Seattle commission dismisses complaint about 'Pride' event charging White people 'reparations' fee

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The Seattle Human Rights Commission dismissed concerns about a "pride" event that will charge White entrants a "reparations" fee –  telling complainants that they should "educate" themselves on the harm they might cause by attending.

"We would like to recommend, if possible, that you educate yourself on the harm it may cause Seattle's BIPOC community in your pursuit of a free ticket to an event that is not expressly meant for you and your entertainment," the commission said in a letter to Charlette LeFevre and Philip Lipson of Capitol Hill Pride. 

LeFevre and Lipson had reportedly argued to the commission that the June 26 event constituted "reverse discrimination in its worse [sic] form." LeFevre and Lipson also said that they had received disparaging and hostile emails for not supporting the event.

The City of Seattle confirmed the commissions response in an email to Fox News. It declined to provide further comment.

BROWN UNIVERSITY ECONOMIST SAYS REPARATIONS WILL BE ‘DISASTROUS’ FOR FUTURE OF UNITED STATES

The June 26 event is described on Facebook as a "BLACK AND BROWN QUEER TRANS CENTERED, PRIORITIZED, VALUED, EVENT." The Facebook page adds: "White allies and accomplices are welcome to attend but will be charged a $10 to $50 reparations fee that will be used to keep this event free of cost for BLACK AND BROWN Trans and Queer COMMUNITY."

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Titled "TAKING B(L)ACK PRIDE," the event is being hosted in collaboration with Trans Women of Color Solidarity Network, the Alphabet Alliance of Color, and Queer the Land.

The commission, which serves as an advisory group to the City Council, suggested the event posed no human rights violations. It told LeFevre and Lipson that the "unique nature of your situation does not in fact violate any of your human rights as stated in the UN Declaration on Human Rights … which is the charter by which our Commission operates."