With two first-time LGBTQ Pride events coming up in southern Berrien County, some residents aren’t feeling so proud.
Three residents spoke out against this Saturday’s Niles Pride Festival, as well as next Saturday’s Buchanan Pride event at Buchanan Common during the Berrien County commission meeting Thursday.
The Niles event was organized by the Niles Pride Committee, and will take place at Riverfront Park from 7 to 9 p.m. It will feature food trucks, drinks, live music, activities for the kids, and a family-friendly drag show.
Two residents spoke specifically against the event.
“It’s not a hatred issue,” said Niles resident Krystal McCully. “We have absolutely no issue with them having pride events or celebrating the way they identify, I guess. The issue is the location and the fact that public money is being used,”
McCully argues that taxpayers will be funding the event because it will be hooked up to city electricity. She also took offense to the drag show being in a public place.
“My issue with that is that that amphitheater directly faces a playground,” Mccully said. “That is an affront to children. … The event also advertises that it’s free admission, ages five and under, which is a concern for me because why is the city promoting drag queens having a show in front of five-year-olds, or babies for that matter?
Niles resident Michelle Funkhouser agreed.
“I personally don’t think it’s okay for an adult male to shake and do everything they do in front of children, and that’s what’s happening,” she said. “I know how you boil a frog. You do it slowly.”
In May, The Buchanan Area Senior Center also announced its first ever LGBTQ Pride event. It will be privately funded, and features live music, food and more.
Buchanan resident Carla Johnson voiced her opposition to the event Thursday.
“The center says it’s paying for the pride production with donations, but they are still using the center’s name, material, staff, and assets,” Johnson said. “Why would the senior center use its resources to produce this event? …
“I’m hearing from seniors who used to enjoy the center, but because of the push to elevate the gay pride movement, they no longer support it. They’re not members of a hate group. They’re tired of the in-your-face gay agenda.”
Senior Center director Adam Burck tells us the center formed a Pride Committee during COVID when it was learned LGBTQ seniors were faring even worse than most others due to isolation. They started hosting socials about a year ago, and the committee decided to throw the Pride event.
Burck says they want to reflect on recent wins, like the city of Buchanan adding protections for sexual orientation and gender identity to its non-discrimination ordinance in 2019 and the recent expansion of the state civil rights law.
Last week, Niles Pride Festival organizer Hailey Colpitts told us why they wanted to have their event.
“They’re kind of similar in size and location, and I thought that it was important that we have one in Niles,” Colpitts said. “A lot of the LGBTQ community here now go to St. Joe or South Bend where the community is larger, and I feel like as the population here grows, the LGBTQ population is going to grow, too. I feel like this is a good place for us to meet each other and to find a space where we feel safe with one another.”
