The St. John chapter of Recovering from Religion (RfR), an Atheist organization known for its support of LGBTQ rights, was denied a booth at the St. John’s Pride Festival in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Despite initial approval on June 2, organizers rescinded the invitation on July 2, citing a lack of “strong alignment with the focus of Pride in the Park.”
A Surprising Rejection
RfR, which provides support for individuals leaving religious faiths, many of whom identify as LGBTQ, had anticipated participating in the festival’s “Pride in the Park” event. The sudden reversal by festival organizers left the group seeking clarification. Steve Ghikadis, an RfR director, reached out to discuss the decision, expressing a desire to “clarify a few misconceptions about our organization and gain a better understanding of the circumstances surrounding our rejection.”
However, the organizers did not respond to initial inquiries. A follow-up message from Ghikadis on July 4 emphasized the group’s wish for a timely discussion, stating, “We would appreciate a chance to have a discussion on our rejection to this event, and an opportunity to clear up some misconceptions.”
Organizers’ Response Raises Questions
The festival organizers eventually replied, expressing disappointment with what they perceived as an “ultimatum” from RfR. They maintained their decision, citing “significant concerns regarding your content and engagement strategies,” including “a lack of direct and affirming representation of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals in your public materials”.
In an interview with VOCM radio, St. John’s Pride organizer Eddie St. Coeur stated, “I can understand people being, being upset because Pride’s a fun time, you want to be a part of it. But the… just the way that things have played out over the last couple of weeks since we have… informed them and just asking them to come and be in community is really interesting, and it really speaks to an entitlement to access to our community that some groups have. And it’s something that we try and be really cognizant of and that we try and navigate as best we can, and we’re never going to get it 100% right. And Recovering from Religion may be an apt group that should be at Pride.
But the big thing is that they’re not a part of our community, and they don’t have a connection to our community. But there is a sense of, there is this sense of entitlement that they should have access to our community. And the reality is that these are events that are put off by St. John’s Pride. And first and foremost, we try and make sure that the community that we know are protected and that they’re going to have a good time.”
This rationale has been met with skepticism, as RfR’s mission inherently supports LGBTQ individuals, many of whom seek refuge from religious environments that have marginalized them. The organization’s efforts to provide a supportive community for those leaving faith traditions often intersect with the needs of LGBTQ individuals facing religious-based discrimination.
Implications for Inclusivity
The exclusion of RfR from the St. John’s Pride Festival underscores a broader issue within LGBTQ spaces regarding the inclusion of secular organizations. While many Pride events welcome a diverse array of participants, this incident highlights the challenges Atheist groups may face, even when their missions align with the values of equality and support for marginalized communities.
Source URL: https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/lgbtq-affirming-atheist-group-denied
