“We make no apologies:” Colorado GOP Vice Chair doubles down on anti-LGBTQ+ statements
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Thousands of people gathered in downtown Colorado Springs Saturday and Sunday to celebrate the Pikes Peak Pride Festival as pride month begins. Meanwhile, the State's GOP is standing by comments they sent out in an email to their supporters, condemning the month and asking people to burn Pride flags.
One family was at Pikes Peak Pride to celebrate their son, who they had lost to mental health struggles last December during his transition.
"It's important to us to celebrate not only Spencer's life, but everyone's life, equality, love, and just be part of something so beautiful and special and be here for him and represent him and our family in this community," Coco Pumilia said.
The Pumilia family was there with their other two sons who were also celebrating in remembrance of their oldest brother.
Others were there to offer resources for vulnerable members of the LGBTQ+ community, especially those experiencing mental health struggles.
"There's a lot of struggles. One, discrimination is a huge one, and just not being comfortable enough with themselves to come out." Alicia Nolan with Choose to Live said. "There are so many other struggles within the community, whether it's physical abuse, mental abuse or from family, and just not being comfortable enough to be who they are out in public."
KRDO13 contacted Republican party chair Dave Williams for a comment or interview on Sunday about the email sent out on behalf of his party. In lieu of a statement from him, vice-chair Hope Scheppelman responded, denying a request for an interview with this text:
"We make no apologies for standing against pride month as it's a destructive agenda that harms children and undermines parental authority and if certain weak Republicans like Nancy Palozzi want to side with a movement that promotes transgender chemical castration and genital mutilation then we look forward to notifying their base membership of that disgraceful act."
- Hope Scheppelman, Vice-Chairman of the Republican GOP
One Colorado Springs member of the LGBTQ+ community gave their thoughts on the statements.
"I would think that it's important for people to know that we are not here to indoctrinate their children. We are not here to press our viewpoints and beliefs. We just want to be human. And the most important question that I would ask people is, if you're going to be human, what does that look like?" Jayde Roze said.
