San Juan Island Pride Foundation Statement regarding San Juan County Pride Month Resolution June 2026

We at the San Juan Island Pride Foundation are grateful for the council’s words of support for 2SLGBTQIA+ residents and for acknowledging the eradication of civil rights at all levels for 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples, especially trans individuals.  We deeply appreciate the council stating that these rights shall be defended and protected.  We recognize that in a time where many local governments are backing out of their commitment to protect 2SLGBTQIA+ residents, we are lucky to live in a county where the council has declared their support for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights.  However, we respectfully request that the council go further than words, and make actions towards protecting 2SLGBTQIA+ residents.

We call for action in three specific ways: making their support visible to all across the county, addressing the discrimination and lack of inclusion of 2SLGBTQIA+ employees identified in the 2024 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Survey, and providing direct support to 2SLGBTQIA+ residents facing higher than average rates of unemployment, homelessness, and denial of medical care.  We also call for the county to formulate a specific, actionable plan to protect 2SLGBTQIA+ residents as direct threats to our lives increase dramatically given the current anti-trans rhetoric from the federal government.