Pride parade within FLDS Utah community

Photo: Flickr

SHORT CREEK, Utah. — Right after the annual, traditional July Fourth parade through the Utah, Arizona border, a less traditional parade followed, an LGBTQ pride parade. 

The local governments of Colorado City, AZ, and Hildale, Utah adjoined in more than just geography last weekend, they adjoined in supporting the parade of approximately 30 participants.

Hilldale’s relatively recently elected mayor, Donia Jessop, said to a reporter at 2 News that her, “goal was to make the community a place that people from all walks of life could enjoy.”

“I’m so glad that we are making this big step.”

It was a big weekend in the historically polygamist community of Short Creek. With an escort from the town marshal, about 30 people held the town’s first LGBTQ pride event. @KUTV2News at 10. pic.twitter.com/cylXKSpOjQ

— Jeremy Harris (@JeremyHarrisTV) July 6, 2021

A police escort via volunteer security and the town marshal ensured that the small group of parade spectators who were verbally unapproving and showed crude hand gestures didn’t manifest more extreme disapproval. Historically, these municipalities have had predominant inclusion in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). It is one of the few areas in North America in which polygamy is widely practiced.

Carol Chatwin is the pride parade’s organizer, she grew up in Short Creek. “It’s pretty crazy still how excluded they are from the rest of the world. They’re working on it and I’m glad they are, but we’re helping them take steps. I did not think this would ever happen there. I’m so happy to be part of this monumental moment for Short Creek,” Chatwin told Harris of Channel 2 News in Salt Lake City.