Interior Secretary Deb Haaland made a decisive move to foster inclusivity and representation within the National Park Service (NPS) by reversing a prior decision that prohibited employees from wearing their uniforms at LGBTQ+ Pride events. Haaland’s directive came as the LGBTQ+ community prepares for celebratory marches around the country that could begin as soon as June 1, the official kickoff of Pride month.
Haaland’s directive, effective immediately, overturned an earlier memorandum by NPS Deputy Director Frank Lands, who this month said agency employees would not be allowed to wear their uniforms at Pride events this year. Lands characterized this decision as the park service enforcing existing policy. However, NPS employees for years have marched in Pride parades across the country.
“I want to ensure that every employee has the opportunity to thrive in a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment,” Haaland wrote in the message which The Advocate obtained. The message underscored the importance of “Special Emphasis Months,” which include honoring LGBTQ+ Pride. Haaland directed bureau leaders to determine how and when to participate in these events. “This could include marching units in parades, booths at parades, events, etc.,” she wrote. “This would allow employees to participate in uniform representing their respective bureau.”
The reversal resonated across the LGBTQ+ community and among environmentalists. Pattie Gonia, a climate activist and drag artist who had appeared in a promotional video with Haaland, who is Native American, in October to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day, organized a call to action after the initial policy was revealed. Pattie Gonia stressed the importance of implementing safeguards to ensure that employees and employee resource groups can appeal any denials of permission to participate in events, as local park leadership might have personal views that conflict with the new policy.
GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis praised the reversal, acknowledging the value of National Parks and their employees, stating, “Employees should be able to express support for Pride and all celebrations that bring people together to reflect the beautiful diversity of our country and people.”
The National Park Service also maintains and provides educational advisory services at New York City’s Christopher Park, located inside the Stonewall National Monument, according to the Stonewall National Monument Foundation Document. Stonewall was the site of a 1969 uprising centered around a gay bar, the Stonewall Inn, that was “a watershed moment for LGBTQ rights and a transformative event in the nation’s civil rights movement,” the document reads.
Relevant articles:
– Haaland upends NPS uniform ban for Pride parades, eenews.net, 05/27/2024
– National Park Service reverses Pride ban for employees in uniform after backlash from LGBTQ+ community, Advocate.com, 05/25/2024
– Interior secretary says National Park Service employees can wear uniforms to Pride events, Salt Lake Tribune, 05/26/2024
– 05, Advocate.com, 05/26/2024
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