Storm’s End, Pride Begins: A June Manifesto

Hey there, friends—Scotty here.  As we say goodbye to storm season, we also flip the page to Pride Month, and I’ve gotta be candid: this year Pride feels more vital than it’s been in a decade.

Why? Because while the skies maybe getting calmer, the political winds aren’t. Our trans siblings are under siege. Conservative politicians are carving away trans rights state by state. And don’t kid yourself—they’re not stopping there. Gay and lesbian rights are next in their crosshairs.

The Scale of the Threat

Since Trump took office in January 2017, state legislatures have barreled forward with hundreds of anti‑LGBTQIA bills:

ACLU data shows 597 bills introduced just in 2025 leg sessions.

Over 520 anti‑LGBTQ+ bills hit state floors in recent years, with 70 enacted in one year.

In 2023–2024 alone, 500+ bills were introduced each year attacking LGBTQ rights.

These aren’t just headlines—they’re direct threats to our existence, our safety, and our dignity.

Join Me in Fort Worth

This year, I’m proud to attend and volunteer at Trinity Valley Pride here in Fort Worth on June 28th. I’d love for you to join—whether you’re LGBTQIA+, questioning, an ally, or just ready to show up and celebrate our beautiful diversity.

If you can’t make it here, find your local Pride, volunteer at a queer youth center, or march at your nearest festival. Each flag raised, each voice heard, is one more rewrite of the narrative: we are here, we are proud, and we will protect each other.

Why Now?

In 2025, Kentucky even undid its veto to allow conversion therapy again.

And here in Texas, bills continue to strip protections in our schools, forbidding pronouns, GSA clubs, trans student support—and the mental health fallout is real

This isn’t culture—it’s a coordinated move to erase us. But erase doesn’t mean silence—it means resistance. Pride is our cultural roar.

My Invitation to You

Whether you’re coming out this month, coming out for the first time, or coming out hard against this wave of anti‑LGBTQ legislation, let’s make history together.

Join me at Trinity Valley Pride—let’s light up Fort Worth with rainbow power.

Volunteer if you can—help at booths, welcome attendees, share your smile.

Wear your colors proudly. Let your truest self be your resistance.

Together, we’re more than a community—we’re a movement. From storm to sunshine, from threat to celebration—we got this. Happy Pride.

With solidarity and sparkle,

Scotty