Top state officers made clear Wednesday that Massachusetts welcomes individuals of all sexual orientations as they raised the Pride flag exterior the State House and lambasted governors in different states for what they are saying are restrictions on LGBTQ rights.
As legislatures throughout the nation contemplate payments proscribing drag performers, transgender healthcare, and books they deem inappropriate, politicians in Massachusetts stated the state is a “safe haven” for individuals from throughout the nation. Their remarks come as Boston prepares for a Pride parade on Saturday.
There are “so many efforts to simply deny who we are and deny civil rights and protections, basic protections for people” in different states, stated Gov. Maura Healey, one of many first lesbians elected governor within the United States.
“We are open for business in Massachusetts. Come to school here. Raise a family here, maybe meet someone here. Get married here. Grow a business here, vacation here. There’s so much about our beautiful, beautiful state and now should be a time when we’re inviting in,” Healey stated to a crowd of over 100 individuals.
“I say welcome, Disney,” she added, tossing an off-hand jab at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
DeSantis, who’s additionally a Republican candidate for president, has feuded with Disney over the corporate’s opposition to state laws associated to classes on sexual orientation and gender identification in early grades that critics have since dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” regulation.
In response, DeSantis took over Disney World’s governing district and appointed a brand new board of supervisors. Disney has since filed a federal lawsuit in opposition to DeSantis and the board the governor appointed.
Florida politicians, together with DeSantis, have additionally championed legal guidelines that try and ban drag studying occasions. Montana turned the primary state final month to particularly ban individuals wearing drag from studying books to youngsters at public colleges and libraries.
Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka stated members of the LGBTQ group have confronted many challenges previously two years.
“So many states, unfortunately, I hate to even mention them like Florida and Texas, who seek to discriminate … trans, non-binary, gender expansive youth and force the LGBTQ-plus adults back into the closet,” the Ashland Democrat stated. “No one should have to live in fear because of their sexual orientation or their gender identity.”
A federal choose dominated final week {that a} Tennessee regulation proscribing draft performances in public areas or within the presence of kids regulation was “unconstitutionally vague and substantially overbroad.”
State Rep. Sarah Peake stated when she noticed the information that Tennessee had moved to limit drag exhibits, she texted Sen. Julian Cyr to counsel the Bay State make a press release on the Pride flag elevating that “drag queens are honored and welcome here in Massachusetts.”
Cyr responded saying “we should let the governor know about this idea,” Peake stated.
“I texted Gov. Healy and I said, ‘hey, as an old activist and somebody who’s been fighting in the streets for our rights for the better part of four decades, what do you think about inviting drag queens to the Pride flag raising?’ Boom, immediately texted back ‘what a great idea,’” Peake, a Provincetown Democrat stated.
A bunch of drag queens attended the flag elevating ceremony, the place they stood on the steps of the State House and carried out for the gang.
Neon Calypso, a drag queen from Boston, stated she was positioned in foster care in 2008.
“I have never felt as much as I do at home right now in front of everybody today,” Calypso stated. “I’ve seen so many things change … in the state of Massachusetts … but the queer people have always been here and we are not going anywhere.”
Materials from the Associated Press have been used on this report.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”