At a June 26 Pride event in Seattle, which will be hosted in Jimi Hendrix park, organizers will be charging what they call a “reparations fee” for white attendees. The organizers claim that this event is targeted specifically toward “black and brown” members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The fee, which will run anywhere between $10-$50, is claimed to be for the purpose of keeping the event free for attendees of color. “White allies” are welcome, say the organizers, but they will be asked to pay the fee.
A local Pride group, Capitol Hill Pride, has asked the city of Seattle to look into the matter of the “reparations” fee, claiming that this could constitute an ethics violation. Directors Philip Lipson and Charlotte LeFevre consider the fee “reverse discrimination,” as they shared in a letter on Twitter. The city’s Human Rights Commission, however, ruled in favor of the event organizers.
