'I gotta believe!': BoroPride pleased with revised festival plan, MTSU public records show

MTSU's adminstration found redemption with BoroPride supporters by allowing the annual LGBTQ+ festival to continue Oct. 28.

Middle Tennessee State University initially upset festival supporters by deciding in May to reject the first request to allow the 2023 BoroPride event on MTSU's main Murfreesboro campus, according to emails obtained through a public records request from The Daily News Journal.

"Maybe there's a way to resurrect this with grace... somehow. I gotta believe!" MTSU recording industry professor Michelle Conceison said in an email to William Langston, a university psychology professor who initially applied for BoroPride to be on campus before settling on a different location.

The university then gave BoroPride supporters a reason to celebrate in July by agreeing to allow the festival to use MTSU's Tennessee Miller Coliseum at 304 W. Thompson Lane on Murfreesboro's northside. The event will be from 1-8 p.m. Oct. 28, the final Saturday of October.

MTSU's initial rejection had followed Murfreesboro City Manager Craig Tindall sending a letter about a year ago in opposition to BoroPride organizers with the Tennessee Equality Project Foundation, which advocates equal rights for LGBTQ+ people. The city manager's letter said he would deny any permits for continuation of the festival that includes a drag show. Tindall's letter also offended BoroPride supporters by accusing the 2022 event that attracted more than 7,000 people of exposing “children to a harmful prurient interest.”

BoroPride organizers responded to the city position to ban the annual event from using Murfreesboro parks recently by teaming with the American Civil Liberties Union to file a federal lawsuit against the local government. Their case accuses the Murfreesboro government of violating the First Amendment rights of the people participating in the annual LGBTQ+ festival.

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Mayor and city manager say Murfreesboro government has no BoroPride jurisdiction on MTSU property

Murfreesboro officials had at least five complaints through email from people wanting to ban the BoroPride festival, public records show. Most of the emailed complaints had dates prior to the previous BoroPride event held Sept. 17, 2022, at Cannonsburgh Village in the city's downtown area. The village is a historic parks and recreation property on Front Street across Broad Street (U.S. Highway 41) from nearby Murfreesboro City Hall.

Although festival supporters spoke to local government leaders about continuing the event, Tindall's position on protecting children by banning BoroPride has the support of the Murfreesboro City Council. The elected seven-member council is led by Mayor Shane McFarland, an MTSU graduate and former Student Government Association president.

The mayor and city manager both responded in a similar way to a question from The Daily News Journal about BoroPride finding a location in 2023. McFarland and Tindall each said the Murfreesboro government has no jurisdiction to prohibit BoroPride from using state property, such as the MTSU campus or the university's Tennessee Miller Coliseum.

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May 2 emails: BoroPride organizers seek to use MTSU campus

Public records suggest that Langston was confident about BoroPride being on the university campus when he applied as the faculty advisor for MT Lambda, "an organization that has spent the last 30+ years building a safe place at MTSU for the LGBTQIA+ and Allied community."

"The date will be September 9," Langston wrote in a May 2 email to Chris Sanders, the executive director of the Tennessee Equality Project. "We aren't telling the location yet, but I'd like to be able to announce how to be a vendor in the press release."

The Langston email let Sanders know the BoroPride event would be both inside and outside.

"I meet with MTSU tomorrow and we should be able to fully announce the location and do a press release," Langston said in the email to Sanders.

"Thanks Will," Sanders replied. "Please, send me the release before it goes out. I want to tell Stella (Yarbrough, the legal director for the ACLU office in Tennessee) so she is not caught off guard once everything is approved. I'm glad it's all coming together. Thanks for working with MTSU on it!"

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May 3 emails: BoroPride supporters await vetting by MTSU

Langston also heard from Andrew Oppmann, MTSU's vice president and spokesman over marketing and communications, May 3 emails show.

Oppmann told Langston the administrators had to review the BoroPride plan to ensure the event would follow MTSU guidelines for space usage, security, insurance, noise mitigation and making sure there's no other events that would be in conflict with the festival.

"A quick survey of the vice presidents by me found them unprepared and unaware of a request for a large community event far beyond what a typical student org (organization) function that would be staged while we are in session on the second week of classes," Oppmann told Langston. "We'll figure out what's next and reach out in the morning. I'd advise for you to hold in place. Stay tuned."

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May 4 email: Professor scolds MTSU president for statement to press on rejecting BoroPride on campus

Langston went from being disappointed to offended when MTSU provided the following reason to The Daily News Journal about why the university rejected the BoroPride request to hold festival on campus.

“The request was denied under MTSU Policy 100, Section VI, Paragraph L, which prohibits an external event seeking use of university property, facilities or services under the guise that the activity is a student event," MTSU said in a statement.

Langston responded to the statement by emailing MTSU President Sidney McPhee to request a meeting.

Langston told McPhee he could accept that MTSU administrators changed their minds about permitting the BoroPride festival to be on the main MTSU campus.

"What I cannot accept is painting a picture in the press of BoroPride as trying to pull some kind of fraud on the university," Langston told McPhee in the email. "The city already put a target on our back. This is a vulnerable community. You're contributing to a narrative that we are dirty and can't be trusted. It was uncalled for. It was cowardly."

The psychology professor's email to the MTSU president recalled receiving a 15-year pin from McPhee with the top administrator whispering into Langston's ear about him being "the conscience of this institution."

"You all need to get a little conscious of your own and retract the false statements to the press," Langston told McPhee in the May 4 email. "This should never have been a public conversation. I'm very frustrated that it hit the media. You chose to make it worse, and it's going to undermine so many years of hard work to build the university's reputation."

Langston also described himself as having a love of MTSU, Murfreesboro and Tennessee.

