Photo source: Advocate.com
The Green Party of Utah (GPUT) stands in resolute solidarity with our LGBTQ+ neighbors, family members, and allies following Governor Spencer Cox’s decision to designate June as ‘Fidelity Month’ rather than “LGBTQ+ Pride Month.”
This official proclamation is not a harmless celebration of commitment; it is an intentional, politically motivated erasure of the queer community. By capitulating to extreme right-wing culture war rhetoric, Governor Cox has taken a massive step backward, discarding his previous promises of inclusivity in exchange for partisan convenience.
A Pattern of Capitulation and Political Cowardice
The Governor’s actions represent a stark betrayal of his own past public stances. In 2021, 2022, and 2023, Governor Cox officially recognized LGBTQ+ Pride Month, urging Utahns to support their queer friends and family. However, as the political climate shifted, his commitment dissolved.
- In 2024, he replaced Pride Month with a watered-down “month of bridge building.”
- In 2025, he avoided a proclamation altogether.
- In 2026, he has fully embraced a right-wing counter-observance designed explicitly to supplant LGBTQ+ visibility.
This trajectory proves that the Governor’s past support was hollow—a symbolic gesture easily abandoned when under pressure from corporate donors and the far-right wing of his party.
Rooted in the Green Party Platform
As Greens, our opposition to this proclamation is not just an emotional response; it is a direct application of the fundamental principles that guide our movement. While the two corporate-backed parties treat human rights as bargaining chips, the Green Party platform anchors our fight for equality in core values:
1. Social Justice and Equal Opportunity
Our national and local platforms explicitly demand total civil and social equality for all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression. Governor Cox’s proclamation relies on a false dichotomy—suggesting that “fidelity, family, and country” exist in opposition to LGBTQ+ identities. The Green Party firmly rejects this regressive worldview. Queer, transgender, and non-binary Utahns build loving families, anchor local communities, and deserve equal protection and visibility under the law.
2. Respect for Diversity
We view diversity not as a threat to be managed, but as an essential ecological and social strength. Forcing state-sanctioned conformity via “Fidelity Month” aims to pushes marginalized groups back into the closet. A healthy society protects and celebrates its cultural, social, and gender diversity.
3. Grassroots Democracy
Real power belongs to the people, not the ruling elite. Pride was born from radical grassroots organizers fighting back against state oppression. The LGBTQ+ community does not need a permission slip or a proclamation from the Governor’s office to exist, celebrate, and organize.
Voices from Our Movement
“Governor Cox’s ‘Fidelity Month’ declaration is a textbook example of political cowardice. A true leader stands by marginalized communities when the wind blows hard, rather than trading their symbolic protection for right-wing political points. True fidelity means being faithful to all your constituents, not just the ones who vote for you in a closed primary.”
— Dee Taylor, Green Party of Utah Co-Chair
“By erasing Pride Month, Governor Cox is validating a harmful, regressive agenda that treats the LGBTQ+ community as an existential threat to ‘traditional values.’ The Green Party of Utah believes in an ecosystem of community care that celebrates diversity, rather than a state-sanctioned mandate that demands conformity and erases queer joy.”
— Adam Guymon, Green Party of Utah National Delegate and ADA Coordinator
Our Commitment
The corporate duopoly has failed Utah’s LGBTQ+ community. While Republicans actively roll back visibility and rights, corporate Democrats offer little more than passive resistance and empty platitudes.
The Green Party of Utah remains unyielding in our dedication to the total liberation, safety, and healthcare access of LGBTQ+ individuals. We urge our members and all Utahns to bypass state-sanctioned erasure this June. Show up in record numbers to grassroots local Pride events, protect your trans and queer neighbors from systemic bigotry, and help us build a political alternative that refuses to compromise on human dignity.
Want to help us fight for social justice and independent grassroots politics in Utah? Join the Movement Today!
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