Letter to Six Flags America

To Whom It May Concern:

On June 10, 2007, I attended the Capital Pride Festival in Washington DC. There was a person down there with a booth at the festival advertising that Six Flags America was going to be holding "Pride in the Park" on July 7, 2007. Pride in the Park was going to be a day where Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) customers and their families and friends were encouraged to come to Six Flags and enjoy what the park had to offer. It also included a concert put on by the Village People as well.

Since I am already a regular patron to your park, I passed along information about this day to a local GLBT organization in Maryland and coordinated bringing a group of people to the park on July 7. Many of these people had either never visited Six Flags America, or they had not come to the park in years. To myself and everyone else, it was not only exciting to see what Six Flags America had to offer, but we felt it was nice to see that there would be some recognition of the diversity of the patrons that visit the park. Unfortunately on July 7, we were disappointed.

Arriving at the park, we saw nothing to indicate that it was Pride in the Park day. There were no signs, no gathering area for GLBT patrons, not even an indication from the staff that Six Flags America respects and appreciates the diversity of their staff and patrons. The Village People concert advertisements said nothing about it being Pride in the Park, instead the concert was billed as "Retro Rewind." My boyfriend asked a staff member if there was any sort of awareness about the day in the park, and the staff member had no real idea of what was going on.

This lack of action from Six Flags confuses me, as there was advertising in the Metro Weekly, a GLBT newspaper, about Pride in the Park. For the park to advertise that there is a special day at the park, but then try to make it like it's just any other Saturday at Six Flags. It really left myself and others feeling like Six Flags did not want GLBT folks to be there and to be open about who they are. It's like you sent the message to us that "We're glad you as GLBT folk showed up; now go back into the closet."

I don't ask for much, all I ask is that Six Flags America in some way, shape, or form recognize the unique people who visit their park on special days such as Pride in the Park, instead of trying to bury it and act like it's just an ordinary Saturday in the park. It's not like you have to go crazy and completely redecorate the place and cater to our every whim, but at least some sort of statement from the staff or signage that we are welcome and appreciated would be nice. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Theblackdog
Greenbelt, MD