The annual LGBT Festival and Parade has been held in Huntington since 1991. In that same year, the current president of the LGBT Network, David Kilmnick, was one of three event organizers to appear in court, forcing the Town of Huntington to grant a permit to host the first pride parade after it was initially denied.
This year, the LGBT Network cancelled its annual Pride Parade through Huntington, NY due to concerns and the "need for more capacity in order to maintain order and safety," read a statement published on the organization’s website. In the past, the parade marched down Park Avenue and Main Street in Huntington village, ending at Heckscher Park for the festival. The festival is still scheduled to take place on June 11 in Heckscher Park.
However, the LGBT Network has problems of their own. They have changed the event from its usual Sunday to Saturday, which "makes it difficult for working class LGBT people to attend," according to LGBT advocate and community organizer, Erinn Furey. Also, the Network is accused of "monetizing the event," and focusing on the most profitable aspects of the LGBTQIAP spectrum—essentially silencing the majority of the community on the Island.
The parade doesn't bring profit to the event, so it seems a little too coincidental that it would be cancelled. As well as, the LGBT Network's, "...privatization and corporatization of #LIPride, with straight white performers, does not center the voices of those amongst us who still need basic human rights. " How can the The LGBT Network call this event "Pride," when it doesn't even represent those in the LGBTQIAP spectrum?
Back in 1991, the Long Island Pride Parade was founded and organized by "grassroots activists" and this new group is taking it back to its roots.
The Long Island LGBTQA+ Visibility Coalition banded together originally because of "...the announcement that the LGBT Service Network, LIGALY and its affiliates [have] canceled the 2016 Long Island Pride Parade in Huntington, Long Island ." But, they are also fighting for visibility of their community. Erinn Furey, co-chair of the Coalition, stated that,"I believe that if all we do is engage in social programming without working towards ending the root causes and systems of oppression then we are profiting off of keeping our own people marginalized."
By cancelling the Parade, it is "...erasing LGBT people at a time when other areas of the country are encouraging hate," and that it then encourages us to "...[fall] prey to fear mongering." Other co-chairs are Libby Walters, who is the "...first out transgender conductor in the history of the Long Island rail road," Christopher Reid, and Jay Guercio. Committee members include Juli Grey-Owens and Liz Morena.
The Long Island LGBTQA+ Visibility Coalition is using hashtags such as #NotOurPride to exemplify how the LGBT Network's events do not represent the community in the slightest. They are looking forward to their inclusive LGBTQA+ Visibility Walk on June 12th, 2016 at 12:30 p.m. starting at the Sayville Train Station. Visibility is crucial to survival and plants the seed towards a safer, more educated, and accepting nation. Having the #LIPride Parade cancelled further enforces the erasure of our community and the violence of silence.
You can like their FB page to support this courageous group of individuals for standing up and fighting for the Long Island LGBTQA+ community.
