As a result, dozens of organizations, including Planned Parenthood and the LGBTQ legal advocacy group GLAD, withdrew support for the city’s annual Pride march, and all major candidates abandoned Boston Pride’s June 14, 2020, mayoral candidate forum.
The board then proceeded to take out Black Lives Matter and police brutality.”Īfter the incident, groups like Trans Resistance MA, Mass NOW and Pride for the People called for a boycott of Boston Pride. "The communications team then gave that letter to the board. We stand against police brutality,’” Casey Dooley, former Boston Black Pride chair, told WBUR. "We wrote in that statement, 'We stand with Black Lives Matter.
#Gay pride day boston free#
“I stand with the organizations wanting to make sure that the foundation is strong before rushing into any event,” said Wu back in March.ĭownload the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.įollow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter.In 2020, a Boston Pride statement addressing police brutality after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor reportedly removed any reference to Black Lives Matter, according to New England LGBTQ outlet The Rainbow Times, resulting in 80 percent of the group’s volunteers to quit in protest. Mayor Wu addressed the situation last month when she announced the creation of a new Office of LGBTQ+ Advancement. It isn’t going to be the same thing, but nothing is the same now.” “It’s really starting over and building from the ground up,” added Moreno. The Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce hopes there will be a Boston Pride parade in 2023. “One of the things that was more important was to make sure we put together an inclusive pride where all the voices are heard and where everybody can actually come to the table,” explained Moreno.
The details of that event are still being sorted out, but Moreno said it won’t include floats or a march.Īccording to Moreno, that type of large-scale event wasn’t realistic under the circumstances. Moreno said a grassroots coalition is working to put together a pop-up Boston Pride event on Boston Common. “I’ll say personally that they didn’t want the success of future pride.” “They knew good and well that dissolving when they did was not going to give the community enough time,” said Grace Moreno. The CEO of the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce told Boston 25 News that the dissolution of the former Boston Pride organization plays a role in the current predicament. “Whoever wants to be included should have their voice be heard, but they should also own some of the work that has to be done.” “How do you want inclusion and then not carry some of the torch,” said Brian, a South End resident who lives along the parade route. Grassroots organizations have since emerged to share their input about Boston Pride, but none have established a new nonprofit to fill the void. The organization dissolved after the all-white board of directors faced accusations of ignoring racial minorities and transgender people.