County Executive Marc Elrich and Councilmember Evan Glass kicked off pride month in Montgomery County Monday by raising the rainbow flag outside of the Executive Office Building in Rockville.
“How you identify or who you choose to love are personal, individual choices and there is no place in our county for intolerance. Raising the Pride flag celebrates Montgomery County’s values of inclusion, empathy, respect and kindness,” said Elrich in a press release.
Glass, Montgomery County’s first openly gay council member, led last year’s celebration with multiple events promoting acceptance and inclusion. He will do the same this year, however, virtually. According to the release, members of the council and leaders in the LGBTQ+ community will take part in the events.
This Pride, Councilmember @EvanMGlass reminds us that LGBTQ+ rights were built on the efforts of people of color, particularly gay men of color & transgender women of color who were the catalyst for the Stonewall Riots. Regardless of race or gender, you are welcome here. pic.twitter.com/4YVDy5jwZc
— Montgomery Council (@MoCoCouncilMD) June 8, 2020
This year’s commemoration comes amidst national outcries for racial equality, an overlap that Glass feels should be acknowledged.
“The civil rights struggles taking place across the country today are battles for fairness, equality and the ability to live one’s life without fear or harm…It was only 51 years ago that the Stonewall Riots took place –– a clash with the New York Police Department that involved an overwhelming number of gay men and trans women of color –– which served as a catalyst for the modern day LGBTQ+ rights movement and the reason we celebrate Pride Month,” said Glass in the release.
In a County Cable Montgomery video of the flag raising, Glass added, “I want to make sure that every resident of Montgomery County knows that they are welcome here, and can be whomever they are.”
