By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

TENSIONS are mounting ahead of tomorrow’s Pride Week march, as a church group plans a counter-protest on the same day at the University of The Bahamas, raising fears of confrontation.

The “Human Rights March,” organised by members of the LGBTQ community and allied groups, is scheduled as part of Pride Week activities. Organisers say the event is about equality and visibility, not sexual expression. But Churches United in Christ, led by Prophetess Pastor Dr Patrice Smith, says it will also protest that day to “stand up for what the Bible says.”

“I am not bashing anybody,” she said. “I just feel like the world needs to know the truth. It’s time for the church to come out of the four walls. We’ve been silent too long. We’ve allowed so many things to pass, and now it’s in our face. And so, as the church, we have to stand up. We have to say something. We have to be present.”

Her comments reflect the continued rift in The Bahamas, where expressions of LGBTQ visibility often trigger strong pushback from religious groups and others.

Activists say this intolerance underscores why Pride Week — and its public march — remain vital.

Victor Rollins, founder of SASH Bahamas and one of the earliest organisers of Pride events, said yesterday that misconceptions about the march persist because of imported stereotypes and misinformation. “Firstly, I want to say it’s called a Human Rights March, not a gay pride march,” he said. “You have different people, different groups, all joining in. Other people come and call it a gay pride march.”

He said those expecting flamboyant displays will be surprised. “People don’t do what they do in their bedrooms in the streets,” he said. “They’re going to see persons who believe in human rights — women’s groups, groups defending the rights of children being molested, and others. They’ll be in for a shock because it’s not just ‘gay people’ — it’s a human rights march.”

Gennaro Bullard, executive director of the Bahamas Organisation of LGBTI Affairs and a member of the Pride planning committee, said the movement has evolved far beyond its early years. “The needs that our service and pride is dictated by the climate that exists at the moment,” he said. “Especially with the rise of the far-right movement in different geopolitical spaces, funding for projects that service the LGBTQ community, whether human rights or healthcare, has been jeopardised. These events are about showing that we are here: your brothers, sisters, neighbours.”

Pride Week traces its roots to 2001, when local organisers first held small social events and health fairs. A larger Pride Weekend in 2014 sparked fierce backlash after religious leaders condemned it as immoral, forcing organisers into the international spotlight and setting the tone for future debates.

Since 2020, the event has been revived annually in October, aligning with National Heroes Month and focusing on education, art, health, and inclusion.

“To be a thriving member of the LGBTQ community, you are a hero in itself,” Mr Bullard said. The week’s sessions, he added, are designed to counter misinformation that feeds hostility. “Because of a lack of exposure, people are just ignorant,” he said. “If you’re only exposed to certain shows in California or New York, you’ll assume that’s what Pride looks like here. But the context is different. Our needs are different.”

He also addressed the planned counter-protest, saying the church group has every right to demonstrate just as LGBTQ Bahamians have the right to march. “It was purposeful, obviously, by the pronunciations that were made on different shows. But they have the right to do so, because it’s a testament to what every human being — heterosexual, homosexual, Christian, non-Christian — has the human right to do,” he said.

Although Pride has never received formal political endorsement, organisers say government agencies, particularly the Ministry of Health, have partnered in areas such as HIV prevention and public education. “It would be unfair to say the government gives political support,” Mr Bullard said. “But they have facilitated discussions.”

For organisers like Mr Rollins and Mr Bullard, the stakes are deeply personal. Mr Rollins said early Pride efforts were acts of courage in a climate of hostility. Mr Bullard recalled growing up believing he was alone. “I grew up thinking I was the only gay person in The Bahamas,” he said. “I had to pretend I wasn’t gay to be Bahamian. It led to depression and anxiety. Events like Pride are necessary to let people know they’re not alone.”