After backlash from the Georgia GOP, Smyrna Pride organizers have decided to admit the Log Cabin Republicans as a vendor to “de-escalate unnecessary division,” according to a statement.
The Smyrna is Fabulous, Inc. Board of Directors, which organizes the June festival, said in the statement that it had no legal obligation to admit the Log Cabin Republicans since it clearly stated it would not permit political organizations.
Smyrna Pride’s initial decision spurred Georgia GOP Chair Josh McKoon to release a letter arguing that the rejection violated the Log Cabin Republican’s First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
Despite the Supreme Court precedent Hurley v. Irish-American Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Group of Boston (1995) and Eleventh Circuit precedent Leake v. Drinkard (2021), which established the right of event organizers to curate participation as they see fit, Smyrna Pride said it would allow the Log Cabin Republicans to attend the festival under strict vendor terms. The festival organizers said they would also allow other political organizations to vend at Smyrna Pride.
“We will not allow political agendas to dictate the mission of Pride,” the Smyrna is Fabulous, Inc. Board of Directors said in the statement. “Smyrna Pride is about celebrating LGBTQ+ lives, not advancing divisive political agendas. We refuse to let misinformation derail the work we do for our community.”
The Log Cabin Republicans, as well as other politically affiliated vendors now allowed to participate in the festival, will be required to adhere to the following terms:
- Any rhetoric, materials, or conduct that disrespects or invalidates LGBTQ+ identities, especially trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse people, will result in immediate expulsion.
- Any attempts to spread hostility or disrupt the festival’s inclusive nature will result in permanent banning from all future Smyrna Pride events.
- Any vendor who undermines any member of the LGBTQ+ community will not be welcome.
“We will not tolerate anyone using Smyrna Pride 2025 as a platform or publicity-stunt to degrade members of the LGBTQ+ community,” the Board of Directors said. “This is non-negotiable.”
Attached to their acceptance is also a cease and desist, requiring the Log Cabin Republicans to immediately stop disseminating false claims about vendor selection and inclusion; cease interfering with Smyrna Pride’s relationships with sponsors, vendors, and community members; and discontinue legal threats based on misinformation. If the Georgia Log Cabin Republicans don’t meet these terms, their vendor status will be immediately revoked.
A source with the Georgia Log Cabin Republicans told Georgia Voice the group is currently considering their options and will release a statement soon.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
