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Brittany Sweeney/WLVR
Brittany Sweeney/WLVR
Verve Salon & Boutique on Nazareth Belvidere Street ‘You’re the one. You are important.’ sign.
In Nazareth, two activist groups are in a symbolic conflict.
The group Parents for Choice is circulating a letter saying it will not support businesses that display signs that say “you are.” Important.” Campaign.
you are. Important. It was started by the Southern Lehigh School District and is an effort to show everyone’s participation and kindness, according to the group’s website. The website does not mention specific groups or issues that are the focus of the campaign.
April Gabriel-Ferretti volunteered with the group in Nazareth to distribute the signs.
“The letters in the actual symbol are not just the letters of the rainbow itself — red, orange, yellow, etc. and so on — but different shades of brown and brown,” Gabriel-Ferretti explained. My hope is that when people see this sign, they recognize themselves in one way or another.
However, there was some pushback from parents for Choice-Nazareth. The members sent the signs to businesses, saying that they included “colors from the LGBTQ+/Trangender flag” that showed political activism was sending the wrong message to their children.
The signatories to the letter stated that they do not support businesses that display the symbol. A representative for the group declined to comment in an emailed response to WLVR.
Verve Salon and Boutique on Belvidere Avenue “You are what you are. You are important.” sign.
“I have some clients who are transgender, I have a lot of clients whose kids are struggling with who they are, I have a very diverse group of clients,” said owner Beth Kenner. “So, even if they don’t come to my business, the fact is, I want people to see that sign and feel loved.”
Kenner said she received a letter from Parents Choice and was upset by it.
“If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t want to include people, doesn’t care about people, makes people feel bad about themselves, you’re not welcome in this building,” she said. “The Threat”
Since the parents’ choice letter has been circulated, some business owners have decided to take down their signs.
Potts owner Courtney Bien took her sign down from the hot dog shop because she had limited sign space on the building’s window and needed to promote another upcoming event. Bien said he has no connection with either group.
“We are a family-oriented small family-owned business,” Bayen said. “We want our customers to feel like they are part of our family when they come in.”
WLVR News reached out to Farm and Table in Nazareth, but the owner declined to answer questions about the situation and hung up.
When Gabriel-Ferretti signed on to endorse, “You are. You’re important.” She didn’t expect such a response.
“I never thought in a million years that sending messages like kindness, and inclusiveness, and equality would get such an attack. It’s shocking and sad.”
In response to the controversy, she and other community members organized an event to support those who felt marginalized. The Nazareth Together event will be held at Nazareth Borough Park on Saturday, September 10th from 3 to 5 p.m.
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