More than $5,000 was raised for LGBTQ+ students following the homecoming parade incident

MARION, Iowa – A Linn-Mar School District mother said the community is showing support for the LGBTQ+ club Spectrum after an alleged act of hate occurred during the homecoming parade last Wednesday.

The group said they were met with insults and homophobic language and allegedly had an open box cutter thrown at them.

Jennifer Pitkin said her 15-year-old daughter Ava was with her friends when it all happened.

“They deserve praise for what they did, for overcoming adversity and walking alone in that parade, but then they kept going,” Pitkin said.

She said she knew her daughter was gay before she even came out and there was no influence or anything that could change that.

“Someone coming up to a gay person and telling them they're not worthy of love wouldn't stop them from being gay,” Pitkin said.

Pitkin took to social media after the event and was “overwhelmed” by the support. She said she received about 200 messages from the community expressing condolences or sharing their own stories.

“We want our children to feel safe, and people walking up to them and telling them they are welcome was exactly what she needed to hear,” Pitkin said. “To the people who use these words hoping that they will immediately destroy someone, [it’s] will certainly have the opposite effect.”

Pitkin said she started a GoFundMe to raise money for the Spectrum group. More than $5,000 has been raised so far.