Military service members, celebrities, and patrons gathered on the South Lawn of the White House on June 26 to celebrate the conclusion of Pride Month. In 1999, President Bill Clinton created the legislation recognizing accomplishments from members of the LGBTQ+ community, which has expanded and evolved as a national tradition.
“Sometimes, home is the bonds we build through choice and chance—the communities we create together,” said First Lady Jill Biden. “I hope all of you feel that freedom and love on the South Lawn today—because your home is here, too,” she later added, citing various LGBTQ+ barriers broken by the president.
Notable achievements include the new pardon for service members who were court-martialed for participating in same-sex relations and ending the ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Biden administration is committed to doing more. “The Biden-Harris administration launched the 988 line to help, and we have a line dedicated to serving LGBTQI+ young people that can be reached by dialing 988 and pressing 3,” she said at a June 17 press briefing. “This month, we will continue to celebrate courageous LGBTQI+ people and take pride in the example they set for our nation and around the world.”
“We celebrate Pride this month because 55 years ago, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera stood up and began a movement,” said Ashley Biden, a social worker, activist, philanthropist, and fashion designer who was executive director of the Delaware Center for Justice from 2014 to 2019, in lauding Black LGBTQ+ activists, in her opening speech. “Their fight against injustice continues through us.”
Rapper Da Brat, Jean-Pierre, and U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg were among the luminaries spotted in the crowd.
“I love seeing all these beautiful, talented queer people from all different walks of life,” said rapper Marcus “Lyrical Mar” Browning. “We need to be seen. We need to be respected and honored. That’s why I came today.”
On rainbow-painted pillars of the White House, colorful pride fans and polychromatic balloon arches relayed the message that love prevails, which persisted as a prominent theme. Longtime ally Deborah Cox performed renditions of hit songs like Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” and Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.”