Supporting the Santa Fe Pride Parade

LongView is proud to have sponsored the Santa Fe Pride Parade this June for the second year in a row. We believe that a world in which everyone is safe to be themselves and love who they love is one in which all of us have a better chance of thriving. In this time of growing intolerance, we want our LGBTQ+ clients, friends, and community members to know that we are allies..

With that spirit of solidarity in mind, members of the LongView team woke up early on the Saturday of the parade to pick up coffee and burritos. We then headed to a picnic table in Montezuma park where we met a group of LongView clients and watched the crowd of merry parade goers gather in the parking lot across from the capital building. 

Santa Fe Pride parade is always a jubilant affair, and this year was no exception. The day was sunny and breezy, and the crowd was characteristically lively. We were thrilled to have a handful of LongView clients join us for the walk down to the Plaza that was filled with people dancing, playing music, and colorful, sparkly outfits. 

LongView takes pride (no pun intended) in  celebrating the hard-earned wins of the LGBTQ+ community. At a time when queer and trans people  face an erosion of rights in many parts of the country, we feel it is equally important to defend those wins.

It was only in 2003 that the supreme court decision in Lawrence v. Texas struck down sodomy laws that were still on the books in 22states. While more progress has been made since then, these gains shouldn’t be taken for granted.. The American Civil Liberties Union is currently tracking 604 anti-LGBTQ bills in legislatures across the US.

This year Iowa became the first state to remove civil rights from a previously protected class when state governor Kim Reynolds signed a bill removing gender identity from Iowa’s civil rights law. Proponents of the bill made the preposterous claim that it would protect women and girls from the threats posed by trans people. 

Opponents worry that even though gender identity and sexual orientation are protected at the federal level, removing state protections could lead to an increase in prejudice and narrows the legal avenues available to those who face discrimination in housing, the workplace, credit access, or medical services due to their gender identity. 

If you want to learn more, or find out how to support gay rights, websites like aclu.org, hrc.org, and advocate.com offer legal information, as well as suggestions for how to get involved. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you at the parade next year!