Beckwith Defends Comments on Pride Month in Recent Town Hall

Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith said at a event Wednesday in Hancock County that he believes LGBTQ+ leaders are pushing their ideology on people who don't want it.

GREENFIELD, Ind. — Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith is defending previous statements he made about Pride Month that some viewed as controversial.

At a town hall event in Greenfield Wednesday evening, Beckwith faced criticism from some attendees, including LGBTQ+ advocates, who viewed his speech as hateful. About 60 people were at Beckwith’s town hall at the Hancock County courthouse annex. It was his first meeting since he made a lengthy post on his personal social media accounts earlier this month, saying “The Rainbow Beast is coming for your kids!” and “This isn’t about ‘tolerance.’ It’s a state-corporate-pagan alliance to reprogram society.”

It was not the main topic of discussion for the two-hour long town hall event, but it was something brought up on multiple occasions by LGBTQ+ advocates who were there.

Beckwith defended his views and previous comments made, stating he mainly has an issue with LGBTQ+ leaders who he believes are forcing the affirmation of certain lifestyles onto most people.

“We’re seeing an agenda by the LGBTQ leadership that are trying to push this down the communities that don’t want it,” said Beckwith.

The Lt. Governor also disagrees that public funding should be used for Pride Month activities.

“We have nothing against people living the life that they choose, the problem is that there’s an agenda that some are using to say ‘hey, you’re going to accept this lifestyle, whether you like it or not,'” Beckwith said to WISH-TV at the conclusion of the event.

Beckwith added that he believes everybody is “fearfully and wonderfully made,” but that doesn’t mean they are right in their thinking.

“Everyone’s welcome in Indiana,” he said. “I’m not saying you can’t live the lifestyle you want, but when you start to force other to affirm you in that lifestyle, which is what a lot of these ideological, agenda-driven people in that community are doing, that’s where I have a problem and I will continue to speak out against it.”