Expanding Protections for the LGBTQI+ Community

As Pride Month draws to a close, California U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, the first out gay immigrant elected to Congress, has unveiled his much-anticipated 2024 Pride Playlist, offering a vibrant soundtrack to cap off the celebrations. This collection curated by the congressman, now in its second year, features an eclectic mix of tunes from renowned artists, including Chappell Roan, Janelle Monáe, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Jack Harlow, and many more, each selected to resonate with the diverse experiences and joys within theLGBTQ+ community. Available for streaming on bothSpotify andApple Music, Garcia’s playlist is more than just amusical journey—it’s a personal narrative reflecting his connections to these songs throughout various stages of his life.

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) on Monday unveiled his second annual Pride playlist, complete with hits from pop powerhouses Beyoncé and Taylor Swift and rising stars including Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter. 

Out gay Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif) has sent a letter to federal officials asking them to help protect LGBTQ+ people from violence during Pride month. In a letter sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and Director of the FBI Christopher Wray, Garcia expressed “grave concern” in light of FBI and DHS warnings of “foreign terrorist organizations’’ posing a risk to queer people during June.

U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) on June 12 sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray to work to ensure LGBTQ people during Pride events.

The California Democrat passionately defended the art form during a debate in the House of Representatives over the National Defense Authorization Act. Republicans sneaked a number of culture war issues into the annual defense funding legislation, including amendments preventing funds from covering service members' abortion travel costs and gender-affirming care, as well as preventing funds from being used to host drag shows on military bases.

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) on Thursday protested an amendment added to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that bars funding for drag performances with a blown-up photo of former President Trump and Rudy Giuliani, a former New York City mayor and Trump attorney, dressed in drag. 

On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said that he would be working directly with the State Department to “push back on this direct attack on LGBTQ+ Peruvians,” because the measure “moves Peru backward.” “As a gay Peruvian-American and the first Peruvian American to serve in Congress, it’s clear to me the decision by the Boluarte administration and the right-wing Congress to attack and label trans and intersex Peruvians as ‘mentally ill’ is discriminatory, dangerous and shameful,” he said.