San Diego LGBT Pride respects the independent spirit of the youth in our community. Youth are invited to be a part of the annual Pride celebration. We are very proud of our long history of supporting them.

Recently, a posting popped up on the SD-GLBTQ Yahoo mail group stating that “Pride has abandoned our youth” by implementing a new policy regarding the admittance of people 17 and under into the Pride festival. It is one of a number of public comments regarding the role young community members should have in Pride celebrations.

Nothing is further from the truth. Underage youth who want to participate in the festival have every opportunity to do so. The Pride festival continues to be an inclusive event and no youth are being turned away.

Ensuring the safety and security of underage and unaccompanied youth is our top priority. As a private, ticketed event, we are responsible for everyone who walks through the festival gates. A “buddy/guardian” program is being developed to enable youth 17 years and under to enjoy the festival.

San Diego Pride remains committed to promoting a positive Pride experience for our youth and oversees and funds the annual Youth Pride event, which will take place in October this year. A youth-dedicated and youth-safe space called The Xone will be organized at the annual Pride festival specifically for youth 13-20 years old. Another dedicated space called the Children’s Garden is specifically geared for children under 13 and their parents.

San Diego Pride is working with LGBTQ youth and their friends to shape, create and further grow their own space at the Pride festival. We are bringing youth 13-20 to the table and meeting with youth service providers to ensure that youth needs and youth service providers are included in the youth space at the festival.

We are also seeking the support of the media and youth service providers to help get the word out to youth so they are aware of this opportunity and have a chance to participate and enjoy the space during the festival.

Underage and unaccompanied youth will need to take responsibility and be proactive if they want to enter the festival grounds. They will need to contact the Pride office, obtain tickets and be assigned a buddy/guardian. The “buddy” will act as a chaperon at the festival.

It should also be pointed out that the Pride celebration is much more than just a festival. It is a monthlong, multi-event celebration with hundreds of thousands of participants. We celebrate Pride through a series of arts and cultural events, a rally and the largest parade in San Diego. I encourage LGBT youth – and everyone else in our community – to take part in as many of these events as possible.

The Pride parade, for example, offers an unequaled opportunity for young people to interact with the LGBT community. More than 150,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight people are expected to attend this year’s parade. There will be people from all different walks of life, all different races and backgrounds, and all different ages.

We invite everyone in our community who wants to honor our youth and ensure them a safe and positive experience at the festival to either volunteer as a “buddy,” help organize the Youth Zone, become a volunteer for Youth Pride, or volunteer for any of the programs that support youth in our community year-round.

I sincerely hope San Diego’s youth will take part in Pride’s wonderful show of diversity. Our youth are a vital part of our community and need to be represented in San Diego’s biggest LGBT celebration. But as the father of two children myself, I also know that there is nothing more important than protecting minors from the very real safety risks in our society. Balancing these two needs is what we are doing at San Diego Pride.