While LGBT residents on the west side of Tampa Bay are busy preparing for Florida’s largest Pride celebration in St. Petersburg in late June, county commissioners on the Tampa side of the bay will consider a motion to lift that county’s ban on recognizing gay pride events on Wednesday, June 5.
Kevin Beckner, the county’s only gay commissioner, introduced a motion at the last commission meeting that would lift the ban which has been in place since 2005. Notorious anti-gay, former commissioner Ronda Storms pushed the bill through after controversy surrounding a gay pride exhibit at a public library. Storms also made it difficult to do away with the ban by getting an additional measure passed requiring 5-2 super majority vote to rescind the ordinance.
“I do not believe government should be in the business of bullying and discriminating against any segment of the public they serve,” Beckner told Watermark. “I believe the current ban does just that and am hopeful my colleagues will agree. While my colleagues continue to evolve on their thinking about LGBT issues, one of the main focuses of our recent comprehensive plan review was the issue of diversity and how we are addressing it in our community. Because of that I think we have a good chance of getting the ban removed.”
Equality Florida thinks it’s time to undo what Storms did eight years ago.
“Equality Florida is focused on the June 5 Hillsborough County Commission meeting as the first real opportunity in eight years to do away with the notorious anti-gay pride ban,” said Ed Lally Equality Florida’s Tampa development coordinator. “We hope the Commissioners will end this national embarrassment and daily insult to gay people in Tampa Bay.”
While removing the ban on recognizing gay Pride events in Hillsborough would be a positive step, the county would still have a long way to go to be seen as an inclusive county that recognizes diversity.
It isn’t enough to end the ban, Hillsborough needs to catch up,” Lally said. “We need a comprehensive, inclusive human rights ordinance that includes sexual orientation and gender identity. People who live and work in Hillsborough County need the family protections that domestic partnership protections can bring.
Recently the commission failed to pass a domestic partner registry for Hillsborough County, a measure which several neighboring counties-including Pinellas-recently approved. Commissioners also effectively dismantled the county’s short-lived Diversity Council to appease anti-gay crusader Terry Kemple, a long-time anti-gay advocate.
“The failure of Hillsborough County to meet even the minimum standard of equality and fairness has left the county behind public opinion and at an economic disadvantage when companies are looking to expand or relocate,” Lally said. “We will not draw the best and the brightest to an area where the prevailing message is that your success is limited by bigotry. Tampa has shown real leadership and has strong policies but even the city is being held back by backward attitudes on the County Commission.”
The fight to repeal the so-called ban won’t be an easy one. The Florida Family Action group, based in Orlando, has contacted its members in hopes that those opposing the repeal of the old ordinance will speak out during the meeting. The email even includes talking points to help its members get its point across.
“With the millions of dollars that are needed to repair roads that are considered ‘failed roads’ and the number of children and families without adequate food every day, why is spending money or utilizing county resources to promote any type of behavior even being considered by this board?” the email reads. “County government (government at any level) should not be engaged in promoting homosexual behavior.”
The email also encourages its members to protest the use of taxes to “promote homosexual behavior” or a governmental entity to “promote special interest groups.”
Becker notes that the commission won’t be asked how it might support or not support gay pride activities in Hillsborough County in the future, only that they would not ban such activities altogether.
The decision of the board could rest entirely on public speakers, Beckner believes.
“Of course I can’t speak for my colleagues but I certainly take public input into my consideration with any vote,” said Beckner.
A vote to rescind the notorious ban is expected on June 5 and the meeting begins at 8:15 a.m. at the County Center at 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., in downtown Tampa. Equality Florida has asked supportive members of the community arrive at the chambers wearing red. There will be an opportunity for members of the public to speak and Equality Florida encourages people to let their voices be heard.
“Things have changed from the days that Kathy Castor was the lone voice of equality. We tend to be one vote shy of a pro-equality majority,” Lally said. “The signing of the GaYbor proclamation is a good sign, but only a start in the repairs that must be done.”
In May, all seven commissioners signed a proclamation acknowledging GaYbor Days, which was held Memorial Day weekend.
“We are increasing our presence and our community outreach in Hillsborough County but we need local voters to raise their voice,” Lally added.
According to Equality Florida, polls show that a clear majority support strong non-discrimination laws and domestic partnership protections. The organization plans to have a canvassing event at the Rock the Park concert at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 Ashley Drive in Tampa from 6-9 p.m. on June 6.
“We are canvassing on Thursday, June 6 and will reach out to voters to engage them in the fight for equality more deeply in Hillsborough,” said Lally. “We hope to continue to build a local team that will continue in an ongoing way as we push the County Commission to do the right thing.”
Lally said there are two things that people can do right now to show their support: speak out at the commission meeting on June 5 and volunteer on June 6 to find support for ordinances creating LGBT protections in a county-wide human rights ordinance and domestic partnership program.
“If you are tired of bigots having the loudest say in Hillsborough County politics, don’t get angry, get active,” said Lally.
