Boston officials say a group claiming they will hold a "straight pride parade" in the city this summer has not actually been granted a permit to do so after the so-called event went viral.
It all started with a group of men who call themselves "Super Happy Fun America." According to its website, the group exists to "celebrate the diverse history, culture, and contributions of the straight community."
Last week, the club's vice president, Mark Sahady, claimed on Facebook that the city of Boston would be "working with them" for the "straight pride parade." He also said the group had filed a "discrimination complaint" against the city and that officials understood they would "lose" in litigation.
Sahady added that the group was tentatively planning the parade for Aug. 31, and even provided a planned route.
"If you would like to come as an individual, march as a group, or bring a float or vehicle, then get in touch. This is our chance to have a patriotic parade in Boston as we celebrate straight pride," he wrote.
On Tuesday, New York Times editor Carolyn Ryan shared a screenshot of Sahady's Facebook post on Twitter. It quickly went viral.
People were quick with the zingers.
Even the band Smash Mouth got involved!
Soon, everyone began to wonder what a "straight pride parade" would look like, exactly.
And some said it didn't even make sense.
And a lot of people started sharing this meme.
According to the city, Super Happy Fun America's application for the parade permit has not been approved, which is required to host the event.
Sahady directed BuzzFeed News' request for comment to a group email address, from which there was no response.
In response to the social media outcry, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh released a statement to BuzzFeed News about the city's planned pride events.
"Every year Boston hosts our annual Pride Week, where our city comes together to celebrate the diversity, strength and acceptance of our LGBTQ community," he said. "This is a special week that represents Boston's values of love and inclusion, which are unwavering. I encourage everyone to join us in celebration this Saturday for the Pride Parade and in the fight for progress and equality for all."