“We live in one of the most conservative states in the country,” he said. Mishra said UUs presented a message of “hope not hate” during the weekend. Stanton, formerly known as Steve, was grand marshal of the parade. UU congregations supported her throughout a long process of public hearings. He attributed the increase this year to “thinking bigger” and to the public attention drawn to the case of Largo City Manager Susan Stanton, who was fired earlier this year after she said she planned to undergo gender reassignment. Mishra said that last year three or four UU congregations participated. Yours.” UUs also had a booth at the pride festival that followed the parade. More than 150 UUs attended an opening dinner and worship service at the Saint Petersburg church on Friday night, said Mishra, then marched in the pride parade Saturday behind a 15-foot UU banner that read “Room for Different Beliefs.
Manish Mishra of the UU Church of Saint Petersburg, “and that was a source of great pride.” Members of at least seven UU congregations participated in weekend events. “Our faith was clearly the most visible,” said the Rev. Unitarian Universalists turned out last weekend in Saint Petersburg in strong support of Florida’s largest annual gay pride festival.
