San Diego Pride Rejects Bi and Trans Communities

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY AND IMMEDIATELY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Richard Woulfe
619-501-2166

SAN DIEGO LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER PRIDE BOARD DENY REQUESTS
FOR
BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER INCLUSION AT RALLY AND PARADE


For several years, San Diego Bisexual and Transgender community leaders
have
requested official visibility and inclusion in San Diego LGBT Pride
Rally and
Parade

MISSION OF SAN DIEGO LGBT PRIDE

TO FOSTER PRIDE IN AND RESPECT FOR THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND
TRANSGENDER COMMUNITIES IN SAN DIEGO

This year, the bisexual community made three requests to encourage and
foster
San Diego LGBT Pride to fulfill their Mission.


1. Have a bisexual community leader on stage at the rally on Friday,
July 30
to make brief commnents.

The San Diego LGBT Pride Board denied this request. They indicated that
it
was enough that one of the awardees is a "bisexual woman". We know this
woman
and she identifies as a lesbian and is not a bisexual community member
nor a
leader of the bisexual community.

2. Have the Bisexual and Transgender flags placed on the organ
pavillion
stage at the Rally along with the Gay (rainbow) flag.

The San Diego LGBT Pride Board denied this request indicating that
there was
not enough time to implement and that a broader community discussion
would be
necessary.

3. Have the Bisexual and Transgender community flags visibly present
along
with the Gay Rainbow flag at the front of the San Diego LGBT Pride
Parade.

The San Diego LGBT Pride Board denied this request again on the grounds
that
there was not enough time to implement and that "the rainbow flag
represents
the entire community and to include only 1 or 2 and not everyone has
the
potential to alienate other parts of our communities."

Our request was to have the Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Flags at the
front
of the parade. This symbolic gesture of solidarity would foster pride
in and
respect for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities in
San
Diego.

We urge the entire LGBTQI community and friends and family to call or
email
the San Diego LGBT Pride office and encourage them to reverse these
decisions
and allow the San Diego bisexual and transgender communities official
representation and visiblity at the parade and rally.

SD LGBT Pride Contacts:

email: director [at] sdpride.org

Phone: 619-297-7683

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