Latest news with #NashvillePride
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Importance of Nashville Pride this year is both personal and political, parade crowd says
The importance of Nashville Pride this year is personal for some, and for others it's political. But for many at the festival's parade June 28, it was a bit of both. 'It's just heartbreaking because I feel like we were making so many steps forward,' Scott Thomas, a nurse who works for a local HIV clinic, said in an interview. 'Our community has fought so hard for so many years. It doesn't just feel like we're taking a step back, it feels like we're falling down the hill.' Thomas and others at the parade expressed dismay at some corporations pulling sponsorships for Nashville Pride this year amid political tension over support for the LGBTQ+ community. But Thomas felt that even more acutely because the clinic he works for opted not to have a booth at this year's festival at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park — unlike last year when Thomas volunteered to help at the clinic's booth. In addition to controversy over sponsorship withdrawals this year, the city's Pride festival comes just a week after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee's ban on gender transition treatment for transgender minors. But many at the June 28 parade said these recent events that have caused LGBTQ+ people to feel under attack are exactly why people should show up at Nashville Pride and celebrate. 'All over everywhere, the community is under a lot of pressure and attack right now,' Maggie Ryan said in an interview. So, Ryan said, it's important to 'see so many people who are proud of who they are and sharing that with everyone here.' Ryan, who is transgender, said this is her third time attending Nashville Pride. She was less comfortable at the previous events because she was in the middle of transitioning. 'I'm much more comfortable being myself now and feel safe here,' Ryan said. One standout moment of the parade that moved many in the crowd to celebrate was Music City Prep Clinic's 'Pink Pony Club' themed float, a reference to the popular song by musician Chappel Roan. In addition to a bus that was booming Roan's hit song that has become an anthem for many in the LGBTQ+ community, Music City Prep Clinic marched a giant inflatable pink pony down Lower Broadway. For Scott Hobbs, Nashville Pride this year was 'freeing' because he had recently come out as gay at age 54. Hobbs wore a shirt he designed that said, 'I just came out … now I need a hug.' 'People need to be seen and need to be heard. People's stories need to be told, and I think this is one way to do it,' Hobbs said in an interview. Yet another significance to Nashville Pride this year was the recent 10-year anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in the case Obergefell v. Hodges. Tennessee residents were among the plaintiffs in the landmark case that legalized same-sex marriage. The court released its opinion the day before Nashville Pride in 2015, and it inspired Adam Yockey to attend Nashville Pride for the first time. June 28 he was back. 'I felt I needed to be here to see the joy,' Yockey said in an interview. 'This is always a joyful and jubilant occasion, and that day was unbelievable because you're celebrating guaranteed freedoms.' More: Corporations across the South quietly end Pride sponsorships This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Importance of Pride this year is personal and political, crowd says
Axios
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Nashville Pride hopes for big crowds despite corporate pullbacks
Nashville Pride organizers are hoping for a record crowd this weekend, even as they've had to tighten their budget due to reduced support from several corporate backers. Why it matters: Dwindling interest from some major sponsors reflects the increasingly tough political landscape LGBTQ+ pride events face this year. But festival organizers tell Axios the challenges only underscore the importance of the celebration. State of play: In an open letter, the organizers said shrinking corporate involvement left them with "a significant budget gap." They urged supporters to "show up where others have stepped back" by buying tickets or donating to the cause. Zoom in: Nashville Pride board member Brady Ruffin says community support for the festival is "incredibly strong." The event has grown exponentially since launching in 1988. About 240 vendors are participating, he says. More than 140 entertainers will be on hand throughout the weekend, starting with a Friday night concert with headliner Kim Petras. The big picture: Pride events around the country are seeing longtime corporate allies back away this year. The trend is part of a broader backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion spurred on by the Trump administration. Past Nashville Pride sponsor Nissan, one of the companies that stepped back this year, said its Pride pullbacks nationally were part of a broad review of marketing and sales spending, per the New York Times. Tennessee has long been seen as a leader in anti-transgender policies. Lawmakers have pushed restrictions on drag queens and gender-affirming health care. Last week, the Supreme Court upheld the state's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The Nashville-based Southern Baptist Convention recently passed a resolution supporting efforts to reverse Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark case that legalized same-sex marriage 10 years ago. What they're saying: Ruffin tells Axios that this year's event "feels more pressing and needed than ever." " The pushback we're facing politically only reinforced why this work matters," Ruffin says. "We're not just throwing a parade or a party or a festival — we're building a platform and making a statement. "In a time when we're hearing a lot of harmful rhetoric from the highest levels of leadership, it's crucial to create spaces that celebrate joy, resilience and visibility." If you go: Pride events will run Friday-Sunday. Tickets for the Friday night concert at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park are $44. Festival passes for Saturday and Sunday start at $10.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Glennon Doyle's antisemitic posts have no place at pride. Reconsider, Nashville
In Nashville — a city I love and call home — Pride Month is supposed to be a celebration of inclusion, safety and truth. Instead, Music City is platforming ignorance and hate. Glennon Doyle, a best-selling author and social media icon with millions of followers, was recently named Grand Marshal of Nashville Pride. This honor is meant to reflect the highest values of the LGBTQ+ community. But Doyle's platform has become a megaphone amplifying disinformation that endangers Jews — and distorts the truth about Israel. On May 16th, Doyle posted on Instagram: 'For the love of all humanity: FREE PALESTINE.' Four days later, she reposted a viral claim — since retracted by the United Nations — that 14,000 babies in Gaza had 'less than 48 hours to live.' She closed her caption again with the words: 'Free Palestine' Let's stop pretending this is harmless. On May 25th in Washington, D.C., two young people — Sarah Milgrim, a Jewish woman, and Yaron Lischinsky, a Christian Israeli man — were targeted and murdered at a Jewish peace event. The gathering, hosted by the American Jewish Committee and attended by Israeli embassy staff and young American delegates, focused on humanitarian aid for Gazan civilians. After pulling the trigger, the shooter shouted: 'Free Palestine.' On June 1st in Boulder, Colorado, another violent attack took place. Molotov cocktails were hurled at Jews in broad daylight — including a Holocaust survivor. The assailant screamed 'Free Palestine' as he lit Jewish bodies on fire. Let's be clear: 'Free Palestine' — a political slogan tied to the Iranian-backed BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement — is doing exactly what it was designed to do: morph into an open call for violence. More: A surge in antisemitism on campuses is changing how Jewish students pick universities These are not innocent reposts. These are narratives that demonize Jews, erase Zionism, call for the destruction of Israel and undermine American values. From Instagram captions to the final words of murderers, this is no longer just a chant. It's a weapon. And this isn't just a Jewish problem. This is an American problem. Islamist radicalization — fueled by online propaganda, spread through campus activism and now cloaked in the language of influencer 'empathy' — is here. And it is deadly. The irony is hard to ignore: Doyle champions a cause whose militant factions would criminalize her very existence as a gay woman — an identity that, in most all of these regimes, is punishable by death. Yet whether knowingly or not, she continues to echo slogans rooted in movements hostile to LGBTQ+ rights and women's freedoms. I write this not just as a Jew, but as a Nashvillian. I recently returned from a post-war delegate mission to Israel, my third since the war. I've walked through the ashes of October 7th. I've spoken to survivors. I've embraced released hostages. I've met with those on the physical front lines of this conflict as well as foreign ambassadors brokering solutions. I've attended foreign-policy conferences focused on peace and accountability. And I've seen how disinformation spreads online before the truth can take a breath. What Doyle may see as compassion is functioning as accelerant — fueling age-old