BG locals clash over pride parade

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Two weekends ago, the 2021 Pride Festival ran in Bowling Green. Tuesday afternoon, some people showed up none-too-pleased at the Bowling Green City Commissioners meeting to voice their concerns about the drag shows.

Some of the public comments expressed at Tuesday’s city commission meeting included:

“He or she twerked and pumped like a dog in heat. I thought why isn’t anyone there to stop the minors in the audience from doing this.”

“I’m shocked this performance was allowed to happen in our outdoor city venue.”

“There’s plenty of bodily functions the general public doesn’t want to view. It’s one of the reasons we have walls around public toilets.”

The commenters say their main concern is that children witnessed the “erotic display” that happened in drag. 

Bowling Green Pride responded to these comments, saying, “Bowling Green Pride Festival is a daytime event that welcomes families and people of all ages, with stickers, face-painting, and other fun activities for kids… The evening entertainment met the same level of appropriateness as a ticketed pop concert…”

City commissioner Sue Parrigin was there at the meeting. She said despite supporting the LGBTQ pride events, she understands the citizens’ concerns.

“I’ve heard from many, many citizens in the last week and a couple days,” said Parrigin. “The activities during that event got a little risqué, a little lewd, and there were young children present.”

Social media shows many people who enjoyed the activities at the festival. 

However, those against the actions of the festival expressed anger that city commissioners Dana Beasley-Brown and Carlos Bailey were at the forefront of the festival, when, in their words, the festival violated Declaration of Public Policy Section 9-2.01 which prohibits nudity and depictions of sexual acts- both of which public commenters claimed were present at the festival. 

News 40 reached out to City Commissioner Brown who did not comment. 

Parrigin said talk about the festival will not end here.

“We’ll work through the process of looking closely at our ordinances and seeing what is and isn’t allowed,” said Parrigin.