{"id":54685,"date":"2025-07-10T17:39:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T17:39:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/54685\/"},"modified":"2025-07-10T17:39:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T17:39:11","slug":"san-diego-pride-parade-will-be-led-by-military-contingent-after-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/54685\/","title":{"rendered":"San Diego Pride Parade will be led by military contingent after all"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Uniformed<\/a>The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band marches in the 2023 San Diego Pride Parade. Under current Department of Defense rules, the band is not allowed to use government resources, which include their instruments, at events promoting diversity, equity and inclusion like Pride parades and Black History Month celebrations. (Photo by Drew Sitton\/Times of San Diego)<\/p>\n

The San Diego Pride Parade will be led by military contingents once again \u2013 just not the same one as in the past decade. <\/p>\n

San Diego Pride<\/a> posted on social media that SPARTA Pride<\/a>, a national nonprofit created by and for transgender people\u00a0serving in the military, was partnering with them to organize a military presence for the parade.<\/p>\n

The post<\/a> recalled Pride beginning as a protest at the Stonewall Inn. \u201cThis year\u2019s march is not just a celebration \u2013 it\u2019s a stand for justice, visibility, and the right to serve and heal with dignity,\u201d Pride said.<\/p>\n

The news came after the San Diego Pride\u2019s Military Department announced June 20 that it would withdraw from the parade<\/a> over a myriad of safety concerns and a lack of support and communication from Pride leadership.<\/p>\n

Department chair Lauren Henson, a United States Marine, in an interview cited surveillance of the marchers to out transgender service members and potential crowd reaction while Marines are deployed domestically in Los Angeles as safety concerns.<\/p>\n

She, along with former chair Clay Kilpatrick, expressed frustration over a lack of year-round advocacy from the Pride organization for LGBTQ+ military members and veterans. Pride was notably absent from a press conference held by local LGBTQ+ leaders and organizations opposing the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cPride has abdicated its leadership role as an advocacy group \u2026 the silence is problematic,\u201d said Kilpatrick, who chaired the military department for a decade and continues to volunteer, in June.<\/p>\n

Beyond just advocacy, Kilpatrick decried the lack of administrative support and timely communication for the military department from Pride, something Henson echoed. <\/p>\n

In the Military Department social media post<\/a>, Henson said San Diego Pride\u2019s diminished capacity has prevented the department \u201cfrom communicating with its members to register and track its participants.\u201d<\/p>\n

With Pride circumventing the department, military registration on the Pride website has begun anew.<\/p>\n

Active duty, veteran, retired and military families were invited to come as they are to march \u2014 whether in uniform, rainbow gear or however they feel comfortable.<\/p>\n

In a statement, Pride said, \u201cWhile some members of the San Diego Pride Military Department will not be participating this year, military contingents will be marching in the parade, including members of SPARTA. All military personnel are welcome to join.\u201d<\/p>\n

SPARTA did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s contingents will look different. The Marine Corps Band will not play due to Trump administration policies that target diversity, equity and inclusion. Department of Defense regulations could impact participants as well.<\/p>\n

San Diego Pride was the first Pride celebration in the nation to have a military contingent march in 2011. The participation had become tradition with San Diego being home to one of the largest military communities in the nation.<\/p>\n

Even amid President Donald Trump\u2019s discharge of transgender service members and cuts to VA healthcare that impact LGBTQ+ veterans, the tradition now will continue with the military contingent set to lead the parade at 10 a.m. July 19.<\/p>\n

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