antisemitic tropes and justifying hate on American soil. Her followers are not extremists. They're American women, moms, activists, authors, dreamers and influencers — many of whom now echo phrases like 'genocide,' 'apartheid' and 'settler-colonialism' without context, education or accountability. This isn't empathy. It's a polished, pastel-wrapped form of hate — and it's metastasizing. More: Nashville Jewish community reflects on Israel support since Oct. 7, rallies for road ahead It flattens geopolitical complexity into clickbait and repackages extremism as virtue. It radicalizes soccer moms in yoga pants, sipping green juice and posting 'sham spirituality' between affiliate links while chanting BDS slogans they don't understand. Chief among them: 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' — a call for the erasure of Israel and the Jewish people. Worse, it's being celebrated. Instead of confronting the harm Doyle's posts have caused, Nashville is rewarding her with the Grand Marshal title — a role that symbolizes community trust, visibility and shared values. We know false claims travel faster than truth. And their damage lingers. Nearly 70% of people still believe misinformation even after it's been debunked. And nearly half the world's population — 46%, according to the ADL — harbors antisemitic views. In this climate, elevating someone like Doyle isn't just irresponsible. It's reckless. Jewish safety is everyone's safety. What begins with the Jews never ends with us. A society that tolerates antisemitism invites violence, radicalization and collapse — for all. This isn't a call to cancel. It's a call to wake up. Doyle must take responsibility. She must meet with Jewish leaders, learn the truth behind the slogans she's amplified and publicly acknowledge the damage done. Silence is complicity. Influence is never neutral. And Nashville Pride must reconsider its decision. You cannot fight for one group's dignity by standing on the neck of another. You cannot celebrate love while platforming hate. Let this be a moment of intellectual courage and civic clarity. Because when slogans become weapons and lies go viral, our only defense is truth. And who we choose to elevate reveals who we are. Alyssa Rosenheck is a bestselling author and photographer who uses her lens to advocate for our collective home. Through her forthcoming book, White. Blonde. Jew. (Spring 2026), and firsthand insights from post-war delegations to Israel, she confronts modern antisemitism while inspiring truth-tellers and cultural clarity. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville Pride Grand Marshal Doyle is complicit in hate | Opinion
Style Blueprint
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Style Blueprint
Get Ready, Nashville Pride 2025 is Here!
Share with your friends! Pinterest LinkedIn Email Flipboard Reddit Forget subtle. Nashville is turning up the volume in June, rolling out the pink carpet for Nashville Pride Month. Whether you're here for the music, the marches, the drag, or just a well-timed excuse to wear sequins and all things glittery, there's something for everyone! Pin Things kicked off on May 30 with Bath & Body, Nashville's Pride Rooftop Pool Party at Virgin Hotels. Think sun, beats, poolside drinks, and a performance from Shea Couleé. But that was just the beginning. The June calendar is stacked, and we're here for it. Check out the third annual Pride Deadlift Party on June 7, which combines lifting heavy things with lifting spirits. Whether you're benching 200 pounds or just holding up your emotional support iced coffee, it's all about strength and solidarity. Then on June 13, it's time for Turnabout, where Nashville Pride board members ditch their day jobs and step into heels for a night of charity drag at Play Dance Bar. (Spoiler: some of them are really good. Others are just supremely brave. We love both.) Not to be outdone, the Nashville Pride Pageant struts in on June 15, with a theme inspired by ancient Egypt … Because nothing says 'divine and powerful' like channeling Cleopatra in rhinestones. Feeling introspective? Spirituality Night on June 18 offers a quiet moment to reflect and reconnect before the main event roars to life at the end of the month. Mark your calendar for June 27, when Grammy-winning pop phenom Kim Petras headlines the Friday Night Concert at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. She'll be joined by Estelle (of 'American Boy' fame), Empress Of, and Kylie Sonique Love. Pin Then comes the Pride Parade on Saturday, June 28, with more than 140 entries, music, floats, and rainbows galore. Grand Marshals include power couple Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach, plus singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun. The weekend festival (June 28 and 29) features