Aurora To Hold First Pride Parade In City's History

AURORA, IL — Aurora will make history this summer when the city hosts its first pride parade. The permit was unanimously approved by aldermen Monday after facing concerns from the community about safety in the community during the event.

Members of the activist group Indivisible Aurora have championed the pride parade in the face of the resistance, which led the initial January vote to be postponed. Advocates and officials then regrouped to hear the community's concerns.

For Chuck Adams, director of Indivisible Aurora, the issue of whether or not the the parade should be approved went deeper than logistics.

"It is easy to argue about dates in June, about whether some guy should be able to walk down our city streets in a pink tutu and a halter top, or whether the sight of two men kissing makes you uncomfortable. But this parade is bigger than that," Adams said at Monday's meeting.

"It is about potentially saving lives it is about ensuring that every member of the LGBT community knows that they are an important part of the fabric of this community."

"It is about affirming a population that has been beaten, shamed, and ostracized," he added.

Adams was applauded as he said, "They've been told to stay in the closet, not for their safety, but for ours. Today we kick that closet door wide open in Aurora."

Aurora's first pride parade will be held on June 17, 2018.

>>Image via Pixabay, rihaij