'Gays For Trump' Banned From Charlotte Pride Parade

A gay, pro-Donald Trump group in North Carolina might take legal action after they were denied participation May 16 to attend the “Charlotte Pride” festival and parade, which takes place Aug. 26-27.

The organization reserves the right to refuse applications from groups that “do not reflect the mission, vision and values of our organization,” WJZY reported on Wednesday.

“I am very proud of my country, proud of my president and was once proud of my community,” said Brian Talbert, a member of “Gays for Trump.” “I will vote for Donald Trump again. I’m proud of my president. I don’t think I should be vilified because I’m proud of a U.S. president as an American.”

Read: Gay Pride 2017: Trump Slammed By LGBT Leader For Failing To Acknowledge Pride Month

The “Gays for Trump” where Talbert is a member is not affiliated with the “Gays for Trump” that is based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Talbert said he and another gay Trump supporter sent an application to Charlotte Pride so they could have a float in the Pride Parade. Charlotte Pride rejected his application through an email. For “Gays for Trump,” the float in the parade was a chance to show they are not racist, bigoted or misogynistic as well as a chance to celebrate gay pride, said Talbert.

“For a group of people to claim to want tolerance, for them to sit back and judge me for exercising my right as an American to choose my leader without judgment is hypocritical,” he said. “I believe men and women died to give us that right to choose our own leader. They don’t extend the same courtesy to me for being a gay Republican.”

Talbert is planning to file a lawsuit against Charlotte Pride on the grounds of discrimination. He created a GoFundMe page on Tuesday to raise money for lawyer’s fees. Since it was created, the page has raised $3,115.

“We as a minority within a minority know discrimination first hand,” reads the statement describing “Deplorable Pride,” the name of the fundraising page. “We need all the help we can get in order to fight the majority within the minority.”

Read: Gay Pride 2017: Why Won't President Trump Acknowledge Pride Month?

An official written statement released by a spokesperson for Charlotte Pride reads: “Charlotte Pride envisions a world in which LGBTQ people are affirmed, respected and included in the full social and civic life of their local communities, free from fear of any discrimination, rejection, and prejudice. Charlotte Pride invites all individuals, groups, organizations and causes which share our values to join our community’s celebration of the LGBTQ community during the Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade.”