Whereas, LGBTQ+ Pride Month celebrates the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people and highlights the need for a safer and fairer world; and

Whereas, Pride Month is observed yearly in June to coincide with the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots, a series of gay equality protests in New York City; and

Whereas, in 2025, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) tracked 1,042 anti-LGBTQ incidents in 47 United States and the District of Columbia; and those incidents included 128 acts of hateful vandalism, 76 violent assaults, 22 threats of violence, and 15 attempts of arson, all combining for a 5 percent increase from 2024; and

Whereas, we know that policies to protect and strengthen LGBTQ+ rights in North Carolina are needed to keep people safe and to encourage every North Carolinian to live life fully, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity; and

Whereas, Executive Order No. 24, issued in October 2017, prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in state employment, state services, and state contracts under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Governor; and

Whereas, the State of North Carolina acknowledges the importance of fostering a safe and supportive environment for all residents and advocates for statewide protections for LGBTQ+ individuals to make our state a place where all people are can work and live free of discrimination and are treated with dignity and respect;

Now, Therefore, I, Josh Stein, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim June 2026 as “LGBTQ+ Pride Month” in North Carolina and commend its observance to all residents.

In 2024, Stein was elected to succeed Gov. Roy Cooper, who is now running for US Senate.