President Biden wants new measures to protect the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ people. He said that when he hosted the biggest pride celebration in the history of the White House on Saturday. Photo: AP – These laws and regulations are an attack on the most basic values and freedoms we have as Americans, Biden said. It drew applause from the guests on the White House lawn. More cancellations But in several places in the USA there will not be Pride celebrations like before. Tampa pride in Florida has canceled an outdoor festival because the contributors feared being hit by the new laws. Florida has become a center of what is called the “culture war”. There, conservative Ron DeSantis has gained traction for policies that prevent children from getting information about LGBTQ+. – I was not aware that it would create such a big disturbance, says Carrie West in Tampa pride. Equality Florida works for the rights and protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer residents of Florida Photo: Reuters In April, the group Equality Florida issued a warning against traveling to Florida for queer people. The rights group feared for safety. Soon after, pride organizers in St. Cloud outside Orlando canceled this year’s celebration because of what they call a climate of fear. Also in conservative Texas, the festival in Houston has been cancelled. This is, among other things, due to increased expenses for insurance and security. Back to the 60s Social media is full of incitement. Among other things, there are conspiracy theories that the queer environment is linked to pedophilia and Satanism. Surveys show that support for queer people is now lower in the US than it was at the height of the LGBTQ+ movement’s breakthrough. Poster in the Indianapolis Pride Parade. Photo: AP PJ Ashley is the head of The Sanctuary of the Treasure Coast, which is a center that works for queer rights. She says she talks to several elderly people who say they feel like they have gone back in time. – They feel that they are afraid to come out and say something now. So it’s back to the 1960s. Everything they have fought for is what we are now losing, says PJ Ashley. Many pride celebrations nonetheless At the same time, there are many pride events in large American cities that go ahead as planned with thousands of participants. In Los Angeles there has been a big pride celebration in 2023 as well. Photo: AP – We have very good plans for security and have had for several years. So it’s just business as usual, I would say, says David Clarke, spokesperson for NYC pride in New York. Pete Buttigieg celebrates Pride on the White House lawn. Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP And in Washington there was a party at President Biden’s on Sunday night. There were thousands of guests gathered. Among them Transport Minister Pete Buttigieg, who was the first openly LGBTQ person to be a minister. Among the guests were also survivors of two nightclub shootings in Colorado Springs in November and in Orlando in 2016.
ttn-69
More threats and incitement against pride celebrations in the USA – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
