The mayor and city council of Franklin, Tennessee, approved the controversial permit for a Pride Festival in the city this week. Hundreds of people showed up at the meeting to voice their concerns for and against the festival.
The third annual event was given the go ahead after council members tied in their vote and the mayor cast the deciding ballot in favor of issuing the permit.
Franklin leaders deferred a vote on an “indecency” measure until April 26. The proposal would set a new community decency policy that would ban any event for two years found in violation of certain standards.
Those would include “any act or conduct that is not consistent with generally accepted standards of behavior and conduct, including but not limited to nudity, lewd or suggestive behavior, indecent exposure, [immoral] acts, [or] excessive and offensive public displays of affection.”
Supporters of the festival showed up at City Hall wearing rainbow stickers while opponents donned shirts urging the government to “protect our kids” and denouncing “groomers.”
Time to fight back against the perversion and grooming.
In Franklin, Tennessee, an LGBTQ pride festival meets fierce resistance https://t.co/m443lohYiA
— Tim Davis (@Chicago4LSU) April 11, 2023
A vote last month was postponed after numerous people showed up in opposition.
The mainstream media, of course, described the skirmish in the southern suburb of Nashville as a war over “medical care” and drag shows. NBC also denounced opposition to the festival showcasing “live music, food trucks, and crafts vendors.”
The outlet ignored that the “medical care” consisted of radical surgeries, hormone treatments, and puberty blockers for minors.
And drag shows were of no consequence until “performers” insisted on involving children.
Some of the people who showed up at Franklin City Hall to voice their displeasure said they lost trust in the event based on unspecified occurrences last year. They expressed that they don’t want their children exposed to drag shows and other age-inappropriate performances.
Festival organizers said their event is “family-friendly,” and those who disapprove do not have to attend.
There will be no drag shows at this year’s event, according to Franklin Pride President Clayton Klutts. He termed the performances “so sensitive right now.”
Klutts said the decision was made not because organizers had to, “but it was just a way to work with the city leaders and get our application approved.” The third annual event is expected to draw 5,000 people when it is held on June 3.
