Some county residents voice displeasure with Pride event

The Lincoln County Pride Festival is set to happen Saturday at Fred Brown Pavilion in Riverside Park, but not everyone is happy about it.

The festival, which was born out of an impromptu gathering in Firemans Park in Libby in the summer of 2021 to celebrate Pride month, will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pride month commemorates the June 1969 police raid of Stonewall Inn in New York, which is credited with sparking the gay rights movement in the U.S.

The movement has grown to include an entire spectrum of gender fluidity and sexual identities.

According to abbreviations.yourdictionary.com, LGBTQIA is an inclusive term that includes people of all genders and sexualities, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, asexual, pansexual and allies.

At the Libby City Council meeting on Tuesday, a handful of people spoke about their displeasure with the event being held in Libby and their beliefs that it would be harmful to children.

Troy resident Evan Comella said her concern developed when she saw the schedule.

“When I look at the schedule and see drag performances, drag story time and a dog fashion show, these are obviously meant to appeal to the children,” Comella said. “This is not appropriate for children.”

Comella said she would work to prevent a similar event from happening in Troy.

Mike France said he lives outside city limits and said he didn’t know what queer had to do with children.

“This is out of bounds bringing children into it,” France said.

According to a schedule posted on Facebook for the festival, the event begins at 9 a.m. with yoga and will be followed by the dog fashion show at 11 a.m. There will be two drag performances, including at noon and 4 p.m. There will be two aerial shows, including at 1 and 5 p.m. There will be speakers at 2 p.m., local performers at 3, and prizes and a raffle at 6 p.m.

Libby Police Chief Scott Kessel said there would be two off-duty city police officers at the event to help with security after organizers contacted the department.

Kessel also spoke about the event.

“Some of the more vocal members of the community have apparently forgotten the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Rights in the Montana Constitution,” Kessel said. “Your rights end where another’s begin. It may be cliche, but it’s true.

“If you don’t want to be a part of it, you don’t have to go,” Kessel said. “If you don’t want your children exposed to a different culture then don’t go.”

Kessel said he anticipates there will be demonstrators, but he doesn’t anticipate problems occurring.

“There is a lack of respect for differing viewpoints, which is unfortunate,” Kessel said.

In another social media post on Lincoln County Pride Festival 2022, the following message was shared:

“We have had a lot of people message us saying they are afraid to attend this event because of safety. I would like to assure the community this event will be protected by the Libby Police Department.

“We ask that attendees DO NOT engage with any protestors and to ignore them at all costs. If there is a situation verbal or physical please inform any officer at the event. There has never been a shooting at any Pride event since prides inception.”