In Naples, Florida — a city that should be a welcoming place for all — the City Council is targeting Naples Pride with unfair, discriminatory rules meant to silence and censor LGBTQ+ expression.

Naples Pride has hosted its family-friendly Pridefest for years, celebrating inclusion, diversity, and love. But in 2025, the City Council imposed outrageous new restrictions: banning outdoor drag performances, reclassifying the event as “adults only,” and slapping Naples Pride with a $30,000+ security fee. No other event faces these kinds of rules.

These aren’t just burdensome — they’re unconstitutional. A federal court recently agreed, refusing the City’s attempt to dismiss Naples Pride’s lawsuit. The judge made it clear: vague "public safety" excuses don’t justify singling out LGBTQ+ voices.

As the City prepares to vote on Naples Pride’s 2026 permit request on January 21, we must send a powerful message: Naples Pride deserves equal treatment. Not extra fees. Not censorship. Not second-class status.

If the city allows other groups to use public parks without these extreme conditions, Naples Pride must be given the same freedom. Pridefest is not a threat. It’s a celebration of identity, family, and community.

We, the undersigned, call on the Naples City Council to immediately reverse all discriminatory restrictions on Naples Pride events and approve the 2026 Pridefest permit without censorship or inflated fees. Naples belongs to all of us — and Pride belongs in our parks.

Join us in defending the right to gather, celebrate, and be seen. Sign now to demand the City Council uphold equal treatment under the law.