As Pittsburgh Celebrates Pride Month, The Delta Foundation Focuses On Equality

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Photo credit Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) – Now that it is the month of June, it’s officially Pride Month.

President Donald Trump put out a tweet on Friday in support of LGBTQ individuals.

As we celebrate LGBT Pride Month and recognize the outstanding contributions LGBT people have made to our great Nation, let us also stand in solidarity with the many LGBT people who live in dozens of countries worldwide that punish, imprison, or even execute individuals....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2019

Does the LGBTQ community view President Trump as an ally?

“Actions speak louder than words,” Chris Bryan, Director of Marketing and Development at the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh told John Shumway on KDKA Radio Tuesday morning. “The President has unfortunately great done harm to our community, specially our transgender members. Harm in that he continues to try to erase them, essentially. He’s taken away the ability for them to serve in the military, he’s stripping them of their health care rights.”

“I think the President needs a little bit of education about the transgender community,” Bryan said. “Just posting a tweet is not enough to acknowledge that he supports them.”

Bryan told John that this month is the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which happened at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. “This year is an important year. It’s a time to reflect on the people who stood up and tried. It’s time to acknowledge the folks that we lost to the terrible HIV and AIDS crisis. But it’s also time to acknowledge how forward the movement has become, with marriage equality and so forth,” Bryan said.

The “golden apple,” as Bryan called it, is equality. “I think sometimes think people in the LGBTQ community want to be treated better or differently; they just want to be treated the same. That means they can live their life authentically at work, they can love who they want to love, they can’t get kicked out of their apartment, they can’t get fired from their jobs.”

Bryan said acts of discrimination do happen against the LGBTQ community, especially outside of Allegheny County. “There’s no state-wide, federal protection against sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, and there’s certainly no national legislation either,” said Bryan. “If you are LGBTQ, you feel like could get fired from your job, you can’t talk about what you did this weekend with your partner, you are denied access to being treated with healthcare, or with housing. It makes it different and difficult for the community because you can’t see it.”

“We are all God’s creatures,” Bryan said in regards to Bishop Tobin’s tweet on Saturday advising Catholics not to attend or support Pride events. “You don’t throw stones at glass houses. I think the Catholic Church has some repairing within their own congregation and the community at large.”

A reminder that Catholics should not support or attend LGBTQ “Pride Month” events held in June. They promote a culture and encourage activities that are contrary to Catholic faith and morals. They are especially harmful for children.

— Bishop Thomas Tobin (@ThomasJTobin1) June 1, 2019

The good news, Bryan told John, is that many faith based organizations attending Pride events. “These are just people who want to love each other, and the world needs a little love, don’t you think?”

Pittsburgh Pride kicks off on Friday night, with Walk the Moon performing outside on the Pennsylvania Lottery stage at 9th and Fort Duquesne Blvd. Doors open at 6pm. A full list of Pittsburgh Pride activities can be found on the Pittsburgh Pride Website.

Ashley Funyak contributed to this article.

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