By John Mack Freeman
In a bizarre instance of LGBT erasure, Governor Mike Pence of Indiana released a proclamation welcoming individuals to Indianapolis’ Pride Celebration without mention LGBT people in the proclamation. The text was as follows:
Greetings,
On behalf of the people of Indiana, welcome to Indianapolis. I am confident that those of you who traveled from out of state will come to know our famous Hoosier Hospitality.
Our state’s capital city is well known as a destination for conventions, festivals, business meetings and other events. In fact, a recent USA TODAY Reader’s Choice digital poll ranked Indianapolis as the Best Convention City in the country.
Like so many other organizations who continue to use Indianapolis as their destination of choice, I am confident you will come to know a vibrant city.
During your stay, please explore the many entertainment options Indianapolis has to offer such as our museums, restaurants, theaters, historic landmarks, White River State Park, and the Indianapolis Zoo, just to name a few.
So, once again, welcome to Indiana. We hope you enjoy your stay.
While Governor Pence’s antipathy towards LGBT people is well-known given his support of the extreme religious freedom bill that was passed and subsequently weakened in his state as a result of a media firestorm, this is yet another example of Pence’s failure to recognize LGBT people.
