LGBTQ+ political clubs boycotting Mayor Eric Adams’ Pride reception – again

LGBTQ+ political clubs are boycotting New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ Pride Month party for the second year in a row. Several prominent organizations announced that they will skip the June 22 LGBTQ+ Pride Reception at Gracie Mansion, and urged their endorsed political candidates to do the same. 

“This mayor does not and demonstrably will never stand in solidarity with our community,” a letter signed by the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City, Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn and Lavender Line Democratic Club of Queens read. The letter, shared first with City & State, referred to a “well documented” history of issues with Adams. Last year, LGBTQ+ organizations including those three boycotted the mayor’s pride reception, citing his decision to bring pastors with histories of spouting anti-gay views into his administration. 

Another citywide gay club, the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, is boycotting too. “We had a meeting with the mayor about a year and a half ago and we told him what we needed from the community,” President Allen Roskoff said. “There's been no response to most of what we requested. There’s been no communication between the leadership in the community in the mayor’s office.”

Last year, the mayor’s office noted that despite the boycott from prominent political clubs, the reception was well attended. 

“The suggestion that there has been no communication between Mayor Adams’ office and LGBTQ+ leadership is blatantly false and disrespectful to the LGBTQ+ people of color, transgender, women leaders, and many more we engage with year-round,” a City Hall spokesperson said in response Roskoff’s statement.

City Hall added that Adams had a long history of standing with LGBTQ+ New Yorkers. “From his days standing with the Gay Officers Action League as a police officer, to voting for marriage equality, to the work our administration is doing every day, Mayor Adams is proud to be a longtime ally of the LGBTQ+ movement,” a City Hall spokesperson wrote in an email, citing several investments in services targeted to LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, as well as an executive order signed this week that prevents the city from cooperating with states trying to prosecute or investigate someone for providing or receiving gender-affirming health care.

But the organizations boycotting the Pride reception said that solidarity requires consistent engagement. “We remain grateful for financial support given to the most vulnerable of our community, but you can’t put a pricetag on allyship,” the letter read. “The LGBTQ+ community does not only exist during the month of June. We exist all year round.”

On Tuesday, Adams canceled a scheduled appearance at the NYPD Gay Officers Action League pride celebration. Outgoing NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell – whose departure followed reports of discord with City Hall – was in attendance.

Some of the clubs seem to have a better relationship with the other Adams. The Stonewall Dems are honoring City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, among others, at its annual fundraiser Thursday night.