Southlake-Keller church welcomes first Pride event despite GOP activists attacks
.JPG "In this file photo, a small Pride Flag is displayed on the campus of TCU. A Pride event is scheduled for Saturday in Southlake.")
Organizers of the first Pride event for Keller and Southlake and the minister of the church where the festival is taking place say they are not intimidated by derogatory posts from the Tarrant County GOP chair and other groups concerning a drag rap artist who has since canceled her performance.
April Dreyson and her wife Shaina always wanted to have a Pride event in Keller where they grew up, and when Alan Bentrup, rector of St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church offered the church’s 12 acres, they got to work planning the event.
Pride Kel-So is Saturday from 2-6 p.m. at the church, 223 S. Pearson Lane, Southlake. The event is free, but attendees need to register on the Eventbrite page.
Pride Kel-So will feature performances from the Oaklawn Band, over 141 vendors, food trucks, Lego contests and rock painting.
April Dreyson said she and her wife always wanted a Pride event in Keller where they grew up. St. Martin is on the Southlake-Keller border.
April said she and her wife attended Keller High School but were “closeted.” They are now active in the Keller community and the LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce and own an events venue, The Dreyson.
“We are very excited. We are still processing the positive interactions we are having with many churches,” April Dreyson said.
The posts directed at the Dreysons and Bentrup described how children were going to be exposed to explicit music from drag performer, Madame Lexical.
But Dreyson said the artist was going to perform one age-appropriate song that she often sings at inter-faith concerts.
“We heard her perform about experiences of a trans person who was arrested, and everyone was crying,” April Dreyson said. “We were very mindful of the hate she was getting from those people.”
A Tarrant GOP newsletter that links to an X post from party chair Bo French described Lexical as a “repulsive transgender rap ‘artist’ who espouses violent language against conservatives.” The letter concluded by urging leaders, “from the Trump Administration down to the local level, put a stop to all of this immediately.”
Dreyson said the decision to cancel was best for Lexical’s well-being.
Security plan for protests
Dreyson said there is an extensive security plan in place if protesters show up.
For his part, Bentrup said he is expecting protests, and the church has public sidewalks where people are free to exercise their First Amendment rights.
“I can’t wait to meet them, talk to them and offer them a glass of water,” Bentrup said.
Bentrup said when he discussed the Pride event with the Vestry (church board) everyone approved of the idea.
“We want to be a good neighbor. We opened up our space just like we do for scout troops and HOA’s.”