"I can live with the legislature trying to ruin things in the state," Langston told McPhee in the May 4 email. "It hurts more for the city council to do so much damage to Murfreesboro. But, it really hurts for you do this. As I've been posting publicly, you stabbed me in the back today and when I pulled the knife out you stabbed me in the back again."

Langston finished his email to McPhee with the following: "We can all do better."

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May 4 and 5 emails: BoroPride supporters upset

Other MTSU faculty members were upset by the administrators' rejection of BoroPride being held on campus.

"Any idea if there's a way to change their stance with enough pushback from faculty and students?" Jessica Gaby, an assistant psychology professor, asked in a May 4 email to Langston. "I don't know what we can do but this whole chain of events is just unacceptable."

"Yeah. Join the club," Langston replied May 5 to Gaby's email. "We will eventually have an administration that doesn't act this way."

Langston also heard from Michelle Willard, a grant award management specialist for MTSU.

"Is there anything that can be done to appeal the denial of BoroPride?" Willard asked in a May 5 email to Langston. "I'm willing to help in any way that I can. MTSU's community was a bastion of support when I was an undergrad and much of my chosen family was found here. I want the current student population to feel the same."

Langston replied to Willard's email on the same day to express appreciation for reaching out.

"I don't think MTSU is living up to its reputation on this one, and it's really meaningful to hear from people who know what we can be and would like to encourage us to get there," Langston told Willard.

Langston also advised about 30 people upset by the MTSU administration's decision to reject BoroPride to be held on campus with the following May 5 email:

"I think they expect a lot of pushback from the anti-pride side," Langston said. "I've reminded them that running from that side can mean running into people on our side who are also upset. Email the president and all the vice presidents. Tell them what MTSU has meant to you and means to you. Call them out on how this is making you feel. No need to be belligerent or make threats, the other side is covering that. I do want them to know how their choices affect the community."

Langston signed off the email he shared with group by thanking them for their support.

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May 6 email: McPhee agrees to meet with Langston

McPhee agreed to meet with Langston May 5 to discuss the BoroPride concerns, according to the president's May 6 email to the professor.

"I hope that we have cleared the misperceptions related to the newspaper account of the reason we declined to approve the request," McPhee told Langston. "I have always respected you personally and support our student organizations."

McPhee also met with the MTSU Provost Mark Byrnes and an unnamed vice president to discuss other options for BoroPride, the president's email told Langston.

"It was agreed that we would entertain a request to consider The Miller Coliseum Arena for your request," McPhee said in his email to Langston. "In addition, we must make sure that all of the local government and state laws are followed by the sponsoring organizations."

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May 15 email: Langston suggests drag show alternative

Langston by May 15 emailed Sanders, the leader with the Tennessee Equality Project, about the possibility of using Tennessee Miller Coliseum for BoroPride on Oct. 28.

"The catch is that there is no way to guarantee that no minor can see a drag show in a venue of this size," Langston said in his email to Sanders. "My position is to plan for the law we have now and book the drag show immediately after pride at a venue that can be more easily secured against a minor getting in."

Sanders has taken a stance that BoroPride will not compromise on First Amendment rights and rejects the city's position that a drag performance is adult entertainment.

BoroPride, however, announced that the drag show with internationally known performer Sasha Velour will be for those aged 18 and up with ID checks at 9 p.m. Oct. 28 at Austin Audio, 707 W. Main St.

The BoroPride Drag Pageant also will be for those 18 and up at 11 a.m. Oct. 28 at Austin Audio, and the newly crowned court will appear at the drag show.

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May 8 & 16 emails: Langston invites MTSU president to dinner

Langston also invited McPhee and the MTSU president's wife over for dinner on May 15, according to a May 16 email.

"Liz and I want to thank you and your husband for your hospitality in hosting us at your home last evening," McPhee said in the May 16 email to Langston.

The dinner invitation came from a May 8 email from Langston to McPhee.

"It seems like we mostly talk when things go sideways," Langston told McPhee. "It's always surprising when that happens since we have the same goal, the best for MTSU and our students."

Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.

About BoroPride festival

• When is the LGBTQ+ festival scheduled for all ages: 1-8 p.m. Oct. 28

• Where is event: Tennessee Miller Coliseum at 304 W. Thompson Lane in north Murfreesboro

• Admission: free for all BoroPride events

• When and where is BoroPride Drag Show for those 18 and up: 9 p.m. Oct. 28 at Austin Audio, 707 W. Main St. in downtown Murfreesboro

• When and where is The BoroPride Drag Pageant for those 18 and up: 11 a.m. Oct. 28 at Austin Audio, and the newly crowned court will appear at evening drag show

• What will be at event for all ages at Miller Coliseum: a main stage with live music and other entertainment, games, Pride Dog costume contest, community information tables, vendors and "your favorite food trucks," says Leslie Russell Yost, one of the BoroPride organizers

• Sponsoring group for BoroPride: Tennessee Equality Project Foundation, an organization that advocates for equal rights for LGBTQ+ people

• Name of Facebook page that provides festival updates: BoroPride

• Sponsorship opportunities or questions: email BoroPrideEvent@gmail.com

• Inaugural year: 2016

• Initial location: Grounds of historic Rutherford County Courthouse in the center of Murfreesboro's downtown Public Square

• Date of most recent festival: Sept. 17, 2022

• Location for 2022 event: Cannonsburgh Village, an historical parks and recreation property in downtown Murfreesboro off Front Street and across Northwest Broad Street (U.S. Highway 41) from nearby Murfreesboro City Hall

• Attendance at 2022 event: More 7,000

• Total BoroPride festivals so far: Six

• Note: BoroPride skipped 2020 in the first year of COVID-19 pandemic

Source: Leslie Russell Yost, chairperson for 2022 BoroPride festival

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: BoroPride pleased with revised festival plan, MTSU public records show