Great Unfinished Story

"We cannot achieve true tolerance merely through legislation; we must change hearts and minds as well. Our greatest hope for a just society is to teach our children to respect one another, to appreciate our differences, and to recognize the fundamental values that we hold in common." Those words came from President Bill Clinton in a proclamation back in 1999.

Pride events had already been taking place, but on the 30th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, President Clinton became the first to declare a Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. In 2009 President Barack Obama declared June as "LGBT Pride Month," acknowledging a wider spectrum of identities. The following year President Obama Pride Month in the context of the "great, unfinished story" of equality for all Americans.  How wonderful it would be if every single president would make a proclamation!

Pride Month is important because this is indeed an unfinished story.  We can celebrate who we are, and we can celebrate the advances and improvements, but we must also keep working for equality and for an end to hate.  Although this blog is NOT about me, I know important Pride is having been involved with Pride events since the beginning, and so will continue writing about related subjects all month long. 

The joy I have seen at the simplest of moments has been so very encouraging.  I've seen discouragement and sadness too.  I will write about some of that, but this great unfinished story includes so much that hasn't happened yet and so many other stories that simply have not been told.  Do please feel free to share your own thoughts below.  Happy Pride!