APLU Celebrates Pride Month

APLU joins our membership in celebrating Pride Month. This month, we pause to remember the Stonewall Uprising as a galvanizing moment in the LGBTQ+ rights movement and recognize the immense contributions members of the LGBTQ+ community make in advancing the work of public universities. Through their teaching, learning, research, and community engagement work, members of the LGBTQ+ community have made extraordinary contributions on behalf of public research universities, their communities, and the nation.

It is incumbent upon public universities to be strong advocates for social justice to ensure equality and inclusiveness of our LGBTQ+ community members. Just this month, the Supreme Court moved to provide long-overdue employment discrimination protections to members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Much work still lies ahead. Far too many members of the LGBTQ+ still face discrimination and harassment in their daily lives – especially the Indigenous, black, brown, and trans members of this community. Public research universities have a unique role and responsibility to promote the value these persons bring to our society, end their mistreatment, and advance a more equitable and inclusive world for all. This month, we pause to recognize the progress that was needlessly denied for years and consider how we can achieve the change that’s still required.