LGBT advocates who attended Tuesday’s Dallas County Commissioners Court meeting gather on the steps of the administration building after the Pride resolution passes. (Anna Waugh/Dallas Voice)
Dallas County commissioners unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday declaring June LGBT Pride Month.
The resolution is the first of its kind for the county. The Dallas City Council has issued proclamations the past three years recognizing June as LGBT Pride Month.
Commissioner Theresa Daniel presented the resolution, reading it to the room before it passed. Commissioner Mike Cantrell, the only Republican on the five-member court, was absent from the meeting.
“On this special occasion, we must bear in mind that while we have overcome difficult obstacles, tolerance and acceptance is something we must all practice and teach future generations,” the resolution reads in part. (Read the full version here)
After its passage, activist Omar Narvaez then addressed the court with several LGBT supporters standing behind him. He spoke about the importance of the LGBT community having showing its Pride during June.
“It’s so appropriate that our symbol for the LGBT community is a rainbow because we are every single part, we are every fabric of that rainbow,” he said. “We are African-American, we’re Latino, we are white, we are Asian, we are Native American.”
Narvaez said he was proud of Dallas County for being the first in the state to have both an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination policy and domestic partner benefits, and now it’s the first to have passed a resolution declaring it LGBT Pride Month.
Commissioner Dr. Elba Garcia then thanked the activists who attended and recognized gay former Dallas Councilman John Loza for being in attendance. Both Garcia and Loza worked on the city of Dallas’ LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance in 2002 while serving on the City Council together.
County Judge Clay Jenkins thanked those in attendance for their work and patience when the county added transgender protections to its nondiscrimination policy in 2011 after it was left out of the policy, and for working with commissioners last year when domestic partner voucher program passed. He said those things have made the county better and other counties should follow Dallas’ lead, adding that half of Fortune 500 companies already have a similar policy and benefits.
“Dallas County is the most progressive county out of 254 because they follow the lead of half of the Fortune 500 companies,” Jenkins said. “It’s time for the rest of the state to treat our GLBT brothers and sisters like fully equal partners in our society.”
Daniel summed up the discussion before other resolutions were considered by the court.
“Very simply put: discrimination any place is wrong,” Daniel said. “Thank you very much for all of us doing our part to make this a better place for everybody.”
Watch video below.
