(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed a proclamation designating June as LGBTQ Pride Month in recognition of the contributions of Connecticut’s LGBTQ community and to emphasize that the state supports the rights of every person to live their lives free of discrimination, fear, and prejudice, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
“Connecticut has a legacy of leading the nation on critical issues facing the LGBTQ+ community and being one of the most welcoming states in the country, and I am proud to let everyone know that in this state we celebrate the rights of everyone to be themselves and live openly, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity,” Governor Lamont said. “I am committed to ensuring that our laws and regulations continue to provide everyone with equal protection, and I vow to stand up to any efforts to turn back the clock on equality.”
“Throughout our history, here in Connecticut and across the nation, the LGBTQ+ community has shown extraordinary resilience, courage, and leadership,” Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz said. “As we declare June as Pride Month, we honor the individuals, families, and organizations who continue to stand for equality, visibility, and dignity for all. Connecticut remains steadfast in our commitment to ensuring every LGBTQ+ person feels safe, supported, and celebrated.”
This Pride Month, Governor Lamont is proud to highlight two significant steps forward from the 2026 legislative session. The passage of Public Act 26-77 consolidates Connecticut’s hate crimes laws, eliminating procedural barriers that have historically impeded prosecution of bias-motivated crimes against LGBTQ+ individuals. Additionally, with the passage of Public Act 26-33, Connecticut now requires private insurers to cover fertility care for LGBTQ+ couples and single individuals by removing a longstanding inequity in the definition of infertility.
These achievements build on Governor Lamont’s legacy as a champion for LGBTQ+ rights since taking office in 2019: banning the gay and transgender panic defense in criminal cases, expanding access to HIV prevention medication for at-risk youth, and creating the state’s LGBTQ+ Health and Human Services Network. In 2021, he signed the Connecticut Parentage Act, ensuring both parents in LGBTQ+ families are automatically recognized as legal parents. In 2022, he signed the Reproductive Freedom Defense Act, shielding gender-affirming care providers from legal action by other states. And in 2025, he signed Public Act 25-154, making it expressly illegal for any health care provider to discriminate on the basis of gender identity or expression.
As states across the country have moved to roll back LGBTQ+ rights, Connecticut has moved in the opposite direction by strengthening protections, expanding access to care, and reaffirming that every person deserves to live, work, and raise a family free from discrimination.
**Download: Governor Lamont’s proclamation declaring LGBTQ Pride Month