JANUARY 19, 2025 – Yesterday Riverside Pride was invited by community partners to speak at the People’s Rally, a gathering in solidarity for the rights of women, LGBTQ+ folks, immigrants and the other marginalized communities at risk with the incoming administration. Unfortunately the rally was shut down by counter protestors who resorted to violence and harassment.
Riverside Pride unequivocally condemns the actions of violent disruptors who seeked to undermine our peaceful advocacy for justice and equality. We thank the organizers for their quick actions to ensure the safety and well-being of attendees. Hate has no place in our community, and the events we witnessed yesterday serve as a sobering reminder of the challenges that lie ahead.
We are seeing attacks on the LGBTQ+ community at all levels. Our community continues to be used as political pawns to rile up voters about non-existent issues. From local school boards targeting trans youth with forced outing policies and erasing LGBTQ+ history and representation in the classroom to our own IE Assemblymembers authoring hateful bills to ban trans youth from participating in sports. At the national level we have already seen a similar bill pass the House, a bill banning gender affirming care for the children of servicemembers, and two Supreme Court cases attacking the LGBTQ+ community – one targeting gender affirming care for youth and one looking to prevent access to cost-free preventative treatments and services, notably the HIV prevention medication PrEP, – a disease disproportionately affecting Black and Latino communities in the U.S.
While the last few months have been tough, we do want to highlight a few wins we had in November. We now have the first out trans person in Congress with Sarah McBride from Delaware – Hawaii, Missouri and Iowa welcomed their first out trans members of state legislatures, and Colorado, Hawaii and right here in California, we passed same-sex marriage amendments enshrining the right to marry in our constitutions.We must continue to fight for progress and that fights starts right here.
Riverside Pride is committed to partnering with organizations across the region to ensure that the Inland Empire fights back against hate and stands strong behind
the marginalized communities most at risk during the incoming Administration. Through both advocacy work and providing safe and joyful space for queer and trans folks to gather and learn about valuable resources at our pride festival and other events, our organization is dedicated to doing our part in making the region inclusive and combating hate.
To our cisgender community: Now more than ever, our trans siblings need our unwavering support. It’s deeply disheartening to see members of our own community turning their backs on trans folks, especially after everything they’ve done for LGBTQ+ rights. From the Stonewall riots in 1969 to the ongoing fight for equality, transgender activists have been at the forefront of progress.
Abandoning them now, simply because some of us have achieved certain rights, is not only shameful—it’s a betrayal of the very principles that brought us this far. For many trans individuals, attending city council or school board meetings to speak out can be not only uncomfortable but outright dangerous. It’s our responsibility to amplify their voices, stand by their side, and hold all elected officials—regardless of party—accountable for any actions or votes that harm trans rights. Let’s show up and make it clear: we won’t leave anyone behind.
In the face of adversity, let us draw strength from our diversity. Together, we will continue to march, to speak out, and to fight for the day when our rights are truly recognized and respected. Together, we will build a future where bodily autonomy is a reality for all, where love and choice are celebrated, and where justice prevails.
In the coming weeks, we recognize that there will be a lot of uncertainty and fear. We encourage you to visit https://riverside.lgbt/get-help to find resources and organizations to support you. We are in this together.
-Brock Cavett, Vice President and Advocacy Director
