Los Angeles LGBT Center’s CEO Lorri L Jean issued a statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic ruling on marriage equality today.
“Today is a momentous day—not just in the history of the LGBT movement, but in the history of the United States of America. To be honest, for much of my life I never thought I’d ever live to see this day. But here we are. For the first time, we have been acknowledged by the nation’s highest court as deserving the rights and privileges of full citizenship; or to paraphrase one of our great founding documents, that we too possess certain unalienable rights, that we too have full claim on the Jeffersonian promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
“Our road to this victory was paved by actions both heroic and mundane—by transgender activists outside the Stonewall Inn, by brilliant lawyers who fought for our rights when there was little hope for victory, by LGBT people in small towns who raised children and lived honest and decent lives despite the bigotry they faced on a daily basis. We must remember all these people as we celebrate this great victory. But we also must remember that while same-sex couples now have the freedom to marry throughout the land, employers in many states still have the right to fire us; parents in almost every state can force children into damaging reparative therapy; shopkeepers can refuse to provide us with goods and services—all because of our sexual orientation or gender identity.
But today we celebrate. At long last, our right to full citizenship is recognized. The battle is not over, but this is a crushing blow to those who would seek to demean and discriminate against us. The freedom to marry is a fundamental right that belongs to all.”
The Los Angeles LGBT Center will join the City of West Hollywood and dozens of community organizations at a #DecisionDay Rally at 6 p.m. today, Friday, June 26 to celebrate the historic event.
for more on the L.A. LGBT Center, visit lalgbtcenter.org
