A group of nude cyclists participated in the Seattle Pride Month parade on June 25, exposing families with children to their genitalia.
The cyclists, which are considered a mainstay at the Seattle Pride Parade, biked on 4th avenue downtown. Footage showed one naked male sporting rainbow-colored paint, giving a high-five to a parade attendee. The group of cyclists stopped in the middle of the parade to wave to a cheering crowd. (RELATED: Nude Cyclists Bike Through Seattle Pride Parade As Children Look On)
A subsequent video showed the nude men showering themselves off in a fountain with children nearby.
The footage sparked immediate backlash online.
At the @OurSeattlePride event, a group of adults exposed themselves to the audience of families and children. #Pride https://t.co/ySBUQ61wgM
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) June 25, 2023
“Not sharing the video. But there’s a lot of outrage over the Seattle Pride event where men appeared nude around kids. I think the vast majority of the LGBTQ community & ally community find this offensive & counter productive. I was at NYC pride & it was fun& family friendly event,” co-host of The View Alyssa Farrah Franklin tweeted.
“If you’re going to paint yourself, walk around naked, and play in a public fountain, I question your level of sanity. But when you do it in front of kids, without pause, I think you should be placed on a watch list,” tweeted radio show host Dennis Michael Lynch.
“Pride parades are nothing but opportunities for exhibitionists to get their thrills at the expense of children,” tweeted a social media commentator that goes by the name “Greg.”
Democratic Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal tweeted earlier in June that she would attend the Seattle pride parade.
“Seattle friends – I’ll be marching in the 49th annual Seattle Pride Parade on June 25th and I hope you’ll join me!” Jayapal tweeted, “This is one of my favorite events of the year, so you can bet my team and I will be there loud and proud!”
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell attended and praised the parade on Twitter
“Our diversity makes us stronger, which is why we must send a clear message to our LGBTQIA+ community today and every day: we see you, we support you, and you belong here,” Harrell tweeted.
The backlash against the parade comes amid increasing debate on whether LGBT-themed events are appropriate for children. Several red states have moved to restrict or ban children from attending events such as drag shows. Several Florida cities cancelled or age-restricted Pride Month parades and events, citing state legislation which bans children from seeing “adult live performances.”