June 8, 2023 by The California Aggie

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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

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VOLUME 146, ISSUE 30 | THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 2023

THEAGGIE.ORG

Davis community celebrates Pride Month with ninth annual festival Davis Pride Festival featured vendors and live performances

BY ZOE SMITH

city@theaggie.org Content Warning: This article contains discussions of transphobia. On Sunday, June 4, Davis held its ninth annual Pride Festival, which is the largest event hosted in the city to celebrate Pride Month. The event was kicked off with the annual “Run for Equality” at 8 a.m. and followed by a community fair from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and music festival from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. There were 125 exhibitors and vendors at the fair this year and a large turnout of families, students and Davis residents. According to Wendy Weitzel, the event’s public relations contact, an organizer estimated that more than 5,000 people attended this year’s Pride Festival. A local band from Davis, Noise Violation, was one of the opening performances. Amirah Tulloch, one of the bass drummers for the band, talked about the festival. “It’s amazing, I had no idea it was this big,” Tulloch said. “I was never able to go to Pride before. This was my first one in Davis and I think it’s so beautiful, there are so many people, so many things. I had no idea there was a race — just the amount of activity is so overwhelming and so cool. It’s exciting to see. It’s so cool to see we have such a vibrant

One of many performers at Davis Pride 2023. (Alexis Perez / Aggie) community here.” Mayor Will Arnold spoke at the welcome portion of the festival, thanking the Davis Phoenix Coalition (DPC) for its work organizing the event. “On behalf of the city of Davis, we are so pleased at this incredible turnout, so thankful for the work that the Phoenix Coalition does and so proud that the city of Davis is a co-sponsor of this event,” Arnold said. “That this is an event we support not just as a community, but officially as a city.” Arnold also noted the recent stabbings in Davis and asked those in attendance to take a moment of silence to honor the lives lost in the community. He then

addressed recent anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric. “We don’t need permission [...] because we all belong and we all deserve love,” Arnold said. “So for those who continue to work against that idea, who continue to protest that simple concept. While yes, those folks deserve love too because we all deserve love, I want to ask this question rhetorically. If anyone has any discomfort with this beautiful event we’re having today, who do they think doesn’t deserve love? And more importantly, what the hell gives them the right to be the judge of that?” Allie Synder, an organizer in Davis who has been advocating for “detransitioning,” attended the festival with a small group

of other individuals. The group held a small demonstration called “Celebrate DeTrans Courage” during this year’s Pride event at which they told the stories of individuals who have “detransioned.” Synder claimed on Twitter that members of Antifa were present at the event and that they allegedly slashed her friend’s tires. Synder also shared photographs of individuals at the event who she believes are members of Antifa. DPC founder and City Councilmember Gloria Partida spoke about recent anti-trans events held in Davis. “We are on our 10th year and the reason that we are the Davis Phoenix Coalition is because we are rising out

of the ashes of hate,” Partida said. “This organization was started because of a hate crime that happened to my family. My son was a victim of a very brutal hate crime 10 years ago, and this is what has come of that. And so today we are still battling many of the issues that we’ve been battling for a long time for the LGBT community, and they seem to have risen again. There’s a lot of anti-trans sentiment going around right now, but looking at everybody here, I know that we’re going to overcome that.” One of the booths at the festival was “Free Mom Hugs.” a group of moms who attend Pride to give hugs and affection to LGBTQIA+ individuals. Terri Schneider, a member of the group from Vacaville, talked about her experience at Pride. “We’re just here to support the community,” Schneider said. “I mean literally there’s so many people that have been exiled from their families at such a horrible level that we felt, and the people who started this, moms give us hugs, why not just have a mom stand there and hug people? I mean we miss mom hugs, even dad hugs, we have free dad hugs as well. [...] You’re hugging someone that you don’t know and it doesn’t matter, we’re humans and everybody needs that now and then.”

‘They’re trying to erase a segment UC Davis hosts Day of of our community’: Controversial Reflection on June 1 members were invited to walk book curation event causes Davis Community the Davis Reflection Route and reflect on hope, process loss and connect with the community to clash community Child safeguarding initiative by local anti-trans activists attempts to remove books about gender and sexuality from schools and public libraries

