As sponsors drop out, Boise Pride Festival drops Drag Kids event over safety concerns – East Idaho News
BOISE (Idaho Statesman) Boise Pride Festival organizers have dropped a Drag Kids event from this weekend s annual celebration after at least three sponsors announced they were withdrawing support.
Zions Bank withdrew its sponsorship on Wednesday, and on Thursday both Idaho Power and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare followed suit.
In a statement Thursday afternoon, Pride organizers said the decision was made because of safety concerns for the children and their parents.
The kids who were going to perform have the enthusiastic support of their community and support and consent of their parents, organizers said in the statement. We support the kids 1000% and their choice to be themselves, stand their truth and express themselves. They are brave, beautiful and deserve their chance to be in the spotlight, and we want to give that to them at a later date.
Riley Burrows, co-producer and host of the Drag Kids program, which had been on the schedule for Sunday, said the decision was extremely difficult to make, but security and safety are priorities.