Staff Reports
In the name of Pride Month, the LGBT movement is intensifying its efforts to deprive parents of their rights and allow minors to participate in adult-only activities. A recent Instagram post from the Indiana Youth Group (IYG) promoted a "Youth Carnival" on June 7 that welcomes participants as young as 12 years old. The trap? Parents are prohibited. The advertisement goes to great extent to stress that the event is "YOUTH ONLY." The advertisement's right-hand portion states, "***PARENTS WILL BE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN OTHER OFF-SITE ACTIVITIES AND ENCOURAGED TO EXPLORE THE CITY."
Indiana Pride Event Won't Let Parents Attend 'Youth Carnival' Event for Children As Young As 12 https://t.co/z59PdoC4S3
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 26, 2023
Even though young children are welcome, it is evident that parents are not invited to the event. The Daily Signal's investigation revealed that the IYG informed a parent who inquired about the safety of their children at an event, "All IYF events and programming are run by staff, volunteers, and trained security personnel." All of these individuals must undertake extensive background checks with the state and the Department of Child Services, as well as trainings in competency, safety, and crisis intervention.
This IYG event is one of many that occur during Pride month, and it raises significant concerns among parental rights advocates regarding the sexual nature of so-called Pride festivals and events, prompting many to question whether it is safe for young children to attend alone. Drag queens performing and simulating sexual acts in front of children attending ostensibly "family-friendly" events have shocked and horrified parents.
On its website, the IYG describes its mission as "creating safer spaces for LGBTQ+ youth to build self-confidence, explore individualism, and form friendships." However, this claim is inconsistent with events such as the carnival, where parents are prohibited from attending and adults aged 18 to 20 are permitted.
The Indiana Youth Group's Instagram post mentions the Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA), which causes concern among many, including Indiana Representative Jim Banks (R). Rep. Banks expressed concern that a taxpayer-funded institution would sponsor such an event that explicitly excludes parents. The IAA responded that they are merely one of many Indy Pride Inc. sponsors and have no control over the event's execution.
As parental rights come under increasing attack from the LGBT movement, the question of whether or not such events with adult-only activities and experiences are appropriate or secure for young children remains.
