LGBTQ+ justice

This May, I was lucky enough to marry my wonderful partner—for the second time.

The first time we were married, it was a swelteringly hot July morning in Brooklyn in 2020. We wore what was in our closet, said a few words, paraded in Prospect Park with a few close friends, and signed a piece of paper with witnesses that declared us legally married in the eyes of the law the minute it was accepted by the city clerk.

Today, on Women’s Equality Day, we are reminded of how far we have yet to go, in the fight for gender justice. Gender inequalities, trans- and homophobias are all inextricably linked to a deep-rooted patriarchal culture. 

Trans United, a proud client of Amalgamated Bank, is led by trans and gender-expansive people, with a majority of board members being trans women of color. They are a nonprofit community of leaders who have incubated, provided fiscal leadership, and organizational development to nearly two dozen trans-led grassroots groups over the years. 

Today we’d like to share the story of our client, Rainbow Families, a volunteer led nonprofit organization that supports LGBTQ+ families, parents, and prospective parents by offering a wide variety of education programs, support groups, opportunities to connect and more.

It feels like ages since we have been able to come together. LGBTQ+ Pride, internationally recognized each June, coincides this year with a mass gathering of every other community, as many of us remove our masks and embrace friends and family for the first time in months.

Amalgamated Bank was founded almost 100 years ago to create a diverse, inclusive, and egalitarian community for labor workers. These tenets of our founding are elevated again today as we proudly announce that the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index (HRC CEI) has designated Amalgamated Bank “One of the Best Places to Work” in 2021.

Each June, I can usually be found doing two things: attending LGBTQ Pride parades and refreshing SCOTUSBlog for updates on major Supreme Court cases. I knew that I wouldn’t be attending any parades this year due to COVID-19, but I never expected to hear Monday’s Supreme Court ruling confirming that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Rainbow flags are waving, crosswalks are being painted in rainbow patterns and cities the nation over are holding parades and festivals to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.