REHOBOTH BEACH, Del.- A drag brunch at Goolee’s Grille this Sunday has stirred controversy, sparking both a protest and a counter-protest during Rehoboth Beach Pride weekend.
St. Ann’s Church in Bethany Beach announced in their weekly newsletter a "Peaceful & Legal Rosary Rally" to protest the event. The church described the brunch as an effort to “normalize transgender and variants” and invited community members to join the rally at 11:30 a.m. According to the bulletin, the event is open to children and is sponsored by TFP-ANF.
In response, a coalition of local organizations — including Sussex Pride, CAMP Rehoboth, Indivisible Delaware, Speak Out Against Hate, Rehoboth Beach Pride, and the Delaware Anti-Violence Project — is organizing a counter-protest at the same time outside Goolee’s Grille, located at 11 South First Street.
David Mariner, executive director of Sussex Pride, said the counter-protest is about making clear that many faith communities embrace LGBTQ+ people.
“We should not let folks like these members of St. Ann’s give anyone the impression that we are anything less than fully loved and embraced,” Mariner said.
Zach Workman, president of Delaware Pride Inc., said many of the performers at the brunch are there to work and support the community, but could be met with hostility.
“I think the most important thing to understand is that protests are usually rooted in understanding or education about an issue or trying to understand why that issue doesn’t have enough visibility. This isn’t about that. It’s about saying, ‘I don’t like these people,’ and I don’t think those people should be there. It’s not really a belief. It’s a hate system, and that’s how I view it.”
On Friday, the Parish of St. Ann and the Diocese of Wilmington released a statement distancing themselves from the rally and apologizing for its inclusion in the bulletin.
“It has come to our attention that the announcement of a rosary rally, sponsored by an organization not associated with Saint Ann’s Parish in Bethany Beach nor the Diocese of Wilmington, was regretfully included in the most recent Saint Ann’s Parish bulletin. The rosary rally is scheduled for this weekend outside of a Rehoboth Beach establishment that is holding a ‘drag brunch.’
To be clear, while we wholeheartedly encourage the praying of the rosary, this rally is not endorsed by the Parish or Diocese. As Catholic Christians, we recognize that all of us are made in the image and likeness of God and deserve to be treated with love and respect.
We apologize for any divisiveness that this unfortunate situation has caused and pray that all may be united as brothers and sisters in Christ.”