Proposed Straight Pride Event in Calif. Seeks to Promote 'Masculinity'

Following in the footsteps of a "straight pride" parade and event scheduled to take place in Boston in August, a group in Modesto, Calif., has now applied for a permit to hold a "straight pride" there next month, according to the Los Angeles Times.

"We're promoting many different things: heterosexuality, masculinity, femininity, babies, born and especially unborn, the nuclear family of men, women and children -- everything that made our country great," organizer Don Grundmann, a chiropractor, herbalist, failed politician, and director of the National Straight Pride Coalition, which is currently only active in California but seeking to build chapters in other states.

Grundmann, who has unsuccessfully run for U.S. Senate five times is also the leader of the Constitution Party of California, which is not recognized as a "ballot-qualified" party, according to the L.A. Times.

"We're looking to spread our message across the country, especially in time for the 2020 election cycle," Grundmann said.

If the city approves the event, it will be held at Graceada Park August 24. But City Hall has been overwhelmed with calls and emails from residents who are opposed to the event.

"Permits to host any event are granted based on operational feasibility, not based on values and certainly not based on any endorsement of beliefs," said Thomas Reeves, community and media relations officer for Modesto. "Although the city does not share in the beliefs of some groups that choose to hold their events here, we may not be able to deny a permit based on an organization's values."

Already, counterprotests to the "straight pride" event are in the works.

One organizer of the counterprotest, Chris Holland, wants to get the word out that the National Straight Pride Coalition is "a thinly veiled hate organization."

"They are dressing up their homophobic agenda as a celebration, which mocks everything that pride is about," Holland said.