PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The group that organizes Philadelphia’s large LGBTQ Pride events has apparently disbanded following vehement criticism of recent social media posts. Now other groups in the city are looking for ways to replace those events with something they say is more inclusive, collaborative and representative of the city's LGBTQ community.
KYW Newsradio tried to reach Philly Pride Presents, the non-profit that had organized events such as Outfest and the LGBTQ Pride Parade and Festival for the last three decades. Their phone number has been disconnected. The group's Facebook page is deactivated. And as of early Tuesday evening, any pertinent information has been removed from the group’s website.
In 2020, Pride events and Outfest were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, June's parade and festival were condensed and rescheduled for September at Penn's Landing, and Outfest was canceled again. Now the future of all these events is in question.
"I mean, it’s irresponsible," LGBTQ activist Abdul-Aliy Muhammad said, "for an organization that has been around for 28 years to up and disband, dismissing the criticism of a community that challenged them on being transphobic, challenged them on being pro-cop, and really tried to push them to be accountable for Facebook posts that they have put up."
Philly Pride Presents had been the subject of criticism for quite some time and was most recently under fire for a now-deleted Facebook post from earlier this month. Muhammad explains, the post incorrectly represents the 1969 Stonewall riots, credited with launching the LGBTQ rights movement.
"It made it seem like cops were the ones being targeted by protestors, and also calling trans people, trans women especially, 'those dressed as women' which is an extremely transphobic statement," Muhammad said.
Muhammad cofounded the Black and Brown Workers Cooperative to challenge businesses and nonprofits in Philadelphia by calling out policies and practices that they say disproportionately harm members of various minority communities.
Philly Pride Presents apologized for that post in another now-deleted Facebook post.
The apology was not been well received.
"It wasn’t an apology," Muhammad said. "An apology addresses the harm. That did not address the harm. It said that people took offense, which is a cop out. It’s not that people took offense, it’s that those words were harmful."
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Many LGBTQ supporters in Philadelphia have made it clear on Twitter they welcome the end of Philly Pride Presents.
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With Philly Pride Presents now out of the picture, Muhammad says this is a chance for new leadership to form a plan for future LGBTQ events in the city.
Celena Morrison, executive director of the city's Office of LGBT Affairs, says her office understands the need for "a new vision" of Pride in Philadelphia.
A statement she sent to KYW Newsradio reads as follows:
“Our Office of LGBT Affairs has been in conversation with community leaders and activists as they prepare to reimagine Pride, and we look forward to supporting the many celebrations, rallies, protests, and programming already happening across the city, as the future of Pride in Philadelphia emerges—one that is reflective of the many diverse experiences of our city’s LGBTQ+ communities. We also know there are limitless ways to observe and celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride and identity, not just in June, but all year long and we encourage our city’s vibrant queer communities to engage in events and activities that affirm their right to celebrate their true, authentic, selves.”
Muhammad said there are already meetings scheduled to discuss plans for a new Pride event in September.
"What I want is a collectively organized event," he said. "I don’t want this to be an event held by gatekeepers, because that gatekeeping has gotten us here and it has not been inclusive."
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