LGBT Pride Month

June is LGBT Pride Month!

LGBT stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender individuals, and Pride Month is a time to reflect on the history of the LGBT rights movement. It's also an opportunity for those in the community to come together to reflect on progress, discuss challenges and celebrate in a safe and accepting atmosphere.

Why should those who believe in reproductive rights care about LGBT equality? Causes in Common, a group that allies LGBT rights advocates and reproductive rights advocates, notes that there are several connections between the two causes. The movements absolutely benefit from each others successes. For example, the availability of birth control helped to normalize sexual activity for purposes of pleasure rather than procreation – and therefore helped to normalize sexual activity between women and between men. The desire of some right-wing forces to control sexuality also affects LGBT individuals as much as it affects heterosexual women who need access to birth control and abortion.

Additionally, it's important to note that LGBT sexual rights and the right to an abortion are based off of the same legal principle: that of privacy. In 2003, astonishingly late, the Supreme Court decided in the landmark Lawrence vs. Texas case that same-sex sexual relations could not be criminalized. The ruling relied heavily on the principle of reproductive and sexual privacy found in the decision in Roe vs. Wade.

When looked at in that light, it's hard to see how the two movements could not be connected. Forming alliances is in each other's and our own best interests!

For more education on LGBT social issues and sexual health, check out our MySpace page, where we'll be discussing the theme all month!