Kansas City Pride protest march on … not the Pride parade (updated)

Update (5:29 p.m. June 1): A press release earlier today claimed the Pride parade was back on. But let’s be clear, this isn’t a sanctioned part of the Pride weekend festivities, which you might have guessed since the “parade” organizers plan to end their march with a protest outside the Power  & Light District. So with that info, we’re changing the headline to “protest march” to make things clearer.

Original story (2:40 p.m. June 1): Last week, the Kansas City Pride parade was canceled. This week it’s on again — and there’s drama!

The Pride parade is scheduled for Friday. It’ll start at 19th and Main, go through the Crossroads and end at the Power & Light District. But it won’t be a happy ending. That’s when the protest against the P&L District begins. Huh?

Let’s let the parade’s organizers explain:

Members of the LGBTQIA community in Kansas City who are

upset over Show Me Pride, LLC’s decision to partner with the Power and Light

district and ignore its history and current acts of discrimination and

exclusion will be hosting a parade and rally to show that not everyone in

the community is willing to support the racist, classist, sexist, homophobic

and transphobic policies and customs of the Power & Light District. Awards

will be given for best costume.

Guess they’re not impressed with the P&L’s dress code changes.