Pride Statement

Statement Published: June 25, 2020

In the summer of 1969 the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in NYC, was raided by the NYPD. The crowd – fed up with being harassed – fought back.  Among the first brave individuals who stood up to police were brown and Black trans people. The Stonewall Rebellion was one of the early catalysts for the gay rights movement in the US; the commemoration of this event is the annual Pride celebration.

For Pride in 2020, it is imperative to recognize these early protestors for gay rights. We want to especially lift up trans people of color who are seven times more likely to be killed than the general population. This month we love, honor, and hold in our hearts Nina Pop, Monkia Diamond, Riah Milton, Dominique “Rem’Mie” Fells, Tony McDade and others who have been killed. We celebrate the undeniable value of your lives. And while we are overjoyed at the recent Supreme Court decision that LGBTQIA+ individuals are protected from employment discrimination on the basis of sex, many civil and health protections for trans people are still non-existent. Woolly commits to joining you in the fight for justice through the stories we tell, the artists we hire, and the relationships we build with the LGBTQIA+ community.

Signed,

The Woolly Mammoth Staff