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Kamala Harris has made history as the first sitting US vice president to attend a Pride march.
Ms Harris and her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, were among the crowds at Capital Pride in Washington DC on Saturday 12 June.
She was dressed in a pink blazer and a T-shirt with the slogan “Love is love”, while Mr Emhoff wore a T-shirt with the words “Love first” written in the different colours of the Pride rainbow.
Television footage from WUSA showed Ms Harris waving at attendees as she shouted, “Happy Pride”.
At one point she addressed the crowd with a speech advocating for the US Senate to pass the Equality Act.
The bill, which expands protections for members of the LGBT+ community and prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, was passed by the House of Representatives in February.
“We celebrate all of the accomplishments, but we need to pass the Equality Act.
“We need to make sure that our transgender community and our youth are all protected. We need, still, protections around employment and housing.
“There is so much more work to do, and I know we are committed,” she said.
On Twitter, Ms Harris acknowledged the fifth anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting, when 49 people were killed at the Orlando-based gay club in 2016.
“Five years ago, 49 LGBTQ+ people and allies were enjoying an evening out at Pulse Nightclub. And then, in an instant, they were gone.
“Today, we remember those who died and their loved ones – and we recommit to building a world free from gun violence,” her tribute said.
President Biden issues a separate statement, announcing that the nightclub will become a national memorial.
He also advocated for stricter gun control, writing that gun violence has a “particular impact on LGBTQ+ communities”.
“We must create a world in which our LGBTQ+ young people are loved, accepted, and feel safe in living their truth.
“In the memory of all of those lost at the Pulse nightclub five years ago, let us continue the work to be a nation at our best – one that recognises and protects the dignity and safety of every American,” he said.
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