LGBTQ Pride Month Declared In Fairfax City Prior To June 3 Pride Event At Old Town Hall

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — On behalf of all residents of the City of Fairfax, Mayor Catherine Read and the city council proclaimed June 2023 as LGBTQ Pride Month in the city.

The proclamation came less than two weeks before the city's inaugural Fairfax Pride event, which will take place June 3 at Old Town Hall.

Read read the proclamation at Tuesday night's city council meeting, urging all residents to acknowledge and celebrate the "LGBTQI+ friends, family, neighbors, employees, educators and visitors to our welcoming and inclusive community."

Rev. Emma Chattin and Heather James of the Metropolitan Community Church of Northern Virginia accepted the proclamation on behalf of the city's LGBTQI+ community.

"This is important," Chattin said. "This is more than words. This also is an indicator too of the place in which we live as being open, affirming and inclusive. ... I also want to say that we are far more than a string of letters. We are your friends. We are your neighbors. We are your church members and attenders. We're your ministers. We are your customers, consumers and business owners, and we are your relatives and we are proud to live in Fairfax City."

Fairfax City is partnering with George Mason University to host the city's first Fairfax Pride event from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., on June 3, at Old Town Hall, which is located at 3999 University Drive.

Fairfax Pride will include informational vendors from both the university and across Northern Virginia. The event is free and will offer children's activities, including face painting, Fairy Hair, crafts and more, with drag queen performances and a dance party later in the evening.

Fairfax Pride Schedule of Events

• Vendors & Children's Activities: 5-7 p.m., on second floor of Old Town Hall
• Welcome and Speakers: 6:30 p.m., on the first floor of Old Town Hall
• Drag Queen Performances: 7-9 p.m., on the first floor of Old Town Hall
• Pride Dance Party: 7-10 p.m., on the first floor of Old Town Hall

Below is the full text of the proclamation read at Tuesday night's city council meeting:

Whereas within the recorded history of humanity, there have existed people around the world who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex, living in cultures and communities that have shunned, shamed, ostracized and criminalized their very existence, a practice that continues in many places to this day;

And whereas the contribution of those in the LGBTQ community have lifted our human experience through their art, innovation, discoveries, explorations, and in a variety of professions for centuries, while being denied the basic human rights of others in their local communities;

And whereas the Stonewall riots began in New York City on June 28 1969, and are regarded as the catalyst for the gay liberation movement in the United States, bringing about a public display of pride and celebration of people who refuse to see their basic human rights to those who rigorously pursue a denial of those rights, through dogma, antiquated beliefs and discriminatory public policy;

And whereas in October 2014, same sex couples were allowed to marry in the Commonwealth of Virginia as a result of long-term efforts by many advocates and in advance of the US Supreme Court ruling on June 25, 2015, that ended marriage discrimination for everyone in the United States of America;

And whereas in 2020, the Virginia General Assembly passed 13 pieces of civil rights legislation known as the Virginia Values Act that protects the LGBTQ community from discrimination in public employment, housing, credit and public accommodations;

And whereas assaults on the rights of LGBTQ individuals continue and legislative bodies across the country and around the world, necessitating constant vigilance and resolve to protect the basic civil rights, human rights and safety of our friends, neighbors and loved ones.

And whereas the City of Fairfax wishes to recognize, celebrate and uplift our LGBTQ residents and their allies with a celebration at Old Town Hall on June 3, in collaboration with our partners at George Mason University.

Now therefore, I, Catherine S. Read, Mayor of the City of Fairfax, on behalf of all residents of the City of Fairfax, do hereby proclaim June 2023 as LGBTQ Pride Month in the City of Fairfax, and urge all to acknowledge and celebrate our LGBTQI+ friends, family, neighbors, employees, educators and visitors to our welcoming and inclusive community.