a lineup that reads like your most colorful playlist: Big Freedia with Nashville in Harmony, 4 Non Blondes' Linda Perry, Jake Wesley Rogers, The Knocks & Dragonette, GAYLE, and more. Add in over 50 drag performances, three stages, food trucks, cocktails, art installations, and a vendor market, and you've got something for every flavor of fabulous. Think that's all? Think again. Saturday night keeps the party going with the Pink Pony Pride After Party hosted by the incomparable Willam at Play Dance Bar. So, dust off your boots (or heels), grab your favorite flag, and get ready to show up and show out. Whether you're marching, dancing, lifting, singing, or just soaking it all in, Nashville Pride is here to ensure everyone feels seen, celebrated, and completely at home. For the full schedule and tickets, visit ********** Discover more amazing Southern people and places. Follow us on Instagram! About the Author Jenna Bratcher Jenna Bratcher is StyleBlueprint Nashville's Associate Editor and Lead Writer. The East Coast native moved to Nashville 17 years ago, by way of Los Angeles. She is a lover of dogs, strong coffee, traveling, and exploring the local restaurant scene bite by bite.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
At the 2025 Nashville Pride Festival, show up where others have stepped back
In Middle Tennessee, Pride has always been more than a celebration — it's a homecoming. It's a season when our city bursts with joy, resilience and love. When music fills the air, color transforms the streets, and community stands shoulder to shoulder in its boldest form. And this year, the spirit matters more than ever. 2025 has brought its challenges. Like many organizations, we are facing financial setbacks due to the loss of several longtime supporters. These challenges have left us with a significant budget gap at a time when our visibility, safety and celebration matter more than ever. Still, we remain committed to delivering the kind of Pride our community deserves: joyful, powerful and rooted in purpose. More: Nashville Pride Festival announces 2025 lineup: Kim Petras, 4 Non Blondes, Big Freedia Pride has never been about convenience. It's about conviction. And in a year where LGBTQ+ rights are being debated, targeted and legislated against, our joy is an act of resistance. Our visibility is a protest. And our gathering — louder, brighter and braver than ever — is a promise to our community: We are still here. Formally since 1988, Nashville Pride has existed at the intersection of celebration and protest. What began as a small picnic has grown into one of the largest Pride events in the South — held in the shadow of the State Capitol and the glow of Broadway. It's a space where love is loud, joy is justice, and every person belongs. This year, the 2025 Nashville Pride Festival & Parade will welcome over 240 vendors and a record number of participants in the parade. There will be local businesses, community organizations and nonprofits, as well as new and returning sponsors who have said 'yes' when it mattered most. Their support reminds us that Pride doesn't shrink in the face of pressure. It expands. It adapts. It rises. If you've ever felt the magic of Pride — a shared glance, a burst of laughter, a moment of finally feeling seen — this is the year to lean in. To march with purpose. To stand a little taller. To celebrate even louder. Buy a ticket. Make a donation. Sign up to volunteer. Become a sponsor. Show up where others have stepped back. In a year marked by retreat, your support isn't just meaningful — it's vital. This is not the time to stand on the sidelines. This is the time to show up for our city, our future and each other. Pride isn't about perfection. It's about persistence. It's about choosing hope over fear, and presence over silence. More: Why Tennessee ranks as high risk for gay and transgender people It's about showing up — not just when it's easy, but especially when it's not. Pride belongs to all of us. And this year, it needs every one of us. Join us as the 2025 Nashville Pride celebration kicks off with the first-ever Friday Night Concert on June 27 at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. The Pride Parade steps off at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 28, beginning at Broadway and 8th Ave. And the Pride Festival continues June 28-29 at Bicentennial Park. Let's keep marching, keep dancing, and keep building a future where everyone is free to live, love, and thrive — right here in Tennessee. The Nashville Pride Board of Directors leads the organization's year-round efforts to serve and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community across Middle Tennessee. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville needs your help to celebrate Pride Month | Opinion
