San Diego Pride
san diego pride nonprofit organization based san diego california organization operates various yearround program including annual weeklong celebration every july focusing lgbtq community event feature pride parade saturday preceded block party rally hillcrest neighborhood night followed twoday pride festival saturday sunday balboa park pride week believed largest annual civic event city san diego parade float entry viewed crowd people organization describes mission fostering pride equality respect lesbian gay bisexual transgender community locally nationally globally vision world free prejudice bias gay lesbian community san diego organized “gayin” potluck community group gathering community hotline catalyst organizing fundraising create comprehensive service center social service opened house b street center became social political focus gay community known san diego lgbt community center june center hosted gay pride event included yard sale potluck dinner center well informal parade balboa park back marcher walk sidewalk since city parade permit community able secure permit rally person march parade held almost every year since despite organizational financial problem finally solved formation permanent pride organization professional management organizer difficulty getting insurance coverage parade festival able resolve issue moving festival onto private property negotiating reduced coverage requirement city san diego parade event nearly rained june pride festival permanently moved june july avoid san diegos june gloom weather pattern parade moved current route hillcrest along university avenue th avenue balboa park san diego pride incorporated former mayor current talkshow host roger hedgecock organized group protester calling normal people applied march pride parade “in political disagreement homosexual agenda” rejected organizer parade hedgecock filed lawsuit arguing exclusion violated san diegos human dignity ordinance superior court rejected claim arguing right march protected ordinance since parade private event normal people message intended interfere event san diego pride theme diversity creates community featured first official pride program printed english spanish several hundred active retired military service member marched parade anticipation imminent removal dont ask dont tell rule u military personnel wear military uniform rather tshirts name branch service first time activeduty american military personnel publicly marched gay pride parade u department defense granted permission military personnel wear uniform participating san diego pride parade first time united state military personnel permitted wear service uniform parade local navy command already approved wearing navy uniform dod decided add official stamp approval since event garnered national medium attention defense department stressed onetime approval applied particular parade based determination event nonpolitical civic event military member generally permitted participate parade parade nonpolitical patriotic nature civic event need specific permission wear uniform event dod directive stated based current knowledge event existing policy hereby granting approval servicemembers uniform participate year parade provided servicemembers participate personal capacity ensure adherence military service standard appearance wear military uniform two republican congressman objected decision saying parade political nature organizer said political pointing san diegos mayoral candidate marched parade even though one conservative republican liberal democrat also parade started harvey milk street first street nation named gay civil right icon harvey milk proceeded past huge new rainbow flag raised first time july kick pride festival street rename flag unanimously approved city council may festival featured outdoor wedding chapel couple arranged officiant celebration overturning california proposition previous month grand marshal la toya jackson george takei husband brad organization subject controversy community member unhappy organization action demanded transparency specifically fired executive director stephen whitburn former san diego city council candidate subsequently group called save sd pride formed response perceived lack transparency december group reached deal reform organization adding advisory council well consolidating one group focus pride event parade went virtual due impact covid pandemic essential worker declared community grand marshall adam lambert gigi goode margaret cho shared message support san diego pride went forward without usual large parade festival place parade resilient community march staged balboa park pride flag hillcrest estimated attendance least people july saw return fullscale pride event including fest parade twoday festival july san diego police department rushed installation smart streetlight automated license plate reader pretext pride parade recent rise hate crime established exigent circumstance necessary bypass usual oversight protocol official website