24, 2021
as we celebrate Pride Month, I want to take a moment to acknowledge some of the trailblazers and pioneers in the LGBTQ+ community who have led the fight for equality. Our Nation--and the world--has come a long way since the first Pride parade was organized more than half a century ago. But that progress didn't come about on its own. It demanded sacrifice, from activists like Marsha P. Johnson, who led the Stonewall Uprising in New York City, and leaders like Harvey Milk, who gave his life to advance LGBTQ+ equality. And it also demanded courage, courage that we see on display every day. Just this week, a defensive lineman for the Las Vegas Raiders, Carl Nassib, became the first active NFL player to come out as gay. In a video he posted, Mr. Nassib said he hopes that ``one day videos like this and the whole coming-out process are just not necessary . . . but until then I'm going to do my best and my part to cultivate a culture that's accepting, that's compassionate.'' That is really what Pride Month is all about, joining together to embrace our friends and loved ones exactly as they are and cultivating a culture that is more accepting and compassionate. Carl Nassib's announcement this week is yet another reminder of how far the movement for LGBTQ+ equality has come, in my lifetime and even during my time in Congress. The year I was elected to the U.S.…
