Senate Resolution 313 Printer's Number 1753
PENNSYLVANIA, June 14 - community; and
WHEREAS, In May 1965, borrowing a strategy made famous by the
African-American civil rights movement of the time, a group of
gender-variant individuals of color organized a sit-in to
protest discrimination toward LGBTQ+ individuals at Dewey's
restaurant lunch counter in Philadelphia, recognized as one of
the first demonstrations launched with the goal of protecting
the dignity of LGBTQ+ people; and
WHEREAS, The "Annual Reminders" protests held in front of the
Liberty Bell, which occurred every Independence Day between 1965
and 1969, drew national attention to the LGBTQ+ community's
struggle for liberty and equality; and
WHEREAS, Dewey's restaurant lunch counter and "Annual
Reminders" demonstrations, in conjunction with other activities
across the United States, greatly contributed toward the growing
acceptance and inclusion of LGBTQ+ Americans into their
respective communities; and
WHEREAS, The State government has traditionally been on the
forefront of LGBTQ+ recognition, regardless of which political
party was in control; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Milton Shapp, former Governor of
Pennsylvania, founded the Council for Sexual Minorities, which
was the first governmental body in the nation to examine the
needs and issues of the LGBTQ+ community; and
WHEREAS, In 1975, Governor Shapp issued the first Statewide
executive order in the nation recognizing LGBTQ+ equality; and
WHEREAS, Governor Shapp's successor, the Honorable Richard
Thornburgh, became the first Republican in the nation to issue a
Statewide proclamation recognizing LGBTQ+ equality in 1979; and
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth remains committed to promoting
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