All we ever wanted was to celebrate Starkville's LGBTQ community. When the Board of Aldermen initially banned that celebration, we had no choice but to file a lawsuit to enforce our constitutional rights to freedom of speech and equal protection. After we sued, the city reversed its decision and authorized our parade, which was one of the best in Starkville's history. Now is the time to put this behind us and move forward. We are proud of this settlement and view it as an important first step toward repairing relations between Starkville and its LGBTQ community. In the end, we are all neighbors.
Sincerely,
Bailey McDaniel,
Emily Turner
& Starkville Pride