Scroll To Top
Pride

Guess Which State's Pride Proclamation Excludes LGBT Folks?

Guess Which State's Pride Proclamation Excludes LGBT Folks?

Mike-pence-roundup-x400_0

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

Lifeafterdawn
Support The Advocate
We're asking for your help to continue our newsroom's important reporting. Support LGBTQ+ journalism by contributing today!

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.

Welcome-letter-pencex633_0

"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.

That prompted Browning to ask, rhetorically:

"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."

Lifeafterdawn
Stonewall Brick AwardsOut / Advocate Magazine - Jonathan Groff & Wayne Brady

From our Sponsors

Most Popular

Latest Stories

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.
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.