In a surprising turn of events, the mayor of a small Iowa town, Essex, unilaterally decided to exclude an LGBTQ+ group from participating in the community’s Labor Day parade. The decision, communicated via email, came as a shock to the Shenandoah Pride organization, which had planned to have a small group walk with a banner and a drag performer ride in a convertible, distributing candy, popsicles, and stickers. This parade was part of a four-day festival in Essex, a town with a population of about 720.
Exclusion Without Council Consent
The parade’s organizer, Ryan Fuller, who was set to ride in the convertible as Cherry Peaks, received an email on Thursday, informing him of the mayor’s determination. It was revealed that Mayor Calvin Kinney made this unilateral decision without seeking consent from the City Council. Council Member Heather Thornton, who disagreed with the mayor’s action, stated, “It was the mayor himself,” emphasizing his belief in having sufficient authority to proceed without council approval.
A Resilient Response
The exclusion decision left members of Shenandoah Pride, like Jessa Bears, in a state of shock, anger, sadness, but also motivation. She expressed that this ban had inadvertently brought more attention to the organization than the parade alone would have. One of the primary reasons for Shenandoah Pride’s participation was to inform people that Southwest Iowa is home to a vibrant queer community.
Outcry and Legal Action
Thornton, who serves on the club board that invited the pride group to attend, stressed that the groups organizing the event “fully supported their efforts and are just as upset as everyone else that they were excluded.” The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa has also entered the fray, condemning the decision to exclude Shenandoah Pride. The ACLU cited an email from the mayor, in which he expressed concerns about public safety but did not provide evidence of any threats against the LGBTQ+ group’s participation in the parade. Instead, he cited a desire to avoid politically charged topics related to gender and sexual identity or orientation.
This decision by Mayor Kinney has ignited a controversy that brings questions of inclusivity and LGBTQ+ rights to the forefront in Essex, Iowa, and serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for acceptance and recognition faced by LGBTQ+ communities, even in small towns across America.