Trump won’t issue ‘Pride’ proclamation

President has declined to issue a proclamation designating June as a time for celebration of LGBT Pride, breaking with a tradition started under the Obama administration

BY ADMIN, JUNE 5, 2017

President Trump has declined to issue at the start of June a proclamation designating the month as a time for celebration of Pride, breaking with a tradition started under the Obama administration.

By the end of the last weekday in May, President Obama each year during his two terms in the White House issued a proclamation recognizing Pride. Trump, on the other hand, has thus far issued no such proclamation — or even recognized June as Pride month from his Twitter account.

Trump on the last day of May issued five separate proclamations recognizing June as National Caribbean-American Heritage Month, African-American Music Appreciation Month, National Homeownership Month, Great Outdoors Month and National Ocean Month. Absent from the list was anything related to Pride.

The tradition of presidential Pride proclamations started under President Clinton, although President George W. Bush discontinued that practice during his time in office. Obama renewed that tradition for each of his eight years in the White House, recognizing not only Pride in his proclamations but also achievements in LGBT rights, such as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal and the U.S. Supreme Court ruling for same-sex marriage nationwide.

Obama also started a tradition of hosting annual receptions at the White House recognizing June as Pride month. It seems unlikely Trump would continue that practice and hold a similar reception after declining to issue a Pride proclamation, not to mention his unpopularity with the LGBT community after policies such as revoking Obama-era guidance assuring transgender kids have access to school bathrooms consistent with their gender identity.

Instead, a group of former LGBT Obama administration officials, led by former White House LGBT liaison Gautam Raghavan and Aditi Hardikar, are planning a “NOT the White House Pride Party,” taking a cue from Samantha Bee’s “Not the White House Correspondents Dinner” event.

 

http://cal-catholic.com/trump-wont-issue-pride-proclamation/