You’d think that after the “religious liberty” fiasco he oversaw in his state earlier this year, Indiana governor Mike Pence would at least pretend to be a little more sensitive to the existence of LGBTQ constituents and visitors in his state. But alas, no. As Bilerico’s Bil Browning first reported Wednesday morning, Pence’s “welcome letter” for Indianapolis’ LGBTQ Pride festival—the first such statement he has ever issued—managed to get through five paragraphs without once mentioning LGBTQ people or the reasons behind Pride. According to Browning, this is because instead of dictating a special welcome to the queer folks from his state and beyond who are gathering to celebrate, he “put out a cut and paste welcome traditionally given to out of state conference organizers.” Classy move, Mike.
Here’s the full (and yet strangely empty) letter:
Greetings,
On behalf of the people of Indiana, welcome to Indianapolis. I am confident that those of you who traveled from out of state will come to know our famous Hoosier Hospitality.
Our state’s capital city is well known as a destination for conventions, festivals, business meetings and other events. In fact, a recent USA TODAY Reader’s Choice digital poll ranked Indianapolis as the Best Convention City in the country.
Like so many other organizations who continue to use Indianapolis as their destination of choice, I am confident you will come to know a vibrant city.
During your stay, please explore the many entertainment options Indianapolis has to offer such as our museums, restaurants, theaters, historic landmarks, White River State Park, and the Indianapolis Zoo, just to name a few.
So, once again, welcome to Indiana. We hope you enjoy your stay.
Sincerely,
Mike Pence
