"Long Beach officials announced Friday evening that the three-day Pride Festival would not be permitted to proceed because organizers allegedly failed to provide the critical safety and operational documentation required for approval. The decision came less than an hour before Teen Pride festivities were scheduled to begin. The city-backed Pride parade, however, will continue Sunday as planned."
"For decades, Long Beach Pride has stood as one of the crown jewels of the national Pride calendar, drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees annually and serving as both a political gathering space and an economic engine for queer businesses, artists, and nonprofits. Then came the public blame campaign."
"In a statement posted late Friday, Long Beach Pride President Tonya Martin, who goes by "Lez Prez," accused city leaders of abandoning LGBTQ+ residents during a dangerous political moment for queer Americans. "Long Beach Pride is deeply disappointed by the City's decision to cancel the Long Beach Pride Festival, a long-standing community institution built by volunteers, sustained by love, and rooted in the belief that every person deserves to live openly, safely, and with d"
Long Beach Pride Festival was canceled by the City of Long Beach less than an hour before Teen Pride events were scheduled to start. City officials said organizers failed to provide required safety and operational documentation needed for approval. The city-backed Pride parade was set to continue on Sunday. Long Beach Pride has historically drawn hundreds of thousands of attendees and has functioned as a political gathering and an economic engine for LGBTQ+ businesses, artists, and nonprofits. After the cancellation, a public dispute emerged between city officials and Pride organizers, centered on safety, accountability, and who should steward queer civic life amid broader political pressure on LGBTQ+ communities.
Read at Advocate.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]