The end of June is always a mixed bag for me. On one hand, I’m sad to see so much overtly LGBTQ+ joy come to an end — but on the other, it’s a bit of relief that things start to slow down a little.
June is a very busy month for our community, which means it’s a very busy time here at Watermark. Major events begin on its first weekend with Gay DayS and more in Orlando, continuing through June 30 with the month-long St Pete Pride.
A plethora of other outings happen in-between, smaller in scale but no less important. Every Pride has the possibility to be someone’s first, an exciting step into authenticity we all deserve to experience. I try to remember that whenever I’m a little tired.
Playing any part in that is a gift, and I do realize that participating in LGBTQ+ events all month is a great “problem” to have. It’s just that while the extrovert in me loves connecting with the community, the introvert in me sure does love July.
The end of June typically comes as a relief for another reason, too, one Americans who belong to less marginalized communities probably can’t relate to. It’s when the Supreme Court’s term is scheduled to end.
SCOTUS begins their term in October, with sessions continuing through the end of June or sometimes into early July. LGBTQ+ civil rights usually find their way onto their docket in one form or another, some more obvious than others, casting a cloud over equality until the rulings are revealed. Major decisions have been handed down in June for my entire adult life.
One win came in 2003. SCOTUS ruled that criminal punishment for sexual activity between consenting, same-sex Americans was unconstitutional.
A decade later, the court found that to be true of the Defense of Marriage Act, which denied federal recognition of same-sex marriages. Obergefell v. Hodges came two years later, bringing marriage equality to the nation.
In 2020, the court ruled LGBTQ+ workers were protected under civil rights law. It was a major victory, but things changed after that. Under Donald Trump, the twice-impeached former president now facing federal prosecution, the court became a conservative majority.
SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade last year, reversing nearly 50 years of precedent that protected the American right to have an abortion. This June, the court struck down affirmative action in higher education and ruled against President Joe Biden’s student debt relief program, a column unto itself.
SCOTUS also closed Pride month with an explicitly anti-LGBTQ+ ruling, finding 6-3 that a website designer had the right to refuse service to LGBTQ+ couples. It sets a dangerous precedent, one best described in the dissent by Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
“Today is a sad day in American constitutional law and in the lives of LGBT people,” she wrote. “The Supreme Court of the United States declares that a particular kind of business, though open to the public, has a constitutional right to refuse to serve members of a protected class … The immediate, symbolic effect of the decision is to mark gays and lesbians for second-class status.”
It’s all maddening, but not entirely surprising. Republicans knew exactly what they were doing when they elected Trump, positioning him to stack the court with anti-LGBTQ+ conservatives for outcomes just like this. It’s just one of the many reasons I was proud to support Hillary Clinton.
I hope this June serves as a reminder that the fight for LGBTQ+ rights extends well beyond Pride month, especially into November. Please make sure you and everyone you know is registered to vote at Vote.org.
In this issue we highlight an organization working for LGBTQ+ acceptance year-round, Free Mom Hugs Florida. We speak with volunteers who are making a difference throughout the state.
In Tampa Bay news, Zoie’s announces their permanent closure while another LGBTQ+ restaurant makes news in Central Florida. A judge halts the enforcement of Florida’s anti-drag law in response to Hamburger Mary’s Orlando’s lawsuit.
In arts and entertainment, we check in with Nurse Blake ahead of his comedy tour. We also rock out with Divine AF.
Watermark strives to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. Please stay safe, stay informed and enjoy this latest issue.
