Commissioner Kevin Beckner appears to be the only member of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners who believes that LGBT history deserves recognition, as no other commissioner seconded his request to begin a discussion to declare June as LGBT Pride and History Month at the board meeting July 20.
“What I talked about yesterday was not only the importance of passing public policy that supports equality but also the importance that we, as a community, celebrate the diversity within our county,” Beckner says.
The proposal also included June 12 as a day of remembrance of the 49 people who died at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando and an occasion to honor them with a candlelight vigil each year.
The refusal from the other commissioners to even have a discussion sends a very different message than the one they sent when the board voted 5-1 to raise the rainbow Pride flag at the Hillsborough County center last month, just days after the Pulse shooting. Commissioner Ken Hagan was the sole vote against it. Commissioner Stacy White was not present for the vote.
“The importance of affirming other groups and people in our community is just as important as passing public policy. Our job and responsibility as a part of the government includes celebrating the diversity within our community,” Beckner says.
The silence of Hagan and White, as well as Commissioners Victor Crist, Les Miller, Sandra Murman and Al Higginbotham at the board meeting is a perfect indication as to why an LGBT history lesson is in order.
Leading up to the board meeting, the commissioners received many vulgar and threatening emails and phone calls, according to a source close to the office.
Watermark contacted the Hillsborough County Communications office to request those public records and are awaiting their arrival.
During the meeting, Miller allowed public comment from the dozens of Hillsborough County residents who attended. Tampa Bay Times reporter Steve Contorno live tweeted the entire meeting.
“First speaker is a gay employee of Hillsborough, who said he considered leaving when BOCC voted to allow discrimination based on orientation,” Contorno tweeted.
First speaker is a gay employee of Hillsborough, who said he considered leaving when BOCC voted to allow discrimination based on orientation
— Steve Contorno (@scontorno) July 20, 2016
Many speakers who opposed Beckner’s proposal said they did so because of their religious beliefs, saying “the LGBT agenda is not God’s plan for humanity” and that recognizing LGBT Pride and History Month was “an endorsement of a group of people for their sexual preference,” according to Contorno’s tweets.
Speaker: “It’s not hate that we’re talking about but we also believe that the LGBT agenda is not God’s plan for humanity.”
— Steve Contorno (@scontorno) July 20, 2016
One even echoed the rhetoric of Gov. Rick Scott and Sen. Marco Rubio saying, “the murderous actions [in Orlando] were not against the homosexual community” but were rather an act of terrorism.”
Speaker said “the murderous actions (in Orlando) were not against the homosexual community” but actions of a terrorist.
— Steve Contorno (@scontorno) July 20, 2016
Nancy Desmond, founder of the Tampa chapter of PFLAG, criticized the hateful speech saying, “Right-wing churches are not the only voices in Hillsborough County.”
Nancy Desmond, founder of PFLAG Tampa, criticizes the fire and brimstone messages from the Christian right.
— Steve Contorno (@scontorno) July 20, 2016
Several of the speakers who opposed recognizing LGBT Pride and History Month recommended alternative celebrations including “Save Sex For Marriage Month” and “Law Enforcement Awareness Month.”
