By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

The rainbow flag is flying proudly in front of City Hall and Somerville High School, raised by members of the high school’s Gay-Straight Alliance, school and city officials. In June we celebrate LGBT Pride Month, and we have much to be proud of. The cause of equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer members of our communities continues to spread. Only 26 years after Andrew Sullivan’s vanguard essay in The New Republic arguing the “conservative case” for same-sex marriage was derided across political lines, we now await a Supreme Court decision that could secure that hard-fought right later this month. Securing the freedom to marry, however, would not be the end of the drive for LGBT equality. As we celebrate LGBT Pride Month, we must also remember that around the country, children, their parents, our co-workers and more can face discrimination because of their sexual orientation. Pride Month should also be a time when we recommit to work to ensure that no one in our country is treated like a second-class citizen.

In Massachusetts, we are proud to be first in many historical events, and we are proud to be the first state in the U.S.—and at the time sixth jurisdiction in the world—to secure marriage as a fundamental right for all our citizens. Since that historic ruling by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, we have seen a wave of rulings, votes and laws in favor of rights for our gay and lesbian family members, friends and neighbors. Last year, 19 states made marriage equality the law of the land, almost doubling the number of states where gays and lesbians can marry the person they love and have, according to the Human Rights Campaign, the more than 1,000 rights, benefits and protections that come with a legally recognized marriage. Last month, Ireland voted two-to-one in favor of same-sex marriage—the first country in the world to adopt marriage equality by popular national vote. And this month, a bill was introduced in the Australian Parliament that would make same-sex marriage legal there, too.

How did the drive for marriage equality accelerate so quickly? It’s simple: When we remove discrimination and allow gays and lesbians to equally participate in our institutions, like marriage, more people come out. More straight people discover they know someone who is gay. And if you’ve never known someone who is gay before and then meet them, you recognize your shared humanity. Harvey Milk knew this 37 years ago, when he implored gays and lesbians, “You must come out… come out only to the people you know, and who know you. Not to anyone else. But once and for all, break down the myths, destroy the lies and distortions. For your sake. For their sake.” The homophobic myths wilt when we meet and know someone who is gay. It becomes impossible to believe that the government should treat them as anything other than a citizen with the same rights and inherent dignity as anyone else.

The increasing profile of transgender people in our communities and society is important for the same reason. Time Magazine put actress Laverne Cox on its cover last year. This week, transgender woman Deva Ozenen ran for a seat in Turkey’s parliament. ABC Family is running a series this summer called “Becoming Us,” documenting the lives of two teenagers whose fathers are transitioning to women. And Caitlyn Jenner’s transition has put a public face on the transgender community. As a much smaller group, at only an estimated half of one percent of the U.S. population, it is not as common for people to know someone who is transgender as it is to know someone who is gay, lesbian or bisexual. And that unfortunately makes it harder to break down the discrimination that they face, even for what should be simple paperwork. As of today, 72 percent of LGBT people live in states that create burdensome obstacles for transgender people seeking to change a gender marker on a birth certificate, according to the Movement Advancement Project.

Gays, lesbians and bisexuals and their families still face discrimination too. Even if the Supreme Court rules in favor of freedom to marry, according to the Movement Advancement Project, 52 percent of LGBT people would be at risk of being fired from their jobs, kicked out of their homes or denied access to doctor’s offices and restaurants. Fifty-seven percent live in states where children are not protected from discrimination in school, and 86 percent in states where their child is not protected from discrimination in school for having LGBT parents.

From medical decisions and workplace policies, to adoption and parenting laws, we still have a lot of work to do to secure full inclusion of LGBT people. Last year, our Board of Aldermen added gender identity and expression to the City’s human rights policy, protecting transgender people from discrimination in public places and businesses, and I am glad our aldermen have again led on equality. We must continue to spread that message and not let our advocacy wane as more barriers to discrimination fall. We must let the next generation know that we will pass on to them a society that is better and more inclusive for all. As Harvey Milk said: You gotta give them hope.