By Joseph Edelen

DOVER — June is officially Pride Month in the First State.

Gov. John Carney was joined by lawmakers and advocates at the Delaware Public Archives Tuesday to recognize the occasion just prior to the state House of Representatives and Senate’s enactment of a resolution doing the same.

On the House floor, Rep. Eric Morrison, D-Glasgow — who was the first openly gay man elected to Delaware’s General Assembly in 2020 — remarked on the progress made since the New York City Stonewall riots in 1969.

“We cannot forget the debt of gratitude we owe them. Truly we stand on the shoulders of giants,” he said. Today, thankfully, we do not have to fight with bricks and bottles. We fight with our voices individually and collectively. We’ve made progress for the LGBTQ+ community I never thought I’d see in my lifetime. But there is still more to be done.”

House Concurrent Resolution 155, which formally recognizes June as Pride Month, passed the chamber via voice vote although it did not receive the same support in the Senate.

After Sen. Sarah McBride, D-Wilmington — the first openly transgender state senator in United States history — read in the resolution, some Republican members explained their opposition to the legislation.

Sen. Bryant Richardson, R-Seaford, and Sen. Dave Lawson, R-Marydel, both acknowledged individuals’ rights to freedom, but noted they opposed the government being involved in the promotion of the LGBTQ+ lifestyle.

“I fought to defend the rights … of our country, and I will continue to do that … My problem is that I don’t care what you do. I don’t care when you do it. It’s your lifestyle. Please don’t shove it down my throat. Don’t rub my face in it. Don’t rub my family in it,” Sen. Lawson said.

“This is what’s going on every day. It’s being promoted and pushed up front … to the point that we’re confusing our kids as to what they truly are versus what somebody else might think they should be.”

Sen. Marie Pinkney, D-Bear, reiterated the importance of the resolution and called out the statements made by her Republican colleagues.

“We get hit with blanketed statements that tell us that we should not shove our lifestyle down people’s throats — which sounds to me a lot like stay in the closet — but thankfully, we do not have to do that. Thankfully, we’re still here. We get to continue to have these conversations and we get to pass this resolution,” Sen. Pinkney said.

Following the short debate, House Concurrent Resolution passed the Senate by a 17-4 vote. The lawmakers to oppose the measure were Sen. Richardson; Sen. Lawson; Senate Minority Leader Gerald Hocker, R-Ocean View; and Sen. Dave Wilson, R-Lincoln.

During the governor’s proclamation signing, the state announced its first digital queer history resource. It comes in partnership with the Government Information Center and the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs and is titled “We Have Always Been Here.” The initiative explores the stories of LGBTQ+ Delawareans throughout state history.

It can be accessed at History.delaware.gov/lgbtq-history.