Kevin Beckner was elected as an openly gay commissioner to the Hillsborough County Commission in 2008. He was then re-elected in 2012, and in his time as one of seven commissioners for the county, he has stood up for LGBT rights and equality.
Beckner was essential in getting the ban on recognition of LGBT pride lifted, amending the non-discrimination ordinance to include sexual orientation and gender identity and creating a domestic partnership registry. With each of these,Beckner had the support and backing of most of his county commissioners, something he did not have at a council meeting July 20 when he proposed a discussion to declare June as LGBT Pride and History Month and to name a day of remembrance for the Pulse victims.
The other commissioners remained silent, not one even seconding the motion for discussion.
“We know there was a concentrated and deliberate effort by an organized group out there to target some of the other commissioners,” Beckner says.
The commissioners received emails and phone calls from about two dozen people , mostly calling on behalf of their church, to oppose an LGBT Pride and History Month.
I’m fed up to the teeth with all the special interest groups who insist in getting in our faces all the time,” wrote Victoria Mang of Tampa in an email to each of the commissioners.
“What will be next, July will be Hillsborough County Bestiality Pride Month? August will be ‘Black Lives Matter Rage Appreciation’ month? Good grief, this is absolute lunacy. How about something really important like Christianity Appreciation Month or maybe Marriage Appreciation Month?” wrote Hillsborough County resident Bill Hilbrands.
Most of the Hillsborough residents who emailed the commissioners on the topic of an LGBT Pride and History Month included their age, race and the church they attend in the messages. Of the ones who included their personal information, they were all over 40, white and attended a Christian denomination church.
A few dozen emails and voicemails are not an indication of how the more than 1.2 million residents throughout Hillsborough County feel; the other commissioners allowed this small group to keep them silent.
“That’s part of the problem we have had in the past,” Beckner says. “If you look at some of the other initiatives that had failed regarding LGBT Pride, there is that small vocal minority that sometimes carries the influence to other commissioners.”
Watermark reached out to each of the Hillsborough County commissioners for this story. As of press time, Beckner is the only one who contacted us back.
“We have made a lot of progress here in Hillsborough County but I tell people there is still a lot of work to do,” Beckner says.
Beckner feels that if the community is to continue moving forward they need to be involved with every decision the commissioners make about the county.
“We were able to overcome that [vocal minority against us] because of the overwhelming support that we received from the business community and it was the business community that helped us pass the non-discrimination ordinance and the domestic partnership registry. They had a major influence on those initiatives.”
Beckner finishes his second term as a Hillsborough County Commissioner this year but that doesn’t mean his fight for LGBT equality in Hillsborough County is over.
“We need to continue as a community to work to elect progressive individuals into office locally that can continue to watch the mantel and keep guard so we don’t step backwards,” Beckner says. “That is the main focus on the electorate level, but as I said the larger work is changing hearts and minds and that’s done within the communities, not in the confounds of government.”
Below is a sampling of the emails, unedited, sent to the Hillsborough County Commissioners in the weeks leading up to Beckner’s proposal to recognize June as LGBT Pride & History Month, as well as make June 12, the day of the Pulse shooting, a Day of Remembrance.
LGBT history month; I think this is a terrible idea and am very strongly opposed to it. Bravo for the commissioners who had the good sense to decline to support an LGBY history month. I’m fed up to the teeth with all the special interest groups (mostly a very small minority) who insist in getting in our faces all the time. I am 70, white, and protestant, but I don’t condemn those who choose another lifestyle such as LGBT. I just don’t want to hear them constantly whining, and I most certainly don’t want to have an LGBT history month. Unless you also have a military veteran’s history month, a white people’s history month, and a history month for every other class and group of citizens, then I say the LGBT don’t need or deserve any special recognition with a history month. Don’t you commissioners have more important issues that affect ALL of the Hillsborough county residents to spend your time on? With all the things that are going on in this world, there must be more important issues you should be addressing. -Victoria Mang, Tampa
I urge you to vote “NO” on establishing a pride month for those who wish to destroy traditional marriage and families. You would not vote for “Straight Pride Month” so please don’t permit unequal treatment under the law for a tiny, vocal minority for special treatment. -Chris Fischer, Tampa
I have been made aware that there is a proposal to devote one whole month to the LGBT movement. Please note, that I am strongly opposed to this. How will this help to bring unity into our diverse community? By lifting up one group as being special, will it not spurn reactions from groups of opposing views? Will it not also cause other groups to want to have a month set aside for their own agenda or preferences? There are only twelve months in the year. Can we not come up with a more unified and worthy cause to dedicate a month to? -DaLeana Hayford
