UTAH: Provo Bans LGBT Groups From July 4th Parade

Two positive Utah stories today but now this.

Ben Winslow reports at Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate:

Mayor Michelle Kaufusi has signed a new agreement with America’s Freedom Festival that includes a non-discrimination clause, but it apparently does not mean that LGBTQ groups will be allowed to march in the July 4 parade. Five LGBTQ groups that asked to be in the massive parade had their applications rejected less than a day after Provo City and the Freedom Festival signed the agreement that includes sexual orientation as part of a non-discrimination clause.

FOX 13 confirmed that Provo Pride, Provo PFLAG, Encircle, Queer Meals and Mormons Building Bridges had all been informed they were denied entry into the parade. Mormons Building Bridges’ Kendall Wilcox said they had been having ongoing discussions with the festival about including LGBT veterans and other community groups in the parade, similar to church groups that appear.

He said festival organizers pledged to work with them to make sure any entry would fit the theme. “This is absolutely not in keeping in the agreement we had,” he said. “It now sends the message that LGBT people are not welcome. We find that totally inexcusable.”

Hit the link to read the denial letter. Provo is Utah’s third-largest city with a population of 120,000. Around 90% of the city’s residents are members of the Mormon Church.