On May 31, the Seattle LGBTQ Commission joined City and community leaders for the 13th annual Pride flag raising at City Hall in honor of Seattle’s Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (2SLGBTQ+) community. Raising the Pride flag represents the City’s commitment to building a welcoming and inclusive Seattle, particularly in this moment of increased attacks on transgender rights and exclusionary federal policies.
Speakers included:
- Landon Labosky (he/him), member of the Seattle LGBTQ Commission
- Ashley Ford (she/they) and Kody Allen (he/him), Co-chairs of the Seattle LGBTQ Commission
- Nakita Venus (they/them), Executive Director of Seattle’s LGBTQ+ Center
- Jaelynn Scott (she/her), Executive Director of the Lavender Rights Project
- Bruce Harrell (he/him), Mayor of Seattle
- Alexis Mercedes Rinck (she/her), Seattle City Councilmember
- Joy Hollingsworth (she/her), Seattle City Councilmember
“20,426 days ago, in the heart of Greenwich Village in lower Manhattan, LGBTQ+ people—specifically Black trans women—fought back against government-sponsored persecution against our community at the Stonewall Inn. 20,426 days later, our community is still fighting back against persecution every day. Pride was born out of a protest. Pride remains a protest.” said Landon Labosky, member of the Seattle LGBTQ Commission.
Mayor Bruce Harrell highlighted Seattle’s civil rights history and ongoing commitment to equal rights. In 1975, six years after the Stonewall Uprising, sexual orientation became recognized as a protected class under Seattle law, offering legal protection against discrimination. Seattle continued to lead by example by adding gender identity as a protected class in 1999, and in 2006, Washington State expanded this protection statewide.
“We are a welcoming city,” said Mayor Harrell. “We are, in Seattle, the second largest home to our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters, and the attacks on our transgender neighbors, those who we love, is an attack on all of us. Make no mistake about that.”
Ashley Ford, Co-chair of the Seattle LGBTQ Commission called for more community investment and reflected on the roots of Pride—a movement born from resistance. Speaking to the ongoing struggles the LGBTQ+ community continues to face, they offered a powerful reminder of the importance of LGBTQ+ visibility and raising the flag.
“Today, we raise this flag in celebration but also in resistance. We raise it for the ones who came before us, and for those who didn’t survive. We raise it for trans kids being targeted in school rooms and sports fields across this country. For queer elders who still live in fear. For those of us who don’t feel safe calling 911, walking home at night, or simply being ourselves in public. From Stonewall to Cal Anderson to Denny Blaine, our spaces and our bodies are a sign of resistance, of hope… And I promise you—we will not be erased.”
Nakita Venus, the Executive Director of Seattle’s LGBTQ+ Center, uplifted the center’s 30-year history and ongoing service to the LGBTQ+ community. They also called on Seattle’s elected officials and community leaders to be accountable to the promise of a welcoming city.
In a direct address to the LGBTQ+ community, Nakita also shared, “As we enter pride, I want everybody to know that your queerness is exquisite, that your transness is a gift that deserves to be cherished and protected, that there is euphoria to be found in our existence. It is our collective joy and care that has carried us through the decades-long fight for liberation. Your health and well-being are important. Your pleasure is important. You deserve rest and you deserve uninterrupted joy.”
In addition to highlighting rising threats to LGBTQ+ rights, Ms. Jaelynn Scott, the Executive Director of the Lavender Rights Project, urged the City to make sure organizations led by Black and brown transgender people have a seat at the table in City decisions. Ms. Scott also celebrated the leadership of young LGBTQ+ advocates and local Black and brown organizations who work daily to serve and protect the LGBTQ+ community.
“This month, we are going to find joy. I want to find pride in Seattle that is weird and queer, with our shaved heads, pink mohawks, booty shorts, wearing our pearls, and our heels on [at the] grocery store for absolutely no reason, looking fabulous. This is our Seattle.” said Ms. Scott.
“We raise this flag not just a symbol, but as a promise. A promise that Seattle remains a city where every person can live authentically and safely, regardless of who they love or how they identify,” said Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck (Position 8, representing all of Seattle).
Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth (District 3, Central Seattle) presented three proclamations at this event. One recognizes June as 2SLGBTQ+ Pride Month, another uplifts May 25 as Pride ASIA Day, and the last honors the leadership of local LGBTQ+ advocates in Seattle.
Read the Proclamations:
