The City of Fernandina Beach took no action on the permit for the upcoming Pride Festival and Parade Tuesday in response to a campaign by the Citizens Defending Freedom-Nassau group to have the event's permit rescinded.
"What I want to say is that this permit has already been approved. I will support the staff's decision to support it. There is not going to be a kids zone," said Mayor Bradley Bean in starting the public comment about the issue. "Here in Fernandina Beach we take our freedom of speech and freedom of assembly very seriously."
CDF-Nassau claims that the events breach city and state laws designed to protect children, but the relevant ordinances have not been updated since 1995 and the state legislation in question is still pending.
Furthermore, the state bill aimed at restricting adult live performances where minors are present has been amended to include only "lewd conduct" that is not defined.
The Pride Festival permit was not a city commission agenda item. It was widely known that CDF-Nassau represented by Knocke was going to address the commission and object to the granting of the permit. Supporters of Fernandina Pride organized to refute Knocke's claim.
More than 50 people addressed the city commission, the majority of those supporting the Pride events in comments that lasted more than two and half hours. The commission meeting room was packed and the overflow crowd spilled in front of City Hall, many holding signs of support.
CDF-Nassau Executive Director Jack Knocke was the ninth speaker and outlined why CDF-Nassau opposed the event.
"What we're trying to do is to maintain certain protected zones for children. If you look at the city charter it says children should be protected in churches, schools and parks," Knocke said. "As I looked at the Fernandina Beach Pride from last year...yes, there was a drag queen there. I don't know why this is the only location this festival can be in. I'm not saying don't have this festival, I'm saying don't have it at a city park. It's all about not having adult themed events around children. My point is to stand up for the law and protect children."
The Pride Festival, which will take place on June 10, has a diverse range of participants, from the Nassau County Public Health Department to Rotary Club, as well as food vendors and local musicians. State Representative Angela Nixon and Faith-filled Friends will be among those present, and the festival will also include gender-affirming services and a host of other services for the LGBTQ+ community.
Dr. Jill Bolstad debunked CDF-Nassau's claim of "protecting the children"
"It's been suggested we should cancel future Pride events or not have them to protect our children. I will explain to you that the opposite is actually true and that these events should be held in order to protect our children," Bolstad said. "The number of children who identify as LGBTQ ranges from 7 percent at the low end and 18 percent at the high end. The risk of suicide in LGBTQ youth is far greater....it's more than double and happens at younger ages. The Pride events are an LGBTQ affirming space in our community. This is exactly the kind of support these children need and we need to give to them to protect them. I attended the Pride Festival last year and what I saw was nothing inappropriate. What I did see were families with LGBTQ children, with LGBTQ parents, heterosexual families all laughing, smiling, loving, supporting each other. What I saw was suicide prevention in action."
At least a half dozen members of Fernandina Pride spoke on their experiences of living in Fernandina Beach as a gay person and the importance of the Pride Festival in their lives.
"I chose this community four years ago. I didn't get to choose many things in my life. I didn't choose to be born this way. I'm 68 years old and I'm tired of this crap," said Bonnie Mathers of the divisiveness in the community. "I'm tired of saying I'm a good person. I wore the uniform. I came here to be safe...right now I'm not feeling safe. That's wrong."
But others like Sherian Berteau were steadfast in their opposition to the Pride Festival plans at Central Park.
"Jack knocke doesn't deserve to be slandered and demonized for simply voicing and questioning legitimate concerns about our community events," she said. "This is a war over truth and traditional family values....we are not haters, we are not trying to destroy people, we just want our voices heard as well. The reality is we cannot just decide and wake up one day and say we're a different gender. It just doesn't work like that. That's a lie and pretending to go along with lies is not helpful to solving the problem. Nor is it kind and loving to those people who are being deceived by these lies."
Pride President Genece Minshew told commissioners about the recent anti-gay efforts at the federal and state government level and asked that Fernandina Beach remain a safe place for the LGBTQ community.
"We know what sets Fernandina Beach apart because we have no home for hate here," said Genece Minshew, president of Fernandina Pride. "That's why many of the past city commissioners have marched in the parade and welcomed everyone to our events."
Minschew said CDF's efforts to block the Pride Festival at Central Park harkened to Anita Bryant's 1977 "Save our Children" Miami campaign.
"Our local Pride events are an open and safe place for everyone," she said. "People bring their children to our family events because they want their children to see diversity, inclusion and all kinds of happy, loving people enjoying their day."
Oddly, when the public comments ended, none of the city commissioners spoke on the Pride Festival issue and they moved on to the regular meeting agenda items as people cleared the room.
But at the conclusion of the three hour-plus meeting Commissioner Darron Ayscue said "I do hope the two sides will get together and discuss there differences and issues. I really think the root issue could be resolved if they got together."
Comments