CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
A Louisiana pastor is gathering the support of conservative churches and political candidates in his campaign to banish an annual gay festival from New Orleans. The Reverend Grant E. Storms has circulated a videotape of men having sex in public at the Southern Decadence Festival, arguing that police and city officials ignore lewdness at the gathering. Storms bought an advertisement in The [New Orleans] Times-Picayune on Wednesday urging New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin, police superintendent Eddie Compass, and others to banish the festival. "Due to the inability of the police and festival organizers to stop such acts of lewdness, nudity, and sex from occurring on the streets of the French Quarter, we believe that the Southern Decadence Festival should be canceled and that the city should not issue any future permits for the festival," the ad read. Storms said his campaign is not antigay, but gay leaders disagree. They say the tape distorts the nature of the event, which they describe as benign. They call Storms an extremist who wants to stamp out gay rights and culture, not just public lewdness. "It's strictly a homophobic campaign," said Rip Naquin-Delain, publisher of Ambush magazine and one of the founders of the loosely organized Labor Day festival. Southern Decadence began about 30 years ago and now attracts 100,000 visitors, with a handful of French Quarter bars acting as informal sponsors, festival organizers said. The New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corp. began a campaign promoting the festival two years ago. Naquin-Delain, whose magazine runs ads promoting the weekend, estimates the party brings $30 million to the city.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Here Are Our 2024 Election Predictions. Will They Come True?
November 07 2023 1:46 PM
17 Celebs Who Are Out & Proud of Their Trans & Nonbinary Kids
November 30 2023 10:41 AM
Here Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.
November 01 2023 5:09 PM
Which State Is the Queerest? These Are the States With the Most LGBTQ+ People
December 11 2023 10:00 AM
These 27 Senate Hearing Room Gay Sex Jokes Are Truly Exquisite
December 17 2023 3:33 PM
10 Cheeky and Homoerotic Photos From Bob Mizer's Nude Films
November 18 2023 10:05 PM
30 Steamy Photos of Folsom Street Fair 2023 Debauchery
October 15 2023 11:06 PM
42 Flaming Hot Photos From 2024's Australian Firefighters Calendar
November 10 2023 6:08 PM
These Are the 5 States With the Smallest Percentage of LGBTQ+ People
December 13 2023 9:15 AM
60 Burly Pics from Bearrison Street Fair 2022
October 08 2023 8:30 PM
Watch Now: Advocate Channel
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Latest Stories
Prince William's aversion to spectacle created one — and might spawn a King Harry
March 22 2024 6:24 PM
Outrage after Oklahoma prosecutor declines charges in Nex Benedict bullying death
March 22 2024 5:21 PM
George Santos leaves Republican Party, will run for House seat as independent
March 22 2024 4:07 PM
Catherine, Princess of Wales, announces she has cancer
March 22 2024 2:57 PM
Pride
Yahoo FeedProhibition Wellness & revolutionizing self-care for all
March 22 2024 1:19 PM
Tennessee bill would permit anti-LGBTQ+ foster and adoptee parents
March 22 2024 11:54 AM
Plus
Yahoo Feed8 dating tips for gay men from a gay psychotherapist
March 22 2024 11:51 AM
Trans woman assailed during Kanye West's Rolling Loud set beats back 'bullies' (exclusive)
March 22 2024 11:34 AM