By Corinne Murdock |
The term “family friendly” has come to include public displays of genitalia, according to the Phoenix Mayor’s take on the latest city-sponsored Pride Festival over the weekend.
Gays Against Groomers, an activist group against promoting LGBTQ+ ideology in children, posted about the inflatable penis costume’s inclusion in the Pride Festival parade. The organization also reported individuals in the nude and in fetish costumes, along with the public display of “condom bars.”
However, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego apparently took no issue with the displays of the parade or festival at large.
“Phoenix Pride never disappoints!” said Gallego. “Phoenix is a city that values our LGBTQ+ community, and that’s not changing while I’m mayor!”
Gallego also issued a proclamation declaring a weekend-long festivity of Pride and urged all to celebrate.
“We want to be a city that supports everyone, and I am so pleased to have a great city council that is right there with me,” said Gallego. “I’m going to ask the entire city of Phoenix to celebrate Pride this weekend.”
Gallego’s proclamation appears to conflict with city policy, which states that mayoral proclamations “must not take sides in matters of political, ideological, or religious controversy, or individual convictions.”
The city also served as the Grand Marshal of the parade. Councilmembers Laura Pastor and Debra Stark represented the city’s Fast-Track Cities initiative, which seeks to eliminate HIV/AIDS and discrimination against the sexually-transmitted disease.
Also present and supportive of the festival were Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Gov. Katie Hobbs.
“Phoenix Pride is a powerful reminder that love unites us all,” said Hobbs in an X post (formerly known as Twitter).
Scottsdale Unites for Educational Integrity (SUEI), a coalition of parents and community members, accused educators promoting Pride materials of sexualizing children under the guise of inclusivity.
“Teachers who are pushing sexual content in schools and hanging pride flags in classrooms are not ‘inclusive.’ They are sexualizing children,” stated SUEI.
One of the other main festival events was the Erotic World tent; unlike the parade, that event was marketed as closed to adults.
One of the festival sponsors was Castle Megastore, the Tempe-based sex toy store chain.
Other sponsors of the Pride Festival included Albertsons and Safeway, Amazon, APS, The Arizona Republic, the Arizona Lottery, Bank of America, Banner Health, BlueCross BlueShield Arizona, Bud Light, Circle K, Coca-Cola, Corona, Cox, CVS, Discover, DriveTime, Edward Jones, El Jimador Tequila, GoDaddy, Greater Phoenix Equality Chamber of Commerce, Intel, Jack Daniels, Leslie’s pool service, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Nascar, Nationwide, PetSmart, Phoenix New Times, Phoenix Suns, ShakeShack, Snooze, SRP, Starbucks, Target, Univision Arizona, Walmart, and Waymo.
Gilbert’s fire and police departments also made an appearance at this year’s Pride Festival parade, despite controversy last year over whether they misused taxpayer funds to attend last year’s parade.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
