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By Natalie Venegas
Weekend Reporter
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At the start of Pride Month, the Colorado Republican Party has faced backlash after sending a "God hates Pride" email on Monday.
Twenty-five years ago, President Bill Clinton declared June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. His decision came 30 years after police raided The Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City in 1969, sparking violent clashes among patrons, residents, and law enforcement. Also called the Stonewall Uprising, the six days of protests further fueled a national LGBTQ+ movement.
LGBTQ+ individuals encounter discrimination, marginalization, and are often targets of hate crimes. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), an LGBTQ+ media advocacy group, reported a record spike in LGBTQ+ hate during last year's Pride Month.
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According to GLAAD and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), there were "at least 145 incidents of anti-LGBTQ+ hate and extremism nationwide" during that time.
On Monday, the Colorado Republican Party began the month by sending an email to its members with the subject line "God Hates Pride."
Newsweek has reached out to the Colorado Republican Party via email for comment.
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According to Denver-based news outlet Westword, the email, signed by party chair Dave Williams, described members of the LGBTQ+ community as "evil," "woke creeps" and "godless groomers."
In addition, the email also links to a video with the thumbnail "God hates flags," in which Pastor Mark Driscoll criticizes elements of the rainbow Pride flag, Westword reports.
Since the email, some Republicans have spoken out against the Colorado GOP for sending the email.
Valdamar Archuleta, the president of the Log Cabin Republicans of Colorado, which according to its website is the "nation's original and largest organization representing LGBT conservatives and straight allies," said the email was hurting the GOP as it was isolating others with a divisive message.
"It's alienating a large group of people within the party. Not just LGBT people, but our friends, our allies, our families. This was a massive mistake. We need to work on unifying the party and growing the party, not isolating people with divisive messages like this," Archuleta told Westword.
Archuleta continued to condemn the email, adding that a leadership change is needed.
"That email was blatantly hateful. There's really no condoning it in any way. We need new leadership, and we need to start looking for new leadership now," Archuleta added.
In a statement emailed to Newsweek, Williams doubled down on the email, stating "we make no apologies" as he took aim at the backlash calling critics "radical Democrats" and "weak Republicans.'
"We make no apologies for saying God hates pride or pride flags as it's an agenda that harms children and undermines parental authority, and the only backlash we see is coming from radical Democrats, the fake news media, and weak Republicans who bow down at the feet of leftist cancel culture," Williams said.
Newsweek has reached out to Log Cabin Republicans of Colorado and the ADL via email for comment.
In addition, Republican Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon condemned the email stating that messages like this do not serve the Colorado community.
"Messages of hate, bigotry and government control over people's lives are not Republican or Christian. Colorado Republicans who care about public safety, property taxes, reducing homelessness and supporting the Constitution have kids, grandkids, friends, neighbors, or they themselves are part of the LGBTQ+ community. How do messages of hate serve them and our communities?" Laydon told Westword.
This is not the first time the Colorado Republican Party has taken aim at the LGBTQ+ community through an email.
In June 2023, the party sent an email with the subject line "Pride is evil"
In response to that email, Log Cabin Republicans of Colorado called the email "narrow-minded and pandered to the far right," adding that "this rhetoric is an irritating splinter to the greater Colorado Republican Party and other common-sense voters in the state."
Despite the criticism, the Colorado GOP has reiterated its stance as it has continued to take aim at Pride Month and the LGBTQ+ community in posts to X, formerly Twitter, with one post stating, "Burn all the #pride flags this June."
Update 6/5/24, 5:20 p.m. ET: This story was updated with a comment from Dave Williams
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