LGB Alliance VT will hold a silent protest Saturday at Outright Vermont’s 2022 Fire Truck Pull in response to the attack on Fred Sargeant at Burlington Pride Parade and  Festival 2022. 

Fred Sargeant, a 74-year-old veteran of the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City and one of the last  surviving founders of the original 1970 Christopher Street Gay Liberation Pride Parade was attacked,  assaulted and robbed on Church Street at the Burlington Pride Parade on Sunday September 18. Parade  participants who were marching with the Outright Vermont group were the first to confront Mr. Sargeant and steal his property. 

After Outright Vermont marchers began the assault on Sargeant other members of the crowd joined in.  LGB ALLIANCE VT believe Outright Vermont marchers initiated violence upon a gay, disabled man, which is both homophobic and ableist.  

The LGB ALLIANCE VT demanda Outright Vermont issue an apology to Mr Sargeant for the attack and  publicly forbid participants at all Outright Vermont events from instigating violence in the future.  Click here for Video of Sargeant describing the attack.

The LGB ALLIANCE VT is also protesting several of Outright Vermont’s practices. Outright Vermont  has fomented a climate of homophobic hate directed at numerous lesbians and gay men in our community  by endorsing “F**K TERFS” messaging in their parade group.  

TERF is an acronym for trans-exclusionary radical feminist, according to Wikipedia. First recorded in 2008, the term was originally used to distinguish trans-inclusive feminists from a group of radical feminists who reject the assertion that trans women are women, the inclusion of trans women in women’s spaces , and transgender rights legislation.

Outright Vermont advocates for the medical transitioning of children including off label use of so called  “puberty blockers” which have recently been issued an FDA warnings citing harms to minors, cross sex  hormones, and cosmetic surgical mutilation of one’s body and sterilization. Minors can apply to receive  free “packers”, which are realistic prosthetic penises, and “breast forms”, which are prosthetic breasts.  

“Chest binders” and mastectomy bras are also available. The effects of breast binding before the heart,  lungs, spine and rib age have had time to mature is just not known. These items may be given to minors  without parental notification or consent. 

These citizens are also concerned about the rise in anti-woman and anti-police sentiment in Burlington.  They point to graffiti on Pearl Street Beverage in downtown Burlington as an example. Pictured below,  the graffiti says; “F**k TERFs”.

The graffiti also says “ACAB”, meaning all cops are bastards. “I hate pigs and you should too” is more  anti-police graffiti, as “pigs” is a derogatory term for police. Given the rise in violent crime in downtown  Burlington, citizens are concerned that anti-police discrimination threatens officers’ safety. 

Mr. Sargeant is not available for comment today. 

Mr. Felker is available for comment at the contact listed.