The San Diego Pride Military Department has confirmed to Times of San Diego that LGBTQ+ service members and veterans will not lead the Pride parade this year.
According to department president Lauren Henson, multiple factors contributed to this decision, most importantly the safety of the military participants.
“The safety of all service members, active and [veteran], will always be my prime focus. And if I cannot guarantee their safety in these unprecedented times, I will never put service members in that position,” Henson said in a phone call on Thursday. Visibility of LGBTQ+ service members is important, but only if they are also protected.
Concern started to swirl after President Trump’s ban on trans military members, which the Supreme Court allowed to be upheld in May. Contingent participants feared they might be surveilled and outed.
Service members are scared, Henson said. Transgender military members are the first target of the administration, but may not be the last. The Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy barring qualified LGBTQ+ people from the military was repealed by Congress in 2010 but could be reinstated.
One of the early blows to the traditional contingent was learning the Marine Corps band would not be permitted to to participate due to new Department of Defense rules about using any government resources, including their instruments, at events associated with diversity, equity and inclusion, such as Black History Month celebrations or Pride parades. The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band band has led the parade for a decade.
More recently, other participants are unable to march due to being deployed in Los Angeles. Usually, the California National Guard marches at the front of the contingent. Plus, Marines are usually the largest group in the military section, but some are in Los Angeles. Henson worried remaining National Guard and Marine Corps could face backlash from the crowd due to their association with immigration enforcement.
She also said Marines are barred from wearing their uniforms outside of work, not even during their commutes, while other Marines are deployed domestically. Other than the first year the military contingent participated in San Diego Pride in 2011, active-duty service members have been allowed to march in uniform.
In addition to the trans military ban, a major concern of LGBTQ+ service members is the name change for the USNS Harvey Milk, according to Henson. “Harvey Milk, this is a gay Jewish veteran, who realistically died in service to his community,” Henson said.
She spoke to Jewish service members about festival headliner Kehlani and concerns over their anti-Israel rhetoric. It was another aspect of the decision to withdraw from the parade.
Henson promised this is not forever, “We’re not going to give up… We’re just going to take a pause.”
She encouraged military department members to still participate in Pride festivities and volunteer so they can support the community, even outside of marching. “We want people to come and come together and be in community because that’s what Pride is about,” Henson said.
San Diego Pride has had a fraught year. Past board members and staff wrote an open letter questioning the board leadership amid national LGBTQ+ attacks.
Jewish organizations and synagogues have dropped out of the festival over Kehlani. Mayor Todd Gloria and University of California San Diego followed suit, saying they still plan to march but will not attend the festival.
The military contingent is the first group to drop out of the parade.
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