The Georgia GOP is at odds with the organizers of Smyrna Pride over its decisions to exclude the Georgia Log Cabin Republicans from its upcoming Pride festival.
In early 2025, Smyrna Pride, a grantee recipient of Atlanta Pride’s Pride Across the Peach State initiative, rejected an application from the Log Cabin Republicans, a controversial organization for LGBTQ+ Republicans.
Josh McKoon, the Georgia GOP Chair, published a letter on X Monday, Feb. 17, arguing that the exclusion of the Log Cabin Republicans, from this year’s festival violated their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
“There is no conceivable government interest that serves the public for Smyrna Pride to exclude advocacy groups that align with the Republican Party and conservative ideals but include similar groups that advocate for Democratic beliefs,” the letter read. “…The GA Log Cabin GOP and the Georgia Republican Party, Inc. demand for Smyrna Pride to accept their application to be a vendor for the Pride Festival this coming June. Failure of Smyrna Pride to accept the GA Log Cabin GOP’s application will result in litigation by my clients against Smyrna Pride and possibly against the City of Smyrna, who, if they issue a permit to Smyrna Pride will have effectively condoned this discriminatory and unconstitutional conduct.”
Smyrna Pride issued a statement, according to the AJC, saying that festival organizers informed the Republican organization that any organizations that were “solely politically driven” would be rejected.
“Given the current politically charged climate, we did not think it was appropriate for 2025 Smyrna Pride to have any sponsors or vendors affiliated with any particular political party, let alone at the festival recruiting voters,” the group said. “As such, the Board decided to exclude ALL political party affiliates for Smyrna Pride 2025.”
According to Smyrna Pride’s community guidelines, as dictated on its website, all members of the community are welcomed and accepted, but “overtly political/religious content as deemed by the administrators” is prohibited.
Smyrna Pride will be held at Smyrna Market Village on June 28, 2025.
Editor’s note: This article was updated to clarify that Smyrna Pride issued a statement, not the City of Smyrna.
Editor’s note: This article was updated to clarify language that could lend to the incorrect assumption that the Log Cabin Republicans are classed as a hate group by organizations like the Anti-Defamation League.
