Congresswoman Sara Jacobs Delivers Floor Remarks on Pride Month

Statement

Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53) spoke on the House floor on Tuesday evening on Pride Month.

Congresswoman Jacobs is the proud sister to a trans brother and a gender non-conforming sibling and a member of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus. Jacobs is an original co-sponsor of the Equality Act, which prohibits discrimination against members of the LGBTQ+ community in the areas of employment, education, credit, housing, jury service, federal funding, and more by adding gender identity and sexual orientation to existing anti-discrimination civil rights protections.

Congresswoman Jacobs' remarks were as follows:

Congressman David Cicilline: It is now my pleasure to yield to Congresswoman Sara Jacobs of California -- a colleague on the Foreign Affairs Committee, someone who has dedicated her work, even before she got to Congress, to ending childhood poverty and to the promotion of human rights and equality. She is an original co-sponsor of the Equality Act, a member of the LGBTQ Equality Caucus, and a great advocate for our community. We're delighted she's with us this evening.

Congresswoman Sara Jacobs: Thank you so much, Mr. Cicilline.

I am honored to join you and my colleagues tonight to mark Pride Month. And I should note San Diego actually officially celebrates Pride in July -- so I'm happy I get an extra month to celebrate with all of you.

And I stand here today as the proud sister to a trans brother and a gender non-conforming sibling, a proud member of the Equality Caucus, and the proud representative of Hillcrest, the heart and soul of San Diego's diverse and vibrant LGBTQ+ community.

This year has been difficult for so many of us, but especially for the LGBTQ+ community. COVID-19 took friends, family members, and beloved community leaders from us. It forced so many into social isolation, closed our communal spaces, and added to the economic, mental health, physical health, and child care burdens.

And to all of the young people stuck at home, away from their friends and maybe with family who doesn't accept you, know this: you are perfect, just the way you are, and we need you.

But during this pandemic, San Diego's LGBTQ+ community also rallied together to support one another and to support our community at-large. The San Diego LGBT Community Center hosted food banks and made home deliveries for folks who were home-bound. San Diego Pride hosted vaccine events for LGBTQ+ people of color, trans and non-binary people, and those living with HIV.

And next month, at long last, we'll finally be able to celebrate Pride together again, in person.

And as we celebrate, we're also focused on the future.

I'm proud to work alongside all our LGBTQ+ siblings to fight for an end to discrimination in all its forms based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Earlier this year, I was honored to join every one of my Democratic colleagues as an original co-sponsor of the Equality Act, legislation that will be life-changing for so many of my constituents.

The first version of this bill was filed 15 years before I was even born. It had one co-sponsor and never got a vote.

It is humbling to think about the progress that has happened in my lifetime -- progress that was made possible by all those who marched and protested and raised their voices. And I am proud to work alongside all of you to continue that work. We will keep up the fight until everyone has equal rights under the law.

Thank you, again, Mr. Cicilline, and I yield back.

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