Overview
- A joint statement from the City of West Hollywood, the WeHo Pride production team and Kathy Hilton announced Wednesday that the 2026 Pride Parade will not designate a Grand Marshal Icon after Hilton agreed not to serve.
- At least one marcher group, Indigenous Pride LA, had already withdrawn in protest of Hilton’s selection, saying her appointment did not reflect the values and lived experience the parade seeks to uplift.
- Critics focused on Hilton’s past social ties to President Trump and a 2022 allegation from a Real Housewives castmate that she used a homophobic slur; Bravo’s internal review was described as inconclusive.
- Hilton and a representative denied she aligns with the MAGA movement, said she has not endorsed a candidate since 2008, and reaffirmed longtime support for LGBTQ+ organizations while saying she stepped aside to avoid distraction.
- WeHo Pride and the city said the parade and weekend events will proceed as planned with nearly 120 entries, and the decision underscores growing debate over whether celebrity honorees should reflect local activists and community legitimacy.