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# 'Pure discrimination': Texas Pride organisers hit out after permit rejection
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/pure-discrimination-texas-pride-organisers-hit-out-after-permit-rejection/
- Published: 2026-09-18T10:46:41.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-18T10:46:41.000Z
- Author: Graham Robson
- Tags: North America, Pride

A **Texas** city council has been accused of discrimination after unanimously rejecting a permit for an LGBTQ+ Pride festival, despite approving the same event just a year ago.

The **Southlake City Council** voted to deny a permit for this year's **Pride Kel-So** festival, which was due to take place in October, without publicly explaining its decision.

The move has shocked organisers, who say the inaugural event was approved by the council in 2025 and attracted around 2,500 people to a local church without incident.

According to reports from the council meeting, councillors offered no comments and asked no questions before voting against the permit application. Only two members of the public addressed the meeting, with one speaking in support of the festival and one opposing it.

Pride Kel-So co-founder **April Dreyson** condemned the decision, describing it as "pure discrimination" and insisting that the event would still take place.

Organisers are now exploring ways to continue with the festival without requiring city approval. Under local regulations, events with fewer than 1,000 attendees do not require the same permit, meaning the celebration could potentially go ahead in a scaled-down format.

The dispute comes against a backdrop of growing tensions over LGBTQ+ rights in parts of the United States. Texas has become a major battleground in recent years, with lawmakers advancing a range of measures affecting LGBTQ+ people, particularly trans communities, while supporters argue such policies are necessary to address concerns around education, healthcare and public life.

Despite those political debates, Pride events have continued to expand across much of the US, including in more conservative states. Organisers say such festivals provide vital opportunities for LGBTQ+ people and their families to celebrate community, visibility and inclusion.

Southlake itself has previously been at the centre of national discussions around LGBTQ+ issues. The affluent **Dallas-Fort Worth** suburb attracted widespread attention in 2021 after disputes over diversity and inclusion policies in local schools, including debates around books featuring LGBTQ+ characters and anti-discrimination measures.

For local LGBTQ+ residents and allies, the council's decision is likely to be viewed as another setback in efforts to create visible and welcoming community spaces.

Organisers have vowed not to abandon the event, however. "We're still going to have Pride," Dreyson said, signalling that alternative plans are already being considered.

If the festival does proceed in a smaller format, it would mirror a growing trend among LGBTQ+ groups in some parts of the United States, where organisers have adapted events in response to political opposition, funding challenges or restrictions imposed by local authorities.