Cincinnati Pride is June 28th, 2025, and I’ve been answering a constant stream of questions about my comfort level attending the festival and parade. There are a lot of very understandable feelings around the antisemitism from last year, and I’m incredibly excited to be attending Pride as a community member this year. This guide can hopefully offer some insight into making this year’s Pride both fun and safe.
Is it safe to attend?
YES! No event or organization can guarantee 100% certainty of your safety, but Cincinnati Pride has implemented extensive safety and security measures. That being said, it is much more likely that you will have an issue with excessive heat and dehydration risks than you will encounter severe antisemitism. That being said, while the organizers of Pride have done extensive work to ensure everyone can participate, there is always a chance of experiencing other Pride goers who have visible antisemitic opinions. There will be signage with a number to call or text for incident reports, and a real person will review all of those reports in real-time. Law enforcement and private security personnel will be present along the entire festival and parade route.
What has Pride done to repair the relationship with the Jewish community?
Pride has done a lot of work in the last year to repair relations within the Jewish community. There was a significant amount of board turnover, and the folks there are committed to ensuring a safe and enjoyable festival and parade experience for everyone involved. The board of Cincinnati Pride has been in discussions with leaders in the Jewish community for a year now to move forward and learn from the issues that arose last year.
Will others in the Jewish community be there?
YES! A contingent of local community members will be marching in the parade (reach out to Temple Sholom if you’d like to walk with them!). Elech will also have a booth at the festival in partnership with local synagogue leadership. Stop by our booth!
What kinds of antisemitism might I encounter? What should I do if I see it?
You will hopefully only see LGBTQ community members enjoying Pride and having a good time; however, there is always a chance that you could see hateful signage, posters, flyers, and shirts. There is potential for far-right conservatives to come and protest Pride attendees. Some far-left socialist groups may pass out antisemitic literature or come up to the Jewish Community booth at the Festival.
Pride has created a great network of support for encountering and reporting activity on the day of the Festival. There will be signage with a number to call or text for incident reports, and a real person will review all of those reports in real-time. Pride volunteers will also be identifiable by their marked t-shirts. If there is an urgent need, you can find a volunteer with a walkie-talkie, and they will have more immediate access to security.
The best solution for these potential protesters (if they are not crossing a line of criminality) is to ignore them or block them, so that attendees can focus on having a happy Pride celebration.
What should I take with me/What should I leave at home?
Leave Israeli politics at home (they might not, and we have to be okay with taking the high road).
Basic Pride essentials: sunscreen, water, hat, and bag.
Feel free to bring/wear Jewish imagery, but understand that it could put a further target on you. If you aren’t comfortable with that, it’s probably best to leave it at home.
Why should I march or attend Pride if they have pushed the Jewish community away? Why attend an event that could be potentially uncomfortable and even unsafe?
It may be hard to sit in discomfort, but For LGBTQ Jews: Pride is YOUR space. I think it’s incredibly important not only to reclaim it, but also to recognize that the potential discomfort should NOT stop you from allowing yourself to have fun and enjoy Pride.
For community organizers and allies who feel that showing up at Pride allows LGBTQ community members to feel like they have a space in the Jewish community: The need for queer Jews to feel comfortable in Jewish spaces didn’t stop when antisemitism and discomfort entered LGBTQ spaces (I would argue that it became MORE important). There are queer Jews who are under engaged in the Jewish community who will be at pride. I want those folks to know that there is a supportive Jewish community waiting for them.
One of my core understandings of Judaism is the importance of showing up despite what may be encountered. The other side of that is knowing what is best for you, your family, and your mental and physical health. If attending would be detrimental for you, you will not be judged for staying home.
Ultimately, every community member has to make the decision for themselves.