The announcement of a plan for a so-called Straight Pride Parade in Boston has quickly traveled the span of the social media sphere and sparked national outrage.
“It looks like the Boston Straight Pride Parade will happen. We filed a discrimination complaint and it appears the City of Boston understands they would lose in litigation,” Straight Pride Parade planner Mark Sahady wrote on Facebook. “The city is now working with us on the parade. We will have the streets closed and be allowed floats and vehicles.”
This month marks the 50th anniversary of Pride, and the birth of the modern Gay Rights movement in the Stonewall Riots, otherwise known as the Stonewall Uprising, where members of the LGBTQ community made their stand at the Stonewall Inn in New York City’s Greenwich Village against unjust raids and crackdowns at gay-friendly hangout spots.
Patrons of the Stonewall Inn fought sporadically with police officers over the span of three nights after patrons got fed up with police in June 1969.
“Every year Boston hosts our annual Pride Week, where our city comes together to celebrate the diversity, strength and acceptance of our LGBTQ community,” Walsh told MassLive. “This is a special week that represents Boston’s values of love and inclusion, which are unwavering. I encourage everyone to join us in celebration this Saturday for the Pride Parade and in the fight for progress and equality for all.”
Following in the footsteps of this weekend’s Boston Pride Parade, a decades-old celebration of LGBT history and culture, a group of right-wing provocateurs called “Super Happy Fun America,” hope to start in Copley Square and stroll through the South End before heading to the Boston Common and City Hall.
Boston officials said the group has been in contact with the city, but has not yet received the necessary permits to host the parade.
Meanwhile, the internet went bonkers after New York Times Assistant Managing Editor Carolyn Ryan shared a screenshot of Sahady’s Facebook post on Twitter. A social media public flogging followed.
“Make way for douchebags.” – @bradleysalmanac
“Swipe at St Patrick’s Parade in southie which won’t let gay groups march.” – @DougDodsonENews
“The straight pride parade will be mostly men because very few women will get to come.” – @OhNoSheTwitnt
“They’re planning a “straight pride” parade in Boston, presumably to commemorate that historic moment when courageous heterosexual frat bros finally stood up to the gay cops who had been harassing and arresting them for decades.” – @GeorgeTakei
Smash Mouth promptly smacked the idea in the mouth, tweeting “Straight Pride Parade????? F–K OFF!!!!!!!!”
Even BarStool Sports offered up thumbs down on the Straight Pride Parade.
The parade is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 31.
