June 01, 2025
Governor Whitmer and Lt. Governor Gilchrist Celebrate Pride Month
LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II issued a proclamation marking June as pride month in Michigan, honoring the LGBTQ+ community’s resilience, contributions and ongoing fight for equality.
“Pride Month is about celebrating identity, uplifting community, and standing in solidarity with LGBTQ+ Michiganders,” said Governor Whitmer. “We’ve made historic progress together, established the first-ever statewide LGBTQ+ commission, expanded protections under the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, and banned conversion therapy for minors. But we know there’s more work to do. I will always stand up for LGBTQ+ Michiganders and fight to make Michigan a state where everyone can live with dignity and pride.”
“In every corner of our sate, LGBTQ+ Michiganders are contributing to the strength and spirit of our communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “We must continue to uplift their voices, protect their rights, and ensure that Michigan is a safe, and welcoming place for all. This month, we celebrate their courage and continue to stand tall alongside them in the fight for equality and justice.”
“This Pride Month takes our community back to its roots — fighting for recognition, dignity and equality,” said state Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield). “As we face renewed attacks from reckless people in power, we are reminded that Pride Month started not as a celebration but as a liberation from bigotry. In Michigan, we have cemented our gains in law and the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act protects the LGBTQ community from discrimination in housing, employment, healthcare and education. We will not be rolling back this progress. We will continue to show up, speak out, and stand together, so that all Michiganders know they are free to live their lives authentically.”
“Happy Pride Month, Michigan! As an LGBTQ Michigander, this month holds deep personal meaning for me," said state Representative Mike McFall (D-Hazel Park). "Pride Month is not only about honoring the progress we’ve made, but also a recommitment to keep fighting for equality and respect for all. This June let’s celebrate our love, our identities, and the vibrant diversity that makes Michigan stronger!”
“This year, Michigan will observe Pride through resistance,” said state Rep. Noah Arbit (D-West Bloomfield). “Resisting a President and Administration that is more interested in targeting certain Americans for who we are, rather than bringing all Americans together on behalf of the values we share. Michigan will continue to show the way.”
“Pride Month is a powerful reminder that we are not alone anymore as LGBTQ+ people – a powerful show of force that we stand together, with love and joy,” said state Rep. Jason Morgan (D-Ann Arbor). “I’m proud to join Governor Whitmer in celebrating the accomplishments and history of the LGBTQ+ community and affirming that Michigan will always be a place where people can be proud of who they are.”
“Now more than ever, I’m grateful for the opportunity for our community to honor our history and for us to unapologetically celebrate our authentic selves,” said state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia). “Despite targeted attacks, particularly against our trans family, we are resilient and will not be erased.”
"This Pride Month, I’m thinking about every young person who is watching what's happening in the news and wondering if there’s still a place for them in this country,” state Rep. Jason Hoskins (D-Southfield). To them, I say: Yes, there is. And I’m fighting for it. We’re fighting for it. No act of discrimination, no hateful policy, and no campaign of fear can silence the truth that LGBTQ+ people have always been here—and we’re not going anywhere. What’s happening at the state and federal level is real, and it’s harmful. But history has shown us that in the face of hostility, we rise. And we rise together."
“During Pride Month and beyond, I am proud to represent, fight for and celebrate LGBTQ+ communities across Michigan,” said state Rep. Emily Dievendorf (D-Lansing). This month is about honoring the resilience, history and love within this community, reaffirming every person’s right to lead a life true to themselves and recommitting to fighting for the civil rights of LGBTQ+ people.”
