The fourth annual “Take Back Pride” march at Clemson University was held on Wednesday, Oct. 9, in recognition of National Coming Out Day.
Guarded by city police as they marched, the group carried pride-supporting signs stating, “Love is Boundless,” “It’s the Gay Agenda,” “Love is a Human Right” and more while chanting, “Hey hey, ho ho, homophobia has got to go.”
The first-ever TBP march was held on April 14, 2022, organized in less than 72 hours and amassed over 800 people in attendance, according to the Take Back Pride public Instagram page.
In addition to recognizing National Coming Out Day each year, Take Back Pride marches are also planned in response to any actions that the group believes oppose the LGBTQ+ community, including the removal of tampons from men’s restrooms on campus last year.
“The march was initially organized as a counter protest to a statement the College Republicans released regarding a Clemson-funded drag show,” Clemson College Republicans told The Tiger in an interview. “We are, in a way, the reason why the Take Back Pride March exists at all!”
Clemson College Republicans have twice condemned the drag show, which is sponsored by TigerLive Entertainment, in public statements posted on their public Instagram page.
The statements were released on April 10, 2022, and April 15, 2023, in response to the ninth and 10th annual shows. College Republicans did not release a statement regarding the 11th annual show held on April 7, headlined by a performer from “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
The event was met with opposition from Clemson College Republicans, who have set up a table in protest each time the marches are organized.
“What we hope to accomplish by tabling at the march is letting any Christian, conservative Clemson students know that there are others like them who oppose the increasingly dangerous ideology that is being pushed and promoted by the LGBT community,” Clemson College Republicans told The Tiger. “We believe in free speech and want to be a club for those who think that there isn’t a place for conservative values on the modern college campus.”
The Tiger reached out to Take Back Pride for comment, but they did not respond by publication.
The route of the march on Wednesday began at Sikes Hall and continued to Douthit Hills, along Cherry Road, Hendrix Student Center, Academic Success Center Loop, the reflection pond by Cooper Library and ended at the Carillon Gardens.
The Take Back Pride marches are organized by volunteers and students who participate in the LGBTQ+ community and are active in groups including, but not limited to, Clemson LGBTQ+ Alumni Council, Clemson Sexuality and Gender Alliance and Clemson Planned Parenthood Generation Action.
“This year, we are using the platform to advocate for Clemson (University) supporting diversity and inclusion of LGBTQ students, ensuring the ‘#1 Student Experience’ highlighted in the Clemson Elevate plan applies to LGBTQ students and urging Clemson to provide sufficient resources for students especially after the passing of HB 4624 this May banning necessary healthcare for transgender youth,” Katie Barfield, a junior at Clemson, told Upstate Today.
The Take Back Pride Instagram page urges the University to commit to diversity, maintain gender-inclusive facilities on campus, support visibility for pride events and advocate for LGBTQ+ students to access mental health resources.
“Especially during this election season, we demand the university show more support for its LGBTQ students,” Barfield told Upstate Today.
