PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
May 30, 2023
Brunswick Democrats to Dedicate Rainbow Flag in Support
of LGBTQ+ Residents Under Attack by MAGA NC Legislators
The Brunswick County Democratic Party (BCDP) is holding an LGBTQ+ Pride Month Ceremony and Progress Pride Rainbow Flag Dedication at its headquarters tomorrow, Wednesday, May 31 at 3 p.m.
The ceremony is intended to call attention to the fact that members of the LGBTQ+ community are increasingly under attack via discriminatory and exclusionary legislation being introduced by North Carolina's MAGA Republican-led General Assembly.
“The BCDP believes that all citizens deserve equal rights and protections under the law and opposes discrimination based on sexual orientation,” noted BCDP Chair Shelley Allen. “We are hanging the rainbow flag on our building as a strong show of support for these embattled citizens.”
During the 2023 legislative session at the NC General Assembly, a broad slate of anti-LGBTQ legislation has been proposed targeting LGBTQ+ North Carolinians for discrimination and exclusion in a wide range of areas, from education to health care to public spaces. They include bills excluding transgender students from participating in school sports, bills banning gender-affirming healthcare for youth, a broad "curriculum censorship" bill, and a bill to ban drag shows.
“It seems to us that these MAGA Republicans have misguided priorities when it comes to much of this legislation,” Allen said. “For example, regarding their educational focus, we argue that the real danger to students is not the presence of transgender youth or the availability of books that include transgender characters, but the refusal of MAGA Republicans to ban the assault weapons being used to murder our children in schools.”
“The party is strongly urging concerned citizens to take action by contacting their elected representatives--members of both the NC House and Senate—and urging them to oppose these discriminatory bills,” Allen stated.
The public and media are cordially invited to join us for the 3 p.m. ceremony tomorrow (Wednesday) at BCDP’s headquarters located at 1420 Old Ocean Hwy, Bolivia.
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June is Pride Month. Read more about the month-long celebration that is"a call for greater unity, visibility and equality for the LGBTQ community." (Sara Lemire, USA Today, 05.23.22)