“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a

little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor

safety”

- Benjamin Franklin

Following a slew of opposition to Pride’s policy barring unaccompanied youth from attending the Pride festival, the Pride board finally backed down and revised its policy.

In the policy’s original form, San Diego Pride would have been one of the first Pride organizations in the country to put restrictions on youth access to this type of Pride event. Leading up to its decision to amend the policy, talks of organizing a protest outside the festival circulated among community members and organizations, and the list of those opposed to Pride’s policy continued to grow daily. Everyone here at the Gay & Lesbian Times took a deep breath and geared up for yet another year of controversy. That is, until word got out that the board held a special meeting last Wednesday and came to a compromise.

Youth now may enter the event as they always have (without having to show ID). As an incentive, youth may enter free of charge if they show their ID and participate in a youth orientation. This orientation will take place at Pride’s new Youth Welcome Tent and is part one of four additional “layers of oversight,” according to Ron deHarte, Pride’s executive director. The orientation will provide youth with information about the festival’s new youth safe zones, places youth can go if they have questions, feel uncomfortable or just “want to get away.” Youth will be asked to respect Pride’s zero-tolerance alcohol and drug policy and hang out according to the buddy system (in groups of two or more). Information booths, security stations and youth safe zones will be pointed out, and chaperones will be positioned throughout the festival grounds to assist youth if needed.

While we’re thrilled Pride listened to the public and formulated an alternative, more-inclusive policy, it still bows to the James Hartlines of the world who insist youth are unsafe in the company of the GLBT community. Safe zones imply that all other areas may be unsafe for youth. Again, what kind of message are we sending with this policy?

GLBT youth and adults have celebrated San Diego Pride together without event for the last 30-plus years the festival has been in existence. We are not a community of pedophiles, and youth are not any more at risk at the festival than they are at any other community celebration in the city.

We understand the importance of protecting youth, but why have youth topped our list of liabilities? Seniors, for example, are at much greater risk for injury due to falls, heat stroke and mobility issues. Where’s their safe zone? Why are they not given free access if they attend a safety orientation?

Pride’s apparent willingness to listen to the public would go a lot further if it would just admit that it is still pandering to the religious right’s misguided belief that our youth are not safe around our adults. Offering free admission to youth willing to participate in a safety orientation is simply the board’s unwillingness to apologize for categorizing everyone in our community as a potential sexual predator.

This paper is relentless in the way we chastise our readership for not getting involved. Kudos to the numerous people who banded together to get this policy changed. And, despite our harsh rhetoric, it’s difficult not to give Pride a few pats on the back as well. With the exception of closing last Wednesday’s special board meeting to exclude public input, Pride did keep an ear open to the community. We just don’t agree with the outcome and hope the organization realizes that the message their new policy sends contradicts the spirit of Pride.