Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HR2459 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	H.R. No. 2459
2	2
3	3
4	4	R E S O L U T I O N
5	5	WHEREAS, Celebrating its 40th year, Dallas Pride is taking
6	6	place on June 3 and 4, 2023, and this occasion provides a fitting
7	7	opportunity to reflect on the central role the event has played in
8	8	the rich history of the city's LGBTQ+ community; and
9	9	WHEREAS, In 1972, just three years after the Stonewall Riots
10	10	in New York City became the catalyst for the worldwide gay rights
11	11	movement, Dallas's first gay pride parade took place in the city's
12	12	downtown; around 300 participants marched through the streets, and
13	13	the gathering drew approximately 3,000 attendees; and
14	14	WHEREAS, The inaugural parade was a strong show of unity for
15	15	the city's emerging LGBTQ+ community, but despite its success, a
16	16	second event didn't take place until 1980, when ad hoc committees of
17	17	local leaders and merchants began staging the parade in the Oak Lawn
18	18	neighborhood; in 1982, the newly established Dallas Tavern Guild
19	19	took charge of the event, naming it the Texas Freedom Parade; a key
20	20	figure in the growth of the gathering was Alan Ross, the guild's
21	21	longtime executive director, and the parade was first named in his
22	22	honor in 1991; Mr. Ross passed away in 1995; and
23	23	WHEREAS, Through the years, the event has maintained a
24	24	joyful, high-spirited atmosphere where individuality is embraced
25	25	and people from all walks of life are welcomed, though more somber
26	26	reflections have been part of the experience as well; as the AIDS
27	27	crisis deepened in the mid-1980s, the Tavern Guild began dedicating
28	28	the parade to members of the organization who had died of the
29	29	disease during the previous year, and the 2001 gathering included a
30	30	tribute to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that had taken
31	31	place less than two weeks before; and
32	32	WHEREAS, The parade has frequently served as a means to
33	33	commemorate important court rulings and other developments that
34	34	have signaled progress in the quest for diversity and
35	35	inclusiveness; moreover, an increasing number of elected officials
36	36	and candidates have made appearances at Dallas Pride in recent
37	37	decades, reflecting a growing awareness of the importance of the
38	38	LGBTQ+ community in civic affairs; since 2019, Dallas Pride has
39	39	taken place at Fair Park, and it now encompasses two days of
40	40	activities, with a festival augmenting the parade; and
41	41	WHEREAS, Dallas Pride has grown and evolved alongside the
42	42	LGBTQ+ community's decades-long struggle for equality and
43	43	acceptance, and the event is indeed deserving of special
44	44	recognition as it marks this 40-year milestone in its history; now,
45	45	therefore, be it
46	46	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
47	47	Legislature hereby commemorate Dallas Pride 2023 and extend to all
48	48	those in attendance sincere best wishes for a meaningful and
49	49	memorable experience.
50	50	Neave Criado
51	51	______________________________
52	52	Speaker of the House
53	53	I certify that H.R. No. 2459 was adopted by the House on May
54	54	29, 2023, by a non-record vote.
55	55	______________________________
56	56	Chief Clerk of the House