Utah Governor Cox Issues Pride Declaration for June

This year’s proclamation acknowledges both LGBTQ+ Pride and Conservative opponents.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox issued an official declaration acknowledging June as LGBTQ Pride Month, while formally calling it “A Month of Bridge Building.” The proclamation dated June 1, was one more attempt to thread the needle between LGBTQ+ activists and conservatives. Now in his fourth year as Governor, Cox has previously deviated from GOP Governors in other Red states officially recognizing the celebration.

Cox has had a mixed relationship with members of the LGBTQ+ community, signing a ban on trans-gender surgeries for minors, while vetoing a ban on trans athletes in school sports. After his 2021 and 2022 proclamations explicitly mentioned LGBTQ+ Pride but drew fire in 2023 when his June proclamation removed all mention of LGBTQ+ people.

This year’s declaration acknowledges both LGBTQ+ Pride and those who “do not identify with, celebrate or support Pride celebrations, who nevertheless share the experience of being marginalized.”

Cox took to X to defend his decision as broader than the LGBTQ+ experience, but with a particular focus on “those in our community who are LGBTQ and may have felt like they don’t belong here in Utah.”

Troy Williams, Executive Director of the activist organization Equality Utah thanked Governor Cox saying “In politically divided times, the easy impulse is to turn away from each other and be suspicious. The challenge is to keep engaging, especially when it's hard. Ultimately, what LGBTQ families are seeking is love, belonging and equal protection under the law. These are bridges we can all build together.”

The Utah House Democratic Caucus issued their own Citation explicitly honoring Pride month as a part of LGBTQ+ celebration.

Cox is the first Utah Governor to officially celebrate Pride Month. He stands for reelection this year facing State Representative Phil Lyman in the Republican primary June 25. The winner will face former Utah House of Representatives Democrat leader Brian King on November 5.