Federal Agencies Go All In for Pride Celebrating LGBTQ2S+

Several federal agencies are championing what the Biden administration and society have deemed “pride” month, pushing the societal celebration of all things LGBTQ2S+.

As they did 2023, many federal agencies opted to display the “Progress Pride” flag on social media, which features added colors — including light blue, light pink, black, and brown — to include transgender individuals and minorities who feel excluded from the ever-growing acronym.

“This #PrideMonth, the Department of Justice celebrates all members of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex community,” Joe Biden’s Department of Justice wrote on social media, featuring the rainbow as well as the “Progress Pride” rainbow. It also shared a link to President Biden’s “Proclamation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Pride Month,” which Biden used to speak directly to “transgender children.”

“For generations, LGBTQI+ Americans have summoned the courage to live proudly – even when it meant putting their lives at risk,” President Biden wrote on social media, which the Department of State shared on social media as well.

“This Pride Month, we recommit to realizing the promise of America for all, to celebrating LGBTQI+ people, and to taking pride in the example they set,” Biden added:

The U.S. Department of Transportation shared a post from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who wrote, “Happy Pride! Pride month rests on a tradition of both celebration and protest, and above all an insistence on equality, safety, and belonging for all LGBTQ+ Americans”:

The U.S. Department of Education changed its profile picture on X to a background with rainbow colors. It wrote in a post, “Every student should feel safe attending school in America, free from discrimination & valued for who they are.”

“That means creating welcoming & safe learning environments for every LGTBQI+ student & ensuring educators have resources to support LGBTQI+ young people. #PrideMonth,” it added.

The U.S. Department of Energy said in a post that it celebrates LGBTQ+ Americans during pride month and “every day,” sharing a colorful infographic that featured the words, “Resilient. Empower. Unite”:

The U.S. Department of Labor made sure it followed suit, sharing an image of a heart featuring the “Progress Pride” colors.

“At @USDOL, we’re committed to promoting opportunity for all workers,” it wrote.

“Proudly standing with LGBTQI+ workers, we recognize their invaluable contributions to diverse and inclusive workplaces. #PrideMonth #Equality,” it added:

Like the Department of Education, the Department of Agriculture also changed its profile picture to reflect “pride,” writing in a post, “This month, we uplift the achievements and resiliency of the LGBTQI+ community.”

“USDA is committed to continue fostering cultural competency within our workforce and advancing equality for all we serve. Happy Pride Month!” it said, sharing a cartoon image of a farmer featuring a rainbow and colors of the “Progress Pride” flag on the ground:

The Department of Health and Human Services changed the banner of its background on X to the colors of the “Progress Pride” flag and also released a post.

“During #PrideMonth, we celebrate the courage and resilience of the LGBTQI+ community and stand beside them in the fight against hatred and bigotry. Today and every day, HHS remains deeply committed to protecting the rights of LGBTQI+ Americans,” it wrote:

Data from a June 2023 report from Pew Research found that seven percent of Americans identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, and 1.6 percent identify as non-binary or transgender.