Protecting LGBTQ+ Rights in Rhode Island: Insights from the Stonewall Lecture
The ninth annual Stonewall Lecture at Roger Williams University School of Law was held on Thursday, November 13, 2025, honoring the LGBTQ+ community and the legacy of the 1969 Stonewall uprising. This year’s guest speaker was Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi, Speaker of the RI House of Representatives, welcomed by Gregory W Bowman, Dean of the Law School, and second-year law student Skyler Silva, president of the LGBTQ+ Alliance.
Silva opened with sharing Shekarchi’s record, a key leader in housing, economic development and renewable energy.
In his three years as Speaker, Shekarchi drove nearly 50 bills into law. Particularly, under his leadership, the General Assembly authorized a voter-approved $20 million bond referendum, the largest housing bond in state history.
Closing on a personal note, Silva reflected on his experience growing up in Florida, a state where LGBTQ+ residents often feel alienated, and expressed gratitude to live in Rhode Island “where officials like Joe work to protect people like me.”
Shekarchi’s speech focused on the major statewide reforms he and his colleagues passed across all issues including protecting the equal rights of LGBTQ+ residents. He reminded attendees it’s not just about cultural acceptance but the fight for equal rights. “When it comes to protecting civil rights, I have learned that the key is persistence.” He referenced the famous quote from Martin Luther King: The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.
He said the world has witnessed courage and resiliency of a generation of LGBTQ+ people since the Stonewall riots. “What has begun in New York City nearly half a century ago, now explodes in technicolor, every June, when nations, cities, and even corporations gather to celebrate pride.”
Rhode Island’s Pride parade, he said, reflects a significant shift in cultural attitudes. As Speaker, he has marched in the vibrant Saturday night parade, where nearly half of the House of Representatives joins in, despite only two members identifying as LGBTQ. The large group of allies, he said, shows just how far acceptance has come. Shekarchi shared, “I, too, am proud to be part of this community.”
He went on to share that the RI General Assembly has consistently supported the equality and dignity for the LGBTQ+ community.
Shekarchi described how a small group of Rhode Island legislators, none of whom were gay, took it upon themselves to pursue marriage equality. The efforts failed but sparked a dialogue. In 2011, RI passed civil unions, several years before the Supreme Court approved marriage equality.
He also discussed the adoption process for same-sex couples and the state laws that now provide legal protections to LGBTQ+ members. It was a humiliating and difficult process, Shekarchi explained, different from a mixed sex adoption. Gay families had to go through different interviews, and all kinds of special hoops.
Shekarchi ended by saying, “We are heartened earlier this week by the Supreme Court's refusal to take up a challenge to overturn marriage equality.” For now, he said, the rights of same sex marriage are preserved in the highest ideals of love, fidelity, and family. But the organizations that raised the cause are continuing to try to overturn marriage equality. He assured the audience that he’s ready to continue to defend and expand LGBTQ+ rights.
The event concluded with the Stonewall award presented to the Speaker by Michael Donnelly-Boylen, Associate Dean for Strategy, External Relations, and Enrollment.