Sophia Chadda and Jon Sandler celebrate Gay Pride Month and reflect on its importance in Bernards Township and in our country.

Chadda recognizes the need to support the LGBTQ community. “I am reminded of the sanctity and value of life especially as we face the COVID pandemic and recent social justice demonstrations. Supporting and providing equality to the LGBTQ communities, and all marginalized communities, is the right thing for caring, civilized people to do and is also in our best interest.”

“The Declaration of Independence states all people have certain ‘unalienable rights,’ and among those are ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’ Implicit in these unalienable rights is the right of every person to love freely, openly, and equally,” Sandler said. “Providing equal rights to our LGBTQ family, friends, and neighbors does not threaten anybody else’s rights. It is long past time for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, race, color, religion, and other personal characteristics, to be treated equally and with dignity and respect.”

Chadda and Sandler plan to participate in LGBTQ events in Bernards Township and Somerset County virtually and when it is safe to do so. “In the interim, we hope Bernards Township chooses to fly the Rainbow Pride Flag as a symbol of hope and peace, which the Somerset County Democratic LGBT Caucus offered to provide,” Chadda and Sandler both said.

UPDATE: On June 15, in a landmark case, the Supreme Court ruled LGBTQ workers are protected from job discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The landmark ruling will extend protections to millions of workers nationwide and is a defeat for the Trump administration, which argued that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act that bars discrimination based on sex did not extend to claims of gender identity and sexual orientation.

The 6-3 opinion was written by Justice Neil Gorsuch and joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and the court’s four liberal justices.