San Francisco Trans and Dyke March organizations have both endorsed honoring Bradley Manning during their upcoming annual pre San Francisco Pride parade marches on June 28th and 29th respectively.
According to both groups Facebook posts SF Pride's dogged debates and flip-flopping on the issue left both groups distressed. At one time Manning had expressed gender confusion and had requested to be referred to as Breanna. Since then reps for the incarcerated Manning have rescinded that request and said to keep the gender status confined to male pronouns.
In a press release the Trans March stated in part:
The San Francisco Trans March will honor Private Bradley Manning on Friday, June 28th from 3-7pm at Dolores Park on the opening of the 2013 PRIDE Weekend. Manning, a member of the LGBT community, and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, reached national attention in 2011 when he released a video and documents that exposed the killing of unarmed civilians & news reporters by US forces in Iraq.
2012 Dyke March Photo: 8675309
Similarly the Dyke March added in a statement issued on their Facebook page:
Not Proud of Pride! Recently, the San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee announced that openly gay Army whistleblower PFC Bradley Manning would be honored as a grand marshal for the largest gathering of LGBT (lesbian gay bisexual transgender) people and allies in the United States.PFC Manning was selected for one of our community’s highest accolades because he helped reveal unpunished war crimes..
SF Pride Committee is set to issue their own final (final, final?) statement tomorrow, June 7th, following their lively and well attended public forum on the invite/disinvite of Bradley Manning as Hon. Grand Marshal at this years SF Pride Parade that was held at SF's MCC Church on May 31st.
Additionally, according to EBAR, former District 8 Supervisor and SF Mayoral candidate, Bevan Dufty, has declined his position in this years parade as Grand Marshall. Mr. Dufty was elected by popular vote of Pride members. He currently serves as Mayor Ed Lee's director of City Housing, Opportunity, Partnership, and Empowerment program.
In an email to the Bay Area Reporter he wrote, ""I very much wanted to be a Pride grand marshal but I don't feel this is the right time," Mr. Dufty refused to comment directly on whether or not this decision had anything to do with the current Bradley Manning debacle surrounding this years Pride instead saying, "he'd let his actions speak for themselves." Ever the consummate politician Mr. Dufty says and doesn't say the right thing.
We will update tomorrow with Pride's promised decision regarding Mr. Manning as soon as we know it.
San Francisco Trans and Dyke March organizations have both endorsed honoring Bradley Manning during their upcoming annual pre San Francisco Pride parade marches on June 28th and 29th respectively.
According to both groups Facebook posts SF Pride's dogged debates and flip-flopping on the issue left both groups distressed. At one time Manning had expressed gender confusion and had requested to be referred to as Breanna. Since then reps for the incarcerated Manning have rescinded that request and said to keep the gender status confined to male pronouns.
In a press release the Trans March stated in part:
Additionally, according to EBAR, former District 8 Supervisor and SF Mayoral candidate, Bevan Dufty, has declined his position in this years parade as Grand Marshall. Mr. Dufty was elected by popular vote of Pride members. He currently serves as Mayor Ed Lee's director of City Housing, Opportunity, Partnership, and Empowerment program.
In an email to the Bay Area Reporter he wrote, ""I very much wanted to be a Pride grand marshal but I don't feel this is the right time," Mr. Dufty refused to comment directly on whether or not this decision had anything to do with the current Bradley Manning debacle surrounding this years Pride instead saying, "he'd let his actions speak for themselves." Ever the consummate politician Mr. Dufty says and doesn't say the right thing.
We will update tomorrow with Pride's promised decision regarding Mr. Manning as soon as we know it.