BY ZOE SMITH city@theaggie.org

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Content Warning: This article contains discussions of transphobia. On May 21, a local group called the Yolo County Moms for Liberty hosted a “child safeguarding meeting” at Mary L. Stephens Davis Branch Library. The meeting was open to the public and was advertised as a discussion about what books are age appropriate for children to have public access to. All of the books discussed had to do with gender identity, sexuality and mental illness. Some of the titles include “ABC’s of Gender Ideology,” “Introducing Teddy,” “What Are Your Words?,” “If You’re a Kid Like Gavin,” “This Book is Gay,” “Too Bright to See,” “Flamer,” “Let’s Talk About It” and “Thirteen Reasons Why.” All of these books can be currently found at the Davis Yolo County Library, or various Davis Joint Unified School District (DJUSD) libraries. One concerned parent, Catie Hembrow, attended the event and spoke out against the group’s advocacy. “I trust that the librarians and the administrators at the school are putting material out that is age appropriate for our kids,” Hembrow said. “I think what [Yolo County Moms for Liberty] want is censorship. I think what they want to do is be comfortable. And the presence of trans people in our community particularly is discomforting for them. I feel like they’re trying to erase a segment of our community.” Allie Snyder was one of the parents

who organized the event. Snyder has been a vocal member at school board meetings over the last year and has been involved in advocating for “detransitioning,” which is the belief that trans individuals should stop or reverse gender transition. “We really wanted to have a community discussion and explore some of the books that are offered to our children in our school libraries, and evaluate whether or not as a community we thought that these books were appropriate,” Snyder said. Snyder disagrees with calling the safeguarding project “book banning” and prefers the term “curation.” “Curation is organizing and maintaining a collection of books, so librarians get to make a determination on what books they will carry in their library,” Snyder said. “Playboy is not offered in any of our school or county libraries. That’s a decision on the part of the librarians. Playboy is not banned [...] book banning is more a question of a publisher, no longer offering a book. I believe that that’s the distinction.” Attendees of the meeting were initially encouraged to ask questions to foster a group discussion. However, throughout the meeting, attendees began to shout over one another to ask questions and give answers. Three women hosted the event and about 25 community members attended. Adrian Beth is another Davis resident in attendance who was not in support of the project.

BY KAYA DO-KHANH campus@theaggie.org On June 1, UC Davis hosted a Davis Day of Reflection, during which the university invited community members to remember and reflect on those lost to recent tragedies and encourage reconnection with the community. There was a Davis Reflection Route through campus and downtown Davis that people could walk along at any time throughout the day, with opportunities to pause and reflect by writing messages to add to public art installations along the way. Participants could also tie yellow ribbons throughout the Arboretum’s Redwood Grove in memory of a loved one and scan QR codes along the route that allowed them to share messages online and find mental health resources. “We’ve all experienced our fair share of trials recently, and this past year has brought numerous challenges our way,” Chancellor Gary May stated in a letter to the UC Davis community shortly before the event. “I want you to know, first and foremost, that whatever you’re feeling right now — it’s okay. It’s okay to grieve. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It’s okay to feel joyful. It’s okay to still be seeking answers and clarity.” The Davis Reflection Route was made to be 100% mobility friendly and accessible from the main areas of campus, as parts of the route were along the south side of Walker Hall between Shields Library and the Student Community Center. Other stops along the route extended into the city of Davis. like the Compassion Bench at the corner of Third and C Streets, and Sycamore Park. According to event lead BreAnda Northcutt, campus leaders have been considering holding an annual memorial event in future years to honor students, faculty and staff who have lost their lives. Although some aspects of the idea are still in the planning stage, they

are hoping to make a portion of the Davis Reflection Route permanent with permanent markers. “The Davis community has faced multiple tragedies in recent times,” Northcutt said. “But if there’s one thing the Davis community has learned from the pandemic, it’s that coming together and supporting each other can help ease our burdens. The Davis Day of Reflection invited us to mourn our losses together, to share the many ways we care about and uplift each other and to envision ways we can move forward. Unfortunately, as a community, we endured many tragedies over the last year, and the purpose of the reflection day was to come together for hope and healing.” There were tables at reflection points along the path that were staffed by professionals and students, including members of the Health 34 initiative, Aggie Mental Health Ambassadors, Yolo County Mental Health employees and UC Davis Wellness Ambassadors. The teams facilitated safe spaces for participants to reflect on questions publicly or privately, offered support and provided resources, according to Northcutt. On the Day of Reflection website, participants could also submit online reflections and thoughts anonymously in response to three prompts about hope, loss and community. People shared reflections about what or who they were missing and what they felt hopeful about. Under the prompt, “I can help to make people feel safe in our community by…,” anonymous submissions included “Offering a friendly face, kind word or helping hand when I see a chance. Little moments matter!” and “Being perceptive that others may need support.”

The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden organization holds a table during The Day of Reflection. (Jersain Medina / Aggie)