[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 611 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 611

Honoring the life of Jeanne Sobelson Manford for her fierce advocacy on 
 behalf of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community 
  as they and their allies celebrate Pride month during the month of 
   June, reflect on the progress made towards equality, and remember 
 activists like Jeanne who spent their lives fighting for their rights.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 2, 2014

Mr. Crowley (for himself, Ms. Speier, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. McDermott, Mr. 
   Israel, Mr. Pocan, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. 
   Higgins, Mr. Levin, Ms. Shea-Porter, Mr. Cicilline, Mrs. Davis of 
  California, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Meng, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Michaud, Mr. 
  Kilmer, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Peters of California, Mr. Sean 
Patrick Maloney of New York, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Polis, Ms. 
 Schakowsky, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Honda, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Takano, and Ms. 
 Sinema) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Honoring the life of Jeanne Sobelson Manford for her fierce advocacy on 
 behalf of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community 
  as they and their allies celebrate Pride month during the month of 
   June, reflect on the progress made towards equality, and remember 
 activists like Jeanne who spent their lives fighting for their rights.

Whereas Jeanne Sobelson Manford was born in Queens, New York, on December 4, 
        1920, to Charles and Sadie Sobelson;
Whereas she earned her bachelor's degree from the City University of New York's 
        Queens College and became an elementary school teacher at P.S. 32;
Whereas she married her husband Jules Manford and had three children Charles, 
        Morty, and Suzanne;
Whereas in April 1972, her openly gay son Morty was beaten during a gay rights 
        protest;
Whereas in the aftermath of her son's beating Jeanne, together with her husband 
        Jules, became a staunch advocate of LGBT rights;
Whereas while marching in one of New York City's first Pride parades, known as 
        the Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade, on June 25, 1972, with her 
        son, Jeanne carried a now-famous sign reading, ``Parents of Gays Unite 
        in Support for our Children'';
Whereas this important show of support was the impetus for her founding the 
        organization Parents, Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays, now known 
        as PFLAG;
Whereas in the more than 41 years since its first meeting at the Church of the 
        Village in Greenwich Village in 1973, PFLAG has expanded to a national 
        organization with more than 350 chapters and over 200,000 members in all 
        50 States;
Whereas PFLAG envisions a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are 
        respected, valued, and affirmed regardless of their sexual orientation, 
        gender identity, or gender expression;
Whereas PFLAG, through its core values of meeting people where they are and 
        collaborating with others, seeks to relay its vision through support for 
        families, allies, and people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender 
        and queer/questioning (LGBTQ), education about the unique issues and 
        challenges that people who are LGBTQ face, and advocacy in communities 
        to change attitudes and create policies and laws that achieve full 
        equality for people who are LGBTQ;
Whereas Jeanne Manford became an advocate for people with AIDS because of the 
        death of her son and so many others whose lives were far too short;
Whereas Jeanne Manford was honored as the Grand Marshal of the first Queens 
        Pride Parade, held in June 1993;
Whereas on Sunday, June 1, 2014, officials, community leaders, and residents 
        will participate in the 22nd annual Queens Pride Parade and on June 29 
        the City of New York will hold its 44th Annual Pride Parade;
Whereas the tremendous efforts of Jeanne Manford and many others have opened 
        doors for individuals to be open with their families at home and with 
        their colleagues in their places of work;
Whereas lesbian and gay employees of the Federal Government and members of the 
        United States Armed Forces may serve their Nation with the dignity they 
        deserve and without the need to shield an important part of their 
        identity;
Whereas since the landmark decision of United States v. Windsor invalidating the 
        Defense of Marriage Act, courts have continuously overturned State bans 
        on same-sex marriage, leading to equal marriage rights for people in 19 
        States and the District of Columbia and legal challenges to same-sex 
        marriage bans pending in 30 other States;
Whereas this extraordinary show of support represents a rapid change in 
        attitudes sparked by the important work of advocates like Jeanne 
        Sobelson Manford;
Whereas on January 8, 2013, at the age of 92, just 6 months before the Windsor 
        decision, Jeanne Manford passed away and the LGBT community lost a long-
        time champion for civil rights, but celebrated her extraordinary legacy;
Whereas when President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Jeanne the Presidential 
        Citizens Medal on February 15, 2013, he remarked that Jeanne, ``Took to 
        the streets with a simple message: No matter who her son was--no matter 
        who he loved--she loved him, and wouldn't put up with this kind of 
        nonsense. And in that simple act, she inspired a movement and gave rise 
        to a national organization that has given so much support to parents and 
        families and friends, and helped to change this country.'';
Whereas Jeanne demonstrated to us in her life and inspires us today through her 
        legacy that one voice can change the world;
Whereas Jeanne's courage lives on in PFLAG's work and in the progress for which 
        she fought; and
Whereas Jeanne Manford insisted that equality knows no bounds, including that of 
        sexual orientation or gender identity: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) honors the life and work of Jeanne Sobelson Manford;
            (2) recognizes Jeanne Sobelson Manford as a national hero 
        who advanced the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and 
        transgender (LGBT) people in the United States; and
            (3) commends Jeanne Sobelson Manford for helping to realize 
        the founders' goal of creating a more perfect union based on 
        the ideal that all men and women are created equal.
                                 <all>