Every June in the U.S., we celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month. While it is important to celebrate and show up for the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month, our support should not be limited to just one month of the year.

The following blog post is adapted from remarks given by Cantor Jason Kaufman (Beth El Hebrew Congregation, Alexandria, VA) at the Faith Voices for the Respect for Marriage Act Press Conference on November 17, 2022.

This Pride Month, NFTY North American Board members Daniella Abbott and Cameron Samuels joined HUC rabbinical student Kelly Whitehead to discuss how their trans and non-binary identities have influenced their attitude toward systems of oppressions in the wake of new legislation aimed at attacking queer identities.

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), recently attended the 50th anniversary celebration of Beth Chayim Chadashim in Los Angeles, California, the world's first LGBTQ+ congregation. This is a excerpt taken from his remarks at the event.

In the story of creation, the first story we read in the Torah, we learn that every person is created b'tzelem Elohim - in the holy image of God (Genesis 1:27). Discrimination against any person arising from apathy, insensitivity, ignorance, fear, or hatred is inconsistent with this fundamental belief. It is this principle that guides that Reform Movement's advocacy for LGBTQ+ equality.

The Texas Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC-TX) unequivocally denounces the hateful and erroneous statements made by Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton this week, in which they define gender-affirming medical care as child abuse and punishable by law.

Transgender Awareness Week is a chance to educate the public. It is important for people who are not part of the trans community to understand the oppression transgender and gender-expansive people face every day. While it is always important to affirm trans identities, Transgender Awareness Week provides an opportunity to center the voices of trans and gender-expansive people.

Editor's note: this piece was originally published 05/10/2021 and was updated 06/13/2022.

Last year, my 15-year-old daughter, Eva, adopted at birth, was thrilled to discover through DNA testing that she had four biological siblings in Arkansas. Her siblings

Pride Month, which occurs during June each year, is a time to lift up the voices of those who champion the LGBTQ identities, listening to their stories and working in coalition to create a world of greater equality and inclusion. During this Pride Month, we