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The 35,000+ members of UTLA are proud to be in solidarity with members of the LGBTQ+ community this Pride Month and around the year. We are standing shoulder to shoulder with our LGBTQ+ siblings because it is the right thing to do, because social justice is foundational to our union.

We have queer/trans members, we teach queer/trans students, we have queer/trans family members, and we are allies and accomplices. The fight to ensure the safety and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community cannot be separated from who we are. An injury to one of our LGBTQ+ siblings is an injury to all of us. 

This is an especially dangerous time to be queer and/or trans in this country. While Los Angeles might pride itself on its diversity and progressive politics, our city is not immune from horrible displays of homophobia, transphobia, and hatred.

In the face of rising fascism, our schools must be sanctuaries for educators, students, parents, and the community. No educator, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender or gender presentation, should have to go to work in fear of repression and violence. No student should have to fear for their physical and emotional health at school just because they are gay or trans. No student should be told that their family is inappropriate or should not be discussed openly because they have queer or trans parents.

Our public schools are places where the world becomes bigger, where students find themselves and are celebrated for it, where educators instill compassion and tolerance in their students, and where the community comes together on even ground. We must fight to protect that. We must fight to protect academic freedom so educators and students can learn about our complicated world with clear eyes and open minds. 

We must fight to ensure that every single member of the LGBTQ+ community feels safe, cherished, and loved within our schools. To all the organizers, leaders, and organizations doing this work: know that UTLA is ready to work with you and alongside you to build power in defense of the LGBTQ+ community. To the civic leaders across Los Angeles: we are here prepared to partner and work together to ensure the safety and well-being of our members, our students, and all the people who call LA home.