'Deeply Hurtful': Beverly Officials Condemn 'Hateful' Horribles Parade Float

BEVERLY, MA — A Beverly Farms Pride 4th of July "Horribles" parade float that appeared to target and mock transgender and nonbinary residents of the city was condemned as "deeply offensive and hurtful" in a joint statement of city officials on Friday.

Mayor Mike Cahill, State Sen. Joan Lovely and several city councilors and school committee members, among other civic leaders, issued the statement on Friday calling the float "not fun, funny, or just a joke; it is serious, dangerous, and must never happen again."

The statement called on the parade committee to issue a public apology for allowing the float in the parade and to remove the "Horribles" designation from further annual parades.

"It is always unacceptable to ridicule and target people, but it is especially dangerous to do so during a time in society when that group is facing unprecedented threats of violence, hate, and discrimination as is the case with our trans and nonbinary community," the statement said.

Patch reached out to the Parade Committee through the Farms Pride 4th of July website and did not immediately receive a response. This article will be updated with any response provided.

The officials assured the city's trans and nonbinary community, and visitors to the city, that they would "take meaningful action to ensure Beverly remains safe and welcoming."

"We therefore take this opportunity to condemn the actions and language used about the trans community in the Beverly Farms parade," the statement said. "Further, we take this opportunity to affirm our commitment and invite and welcome our broader Beverly community to join us to:

"Serve as stewards of trans and nonbinary inclusion; Take accountability for maintaining a community of welcome and of safety, where our trans friends and neighbors can confidently be themselves without fear for their personal safety; Ensure trans and nonbinary people are afforded all the same protections, respect, care, and opportunities as their cisgender friends, family members, and neighbors."

Beverly Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Director Wangari Fahari signed the statement, along with City Councilors Julie Flowers, Hannah Bowen, Danielle Spang, Scott Houseman, and Kathleen Feldman, School Committee members Rachael Abell, Kimberly Coelho and Lorinda Visnick, and the Beverly Human Rights Committee.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)