As a Native Floridian, Hillsborough County resident, Local Business owner, Father of four (4) and registered voter, I would like to express my disapproval of making the month of June a “LBGT Pride Month”! What will be next….July will be Hillsborough County Bestiality Pride Month….August will be “Black Lives Matter Rage Appreciation” month! Good grief…this is absolute lunacy!!! How about something really important like: Christianity Appreciation Month or maybe Marriage Appreciation Month or “Church Appreciation Month” or “Parents Appreciation Month”…these are the things that hold our community together and provides a solid foundation for our children’s education! -Bill Hilbrands
It is my understanding that tomorrow you will have the opportunity to vote on Commissioner Beckner’s motion to make June “Lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender pride month” every year a reality. It is my opinion that the vote should be “NO”. There is no need to single out any Segment of the population to the exclusion of others. That is why our country is going through the turmoil it is now. We are all Americans and unless the month is to celebrate that then we are going down a road that we do not want to be on. As a Christian I believe along with God’s word that same sex relationships are contrary to His plan for mankind. I have no ill will for anyone who is misled in this way as God loves all of us, just not the sin. Therefore, I believe in no way should we glorify something God’s word says is sin. -Kevin Ohme, First Baptist Brandon
Dear Commissioners, As a citizen of Hillsborough County, I am asking that you stand against the proposed lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender agenda.and vote against making the month of June a celebration of this agenda. It violates the long held values of the family and should not be a county wide celebration for a small minority of the people. I take this matter very seriously as a citizen of Hillsborough County, and will be watching how each commissioner votes concerning this matter. -Barbara R. Castro, Tampa
Mr. Beckner, As I watched the live coverage of today’s commission meeting unfold, I was astounded by how much coverage, time, and attention was given to the ridiculous notion of designating June as “Pride Month.” It far outweighed discussion on the Animal Abuse Registry – something that would actually be useful and help to improve the lives of thousands of animals throughout the county. Your effort has been sorely misplaced. If you feel the overarching need to designate a month for the celebration of a disrespected minority of the population, look no further than our veterans – people who actually sacrificed for you and your country. Your continued pandering to that particular, extremely small community, and outright dismissal and denegration of anyone with dissenting opinion, is disappointing at best and smacks of ignoring your duties as a commissioner to pursue a personal agenda. Due to this, I will be doing my part to support your opponents during the next election cycle. -Andrew P, Tampa
With all the things going on in our area that should have priority and be addressed this is what comes to the floor. Mr. Beckner once again is using his position to prioritize and ram down the throats of the voters of Hillsborough County another agenda giving preferred treatment to the gay community. With full knowledge that these sexual relations are in fact a danger to the health and well being of our society and the medical facts proving such diseases as HIV, Aids, Hepatitis and other life endangering diseases are in fact the result of these perverse and inappropriate behaviors. Our very blood supply also being exposed to these diseases and then the ever increasing possibility that these are passed on to innocent unsuspecting patients through blood transfusions or medical products derived from whole blood. These tainted products being delivered to men, women and children of all ages with the purpose of healing instead they are the recipients of a life endangering disease.
Were the discussion and or vote being brought to the forefront involve something like cocaine or some other potent and dangerous narcotic the chances are the it wouldn’t be addressed or it would be voted against due to the very same reason of public safety and or the possibility of endangering the life or lives of our populace. The tobacco companies were attacked because of the possibility of cigarettes causing cancer and I have no doubt that some if not all of you support such a decision. Yet on the issue of homosexuality there is no concern for the well being of our people obviously because certain perverse sexual pleasure take priority. With this in mind I find it it remarkable that just about everyone of our County Commissioners has supported these moves and that no one on the board had the backbone or courage to stand up for for what is medically and morally the right and proper decision which is to deny or vote against such activities. While I may sound harsh these are the facts and whether you believe it or not each of you are accountable to the tax paying voter and have the responsibility to protect public safety and health. Not doing this is and act of selfishness and carelessness which over the course of time will in fact have a negative impact on our society not just medically but financially and almost every area of our lives including yours. I implore you to do what is best best for the community and not what gives you your individual pleasure. I encourage you to reply my information is below. As a concerned citizen of this area and a believer in morality I challenge each of you and I will be following up. -Jeff Brendle, Tampa
I am asking you to vote against Commissioner Beckner’s motion to make June LGBT month each year. This is an inappropriate acknowledgment of a small percentage of the population to promote their chosen lifestyle that is contrary to the moral belief of many. I am a pastor of a church in Lutz and our congregation is outraged that such a motion would be considered. I will be at the meeting on Wednesday as will many from our church. We are looking to you as our representative in county government to vote against this motion. Thank you for representing the people of this county. -Dan Coflin
