Guess Which State's Pride Proclamation Excludes LGBT Folks?

Whoops! A welcome letter signed by Indiana Governor Mike Pence for this year's Indianapolis Pride festivities left out any mention of LGBT people.

Dawn Ennis

The Advocate's news editor Dawn Ennis successfully transitioned from broadcast journalism to online media following another transition that made headlines; in 2013, she became the first trans staffer in any major TV network newsroom. As the first out transgender editor at The Advocate, the native New Yorker continues her 30-year media career, in which she has earned more than a dozen awards, including two Emmys. With the blessing of her three children, Dawn retains the most important job title she's ever held: Dad.

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Dawn Ennis

June 04 2015 3:24 PM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

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A letter signed by Indiana Governor Mike Pence will go down in history as his first pro-LGBT proclamation, a welcome to all attending the Indianapolis pride festival.

It may also be the first pride proclamation in history that makes no mention of gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender people.

As LGBT blog Bilerico aptly concluded: "Facepalm."

The words "gay," "lesbian," "bisexual," or "transgender" aren't included anywhere in the letter (below). Instead, the staunchly conservative governor -- who signed and defended the state's controversial "religious freedom" bill that some say would have allowed businesses to deny service to LGBT people -- issued a cut-and-paste welcome traditionally given to out-of-state conference organizers, that welcomes local residents as if they were visitors to Indiana.

Bilerico found the clue to this stock welcome in Pence's letter in that it encourages attendees to visit local attractions "during your stay."

"I am confident that you will come to know a vibrant city," it says, as if attendees had never been to Indianapolis before.

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"Although the letter doesn't specifically welcome LGBT to the city of Indianapolis, we appreciate that Governor Pence issued us this letter," Indy Pride president Chris Morehead told the Indianapolis Star.

Bil Browning at Bilerico notes that even after nationwide outrage about the state's (ultimately amended) Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Indiana lawmakers have refused to consider adding LGBT protections to the state's nondiscrimination policy, which currently makes no mention of sexual orientation or gender identity.

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"Is it any wonder that adding nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people 'is not a priority of this administration?' Hell, Governor Pence can't even be bothered to say the name of our community. He has words for out of state visitors, but nothing for the locals he supposedly represents."