ALCOAST 208/23 - JUN 2023 BE A VOICE FOR CHANGE THIS PRIDE MONTH

R 051820Z JUN 23 MID120000180581U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 208/23
SSIC 5350
SUBJ: BE A VOICE FOR CHANGE THIS PRIDE MONTH
1. June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and others
(LGBTQ+) Pride Month, an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the
enduring devotion to duty of LGBTQ+ members of the Coast Guard
workforce past and present. This year's theme is "Voices for Change:
Advocating for Inclusivity".
2. Pride Month has its origins in the 1969 Stonewall uprising, a
tipping point in the movement toward equal rights. The Stonewall Inn
was a New York City establishment that welcomed LGBTQ+ people at a
time when police raids of such businesses were common due to
discrimination. The Stonewall uprising was sparked by one such raid
on June 28th, 1969, as the community and their allies denounced the
longstanding harassment they experienced. The event culminated years
of activism and created conditions for annual Pride month traditions
held ever since. On the first anniversary in 1970, more than one
thousand people participated in the Christopher Street Liberation
Day March, considered the first Pride parade, to decry the denial of
civil rights based on gender identity or sexual orientation. Though
more voices joined the chorus year after year, change moved at an
uneven pace. Some states changed laws to extend civil rights
protections to LGBTQ+ people on the basis of sex, under Title VII of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) was
enacted in 1993 to soften, but not remove, a ban on LGBTQ+ people
serving openly in the Armed Forces. During the eighteen years until
DADT was repealed, LGBTQ+ communities and allies continued to
advocate for equality.
3. The Armed Services added sexual orientation to equal opportunity
policies in 2011, providing baseline protections vital to inclusion.
In 2014, the Justice Department extended Title VII protections to
make sexual orientation discrimination illegal, and the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission followed suit in 2015 by including
all federal civilian employees in the Executive Branch. In 2021,
President Biden signed Executive Order 14004 to ensure that all
qualified transgender people could serve openly in the military.
4. We must remain steadfast in our commitment to uphold a culture
where every person is valued, respected for who they are, and
empowered to serve and perform their duty to the best of their
ability. Mission excellence is achieved only through inclusive
leadership. Our workforce can support our LGBTQ+ colleagues by
affirming our culture of inclusivity and acceptance, and by taking
advantage of resources available in the toolkit at:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://www.defenseculture.mil/Human-Relations-Toolkit/Special-
Observances/#pride-month

5. POC: COMDT (CG-00H), Edward Stoker, 202-372-4519,
Edward.A.Stoker@uscg.mil.
6. ADM Steven Poulin, Vice Commandant (VCG), sends.
7. Internet release is authorized.