My neighborhood is holding their pride festival this weekend and I wanted to check in and see what is going on locally for pride along with the classic DC Pride Parade on June 20th. I looked up some local Pride celebrations and, having grown up in this area, I was glad to see towns that I wouldn’t have associated with Pride celebrations holding festivals and “raising awareness” too.

I recently read this Op-Ed in the Charlotte Observer about an LGBT owned restaurant in a small community that held a Pride Festival last year. What struck me was how initially the owners didn’t want to be pigeon-holed as an LGBT business but after Hurricane Helene devastated the area, they saw an opportunity for their pride festival to be a symbol of resilience and celebration that would bring the community together.

That op-ed linked to another article about last year’s festivals throughout conservative North Carolina towns against the backdrop of “mean-spirited” legislation in the State that would roll back advances to LGBT rights.

So this month with love is love ringing through the air, it’s also good to remember why these celebrations are necessary, along with the advocacy that makes them possible.

Getting Pigeon-holed

I wanted to first address the very real anxiety business owners have when they identify themselves, and importantly, what’s important to them.  There can be very real consequences and I certainly can’t speak to what a restaurant in North Carolina should feel comfortable doing.

At the same time, in my experience, the community you build when you are economically and emotionally able to be yourself, ends up being deeper and richer.

Voicing Values

At the B Corp Champions retreat, the owner of a B Corp and WBE certified company said to me that they get much more out of B Corp.  She alluded to the fact that meeting another woman in business was not enough of a common link to create the kind of community where she could trust and collaborate.

In order to meet values aligned companies, however, you have to let people know what your values are. It’s a sometimes difficult but ultimately rewarding first step.

Local Legislation

Looking at the legislation in North Carolina, I was curious to see what was happening in Maryland because while my sense is that it’s a pretty welcoming place to LGBT folks, I also live in a DMV bubble.

In my research I came across this website which keeps tabs on the business climate for LGBTQ owned and friendly businesses. Maryland is ranked 7th behind Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Illinois,  and California.

We are doing well as a State but there are still some priorities of the LGBTQ caucus, mainly to counteract some reactionary measures from the federal government.

  • Birth Certificate Modernization Act (SB 626/HB 1589): Would create an “X” gender marker option on birth certificates and modernize the update process, introduced in direct response to President Trump’s executive order recognizing only two sexes.
  • Student Civil Rights Enforcement (HB 649): Would authorize the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights to enforce anti-discrimination protections in educational institutions from pre-K through higher education, covering sexual orientation and gender identity.
  • PrEP Access Expansion (HB 1114): Sponsored by Del. Ashanti Martinez, this bill would extend insurance coverage and expand pharmacists’ ability to prescribe PrEP along with other HIV treatments and testing.
  • History and Curriculum Commission (HB 627): This bill would create a Commission on History to make recommendations to the State Department of Education to further the teaching of history, culture, and civics — including LGBTQ history — in a uniform way across Maryland school districts.
  • Conversion Therapy Enforcement (SB 950/HB 1209): Would strengthen Maryland’s existing conversion therapy ban — already on the books since 2018 — by allowing individuals to file a malpractice action against providers at any time if they were a minor when the therapy occurred, or within 20 years if they were an adult.

The Conversion Therapy Enforcement bill is under scrutiny after the Supreme Court case earlier this year, Chiles vs. Salazar, which rules that conversion therapy bans can constitute a violation of the first amendment.

Even in places where people and laws are actively protecting the rights of LGBTQ folks, there is still work to be done at multiple levels. Living in one of the top 10 states for LGBTQ rights doesn’t necessarily protect you from federal legislation or greater social and macroeconomic forces at work.

Back to the festivals

It’s a good reminder, as are the festivals, parades, and celebrations, that we’re all in this together. Bravery and advocacy got us here and we’re not done yet.