The Provo City Council would like to address the recent news regarding the denial to several LGBT organizations as parade entries. These organizations do important work in our community and we want them to know they are welcome and needed here. They are helping our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and many others in need of support.
We support the nondiscrimination clause in Provo City’s contract with America’s Freedom Festival and have long appreciated the positive economic benefit America’s Freedom Festival brings to Provo. It is disappointing that parade organizers and these community groups were unable to come to some sort of agreement that would allow the groups to participate in the parade.
Still, we recognize that the newly signed contract between Provo City and the Festival provides room for Festival organizers to decide which entries comply with their overall mission and specific event requirements. Out of 120 parade entries, 22 were rejected. We don’t know how those specific decisions were made or the rationale for rejecting specific entries. We have just heard that those who were rejected now have an opportunity to modify their entries and reapply to be in the parade.
We encourage everyone to work as a community to resolve the challenges that face us. These are critical issues that are important to our community and we look forward to having the necessary conversations to bring the community together.
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