To mark Pride Month, Visit Philadelphia is releasing a public service announcement (PSA) in partnership with CBS Philadelphia and CBS New York that highlights Drag Queen Storytime.

The PSA comes in the form of a 30-second TV spot that features famed local drag queens Morgan Wells and Brittany Lynn. 

In the video the two queens take turns reading “Giraffes Can’t Dance” by Giles Andreae and illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees to a group of children and their parents at Independence Hall, the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. 

This book tells the story of a giraffe named Gerald, “who is made fun of for his dance moves until a friend encourages him to move to his own tune.”

The PSA ends with the message “In pursuit of a more perfect union,” with the words kind and respectful rotating in. 

This PSA will make its debut at the Philadelphia Gay News Pride Brunch and Stonewall Awards on Sunday, June 4. It premieres on TV the next day on CBS affiliates in Philadelphia and New York. 

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The PSA’s total ad value is more than a quarter of a million dollars. 

“Aligning with Visit Philadelphia’s organizational values and in support and solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, who are having their rights infringed upon in many places throughout our country, we’re sending a message that our city is an open and inclusive destination,” Angela Val, president and CEO of Visit Philadelphia, explained.

“This work aligns with our long-term strategy to invite LGBTQ+ travelers to Philadelphia, starting with our ground-breaking campaign ‘Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay®’ in 2003,” she continued.

A recent study by Ipsos, a research marketing firm, of LGBTQ travelers to Philadelphia found the 63% of respondents felt that Philadelphia as a LGBTQ-friendly destination. 

“It’s our responsibility to ensure that our tourism marketing efforts are a direct reflection of our residents and those we invite to visit. We were inspired to juxtapose Independence Hall, the very birthplace of our nation and where some of the first gay rights protests in the country were held, with this drag queen storytime,” said Neil Frauenglass, Visit Philadelphia’s chief marketing officer.

“By showcasing members of our LGBTQ+ community in this historic place, we’re showcasing the evolution of equity and equality between the 1700s and today,” said Neil Frauenglass, chief marketing officer at Visit Philadelphia,” he added.

Visit Philadelphia has a history of advocating for the LGBTQ+ community. Its previous President and CEO, Jeff Guaracino, was a member of the community and was a driver behind the aforementioned ‘Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay®’ campaign. He also wrote “Gay and Lesbain Tourism: The essential Guide for Marketing.” 

Guaracino passed away in December 2021 after a battle with cancer, and was honored with a segment of South 13th Street being renamed Jeff Guaracino Way. This section resides in Philadelphia’s Gayborhood and the renaming ceremony took place on National Coming Out Day, October 11, 2022.