; Whereas, on December 17, 2018, Miss Spain, Angel Ponce, became the first transgender woman to compete in the Miss Universe pageant; Whereas, on February 27, 2019, Navy Lieutenant Commander Blake Dremann, Army Captain Alivia Stehlik, Army Captain Jennifer Peace, Army Staff Sergeant Patricia King and Navy Petty Officer Third Class Akira Wyatt became the first openly transgender ser­vice­mem­bers to testify before Congress; Whereas, on April 14, 2019, South Bend Mayor Pete But­ti­gieg became the first openly gay person to run for the office of the Presidency; Whereas, on April 23, 2019, Jane Castor became the first openly LGBTQ person elected as mayor in Tampa, Florida; Whereas, in April 2019, Morehouse College announced that in 2020 the historically all-male school will begin admitting transgender men; Whereas, on May 17, 2019, the House of Representatives passed the Equality Act, which amends the Nation’s Federal civil rights laws to explicitly include sexual orientation and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination in employment, housing, credit, education, public accommodation, federally funded programs, and jury service; Whereas, on May 20, 2019, Lori Lightfoot began to serve as Mayor of Chicago, becoming the first African-American lesbian Mayor; Whereas, on May 24, 2019, Taiwan became the first nation in Asia to legally recognize same-sex marriage; Whereas, in May 2019, Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled that homophobia and transphobia will be punishable under the same law banning racial discrimination; Whereas, in June 2019, New York City becomes the first American city to host the World Pride conference; Whereas June 28, 2019, was the 50th anniversary of the courageous uprising at Stonewall Inn; Whereas, on June 30, 2019, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a law banning the use of the so-called gay and trans panic legal defense strategy