“Pride Month is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we stand together in solidarity, courage, and love,” said Raúl Hernández-Guzmán (He/Him) | LGBTQ+ Commission of Michigan Administrative Chair. “It is a time to honor our collective strength and resilience, and to celebrate the rich diversity of identities that make up our LGBTQIA2S+ community. Pride is not only about parades and celebrations—it’s about walking hand in hand with our LGBTQ+ friends, colleagues, family members, and allies, and recognizing the richness of our stories, struggles, and triumphs. In Michigan, Pride means embracing the full spectrum of who we are. It means uplifting our LGBTQ+ fearless veterans, honoring our two-spirit tribal and Native American communities, standing in allyship with our queer immigrant and refugee neighbors, and affirming the dignity and worth of our transgender and non-binary community. It is about making visible those who have been historically marginalized and ensuring that every voice is heard and valued. As a Latino gay man in a loving, committed marriage, Pride holds deeply personal meaning for me. It is the celebration of every barrier we’ve overcome to live our truth without fear. It is a tribute to the generations before us who dared to be visible, and a call to action for us today to keep fighting—for safety, for equity, for joy, and for the right to live fully as ourselves. In a time when our rights and lives are still under threat, Pride reminds us that we are stronger when we come together to support and uplift one another. On behalf of the Michigan LGBTQ+ Commission, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our extraordinary LGBTQ+ community, our tireless advocates, our visionary leaders, and our brave and committed allies. Thank you for your steadfast support in advancing equality and justice across our state. Together, we are building a Michigan where everyone—no matter who they are or who they love—can thrive, belong, and be celebrated. Happy Pride Month, Michigan!”
“Pride in Michigan is about more than just celebration - it’s about showing up as our full selves, no matter where we are,” said Brandon Shamoun, M.Ed. LGBTQ+ Commission of Michigan Vice Chair + Commissioner. “It’s about living our truth through, in every corner of the state, from small towns to big cities. Pride here means honoring those who came before us, those who fought so we could be seen, and continuing that fight for those still finding their voice. It’s about resilience, joy, and community - about lifting each other up and holding space for every identity, every story. In Michigan, Pride means knowing that who we are matters. That love is love, and that we belong - not just during Pride Month, but every single day of the year.”
"While it is often said the first Pride was a riot, I truly hope Pride this year will also be a riot- as in a rip-roaring, celebratory good time,” said Angela Gabridge, Executive Director of Michigan LGBTQ+ Elders Network + Commissioner. “In a time in which so many in our communities are facing unprecedented attacks, it is vital we come together to celebrate our authenticity, our love and our perseverance. Many would love to see Pride celebrations diminished and somber this year, so this is exactly the time to remind our communities the LGBTQ+ community is here, has always been here and will continue to be here long after any of us remain. They cannot legislate us away, they cannot executive order us away and they certainly cannot scare us away. As we come together this Pride season to celebrate, please remember to thank and engage with your elders as well. You may find solace in the wisdom of their counsel, I know I certainly have. Together, we celebrate our ageless authenticity and refuse to be invisible. Happy Pride, everyone."
Pride Month is as important today as it ever has been because our LGBTQ2S+ community has been under attack for decades and it's become even worse over the past six months,” said Scott Ellis, Executive Director, Great Lakes Bay Pride. “We've no doubt made incredible progress towards achieving equal rights under the law, but those rights are systematically being weakened or eliminated in the increasingly polarizing political climate we are experiencing. I've been fortunate to coordinate Pride Month celebrations for Michigan's Great Lakes Bay Region for the past nine years. The hate comments online (and sometimes on the phone) have spiked over the past two years to levels I could not have imagined. But, we should all know two things. First - hate won't win and there's no place for it in our great state. And second - the LGBTQ2S+ and ally community is strong, resilient, and will never stay silent in the face of adversity. I'm excited to celebrate Pride Month in Michigan and invite my fellow LGBTQ2S+ and ally Michiganders to get out and experience the joy of Pride in your community!”
Pride, especially in the face of adversity, is a time to celebrate our shared community’s resilience and diversity,” said Erin Knott, Executive Director at Equality Michigan. “It’s a time to lift each other up. While transgender people and people living with HIV are facing serious threats to their health care, pride is a time to double down on our commitment to the fight for full equality and civil rights.”
"As Pride festivals begin this season, they remind us of the strength we find in community and the power we hold when we stand together,” said Christopher Terkos, Executive Director at OutFront Kalamazoo. “Pride began as a protest—born from struggle, defiance, and the courage of those who refused to be silenced. Thanks to generations of activists, past and present, we now celebrate Pride Month as a declaration of love, identity, and resilience. While the fight for justice and equality must continue in every form, we must also remember this: queer joy is radical. It is resistance. In a world that seeks to erase us, our joy is a protest—and it is unstoppable."
Governor Whitmer’s Actions to Protect the LGBTQ+ Community
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