Mike Pence Issues Classy Response after High Schooler Organizes LGBT Pride Festival in His Hometown

Will Maule : Apr 2, 2018
Faithwire.com

"If Pence attends, I would thank him for coming and opening his mind to see the diversity in his hometown!" -Erin Bailey, event organizer

[Faithwire.com] Vice President Mike Pence has responded to the organizers of a gay pride festival that will take place this month in his hometown of Columbus, Indiana. Pence has been criticized by the LGBT community for holding to traditional Christian views on marriage and for opposing LGBT-related initiatives such as gender-neutral bathrooms. (Photo: VP Pence/credit: Gage Skidmore/Flickr)

High school senior Erin Bailey, who organized the event, told HuffPost that "even though Mike Pence is openly anti-gay, that doesn't mean that all of us in his hometown are."

Much of this criticism comes down to the commonly voiced claim that the vice president is an advocate of "gay conversion" therapy. But earlier this year, Pence's press secretary told PEOPLE that this is an absolute fabrication.

"The accusation is totally false with no basis in fact," Alyssa Farah said in January.

Farah also issued an extraordinary response from the vice president in relation to the upcoming gay pride festival.

"Vice President Pence commends Erin Bailey for her activism and engagement in the civic process," she told PEOPLE. "As a proud Hoosier and Columbus native, he's heartened to see young people from his hometown getting involved in the political process."

In a recent interview with ELLE, Erin Bailey made it clear that Pence's presence at the parade would be welcomed.

"If Pence attends, I would thank him for coming and opening his mind to see the diversity in his hometown!" the event organizer...

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