June is coming to a close, and we would hate not to mention that it is Gay and Lesbian Pride Month, particularly in light of the current attempts to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the military policy for gays and lesbians to withhold their sexual orientations while in service.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning pride month is meant to recognize contributions of the LGBTQ community and to mobilize the nation to respond to issues.
June was chosen because it is the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots in Manhattan, which mark the beginning of the gay liberation movement in the U.S.
This is the second year President Barack Obama declared June as LGBTQ pride month.
He’s used this June as a tool to push for the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” something that we are grateful for.
Members of the LGBTQ community should be able to serve our country openly, and not letting them do so is a serious threat to American civil rights.
We feel that rights for all is an issue college students could become more involved in, and that eventually pride month will become more prominent.
U. Central Florida is located in a city that is home to one of the biggest gay pride events in the world: Gay Days at Disney.
Having such an event so close to home leaves plenty of opportunity for students to become aware and get involved in gay rights issues.
The LGBTQ community is still fighting for the ability to marry, still trying to fully secure adoption rights and still face employment discrimination.
Often, the members of the LGBTQ community fall victim to hate crimes, making June a call to enhance hate-crime laws.
Unfortunately, there are groups and individuals who work against the gay rights movement because of their own religious and moral beliefs.
We hope one day they look just as stupid and ignorant as the white supremacists in the segregated South.
Discrimination against the LGBTQ community is a threat to everyone’s rights.
If one group isn’t free, then none of us is free.
It should not be up to voters to decide who may and may not get married.
The federal government should enforce that everyone has these rights, just as it did with the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Obama has thus far done a lot for the LGBTQ community by expanding federal rights and benefits.
Gay partners of federal workers will now receive long-term health insurance, access to day care and other benefits.
Federal Housing Authority loans can no longer consider the sexual orientation of applicants.
The Census Bureau plans to report the number of people who report being in a same-sex relationship.
Hospitals must allow people to visit their ill partners.And federal child-care subsidies can be used by the children of same-sex domestic partners, according to a CBS report.
These are important steps, and it will take time for some of them to be completed.
We hope that one day, LGBTQ discrimination will be left to history books, but that can only happen when everyone takes a stand.
As young and active students, this could be our call to action.
In the same way previous generations fought against racial discrimination in the South or protested wars they deemed needless and cruel, this could be our generation’s chance to fight for a cause and initiate change.
If you ask us, that’s not bad thing to be remembered by.