LGBT community 'deeply distressed' by proclamation denial

Lana Sweeten-Shults | Times Record News

For more than 10 years, Wichita Falls’ LGBT community has asked the city’s leaders to answer its call to “acknowledge and affirm” its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents.

But the LGBT community says it was disappointed again, as the mayor recently denied the request of Pride in the Falls to proclaim June as Diversity Pride Month. He said he “does not do controversial." Not that he didn't issue any proclamations this month, recognizing the Texas Federation of Square and Round Dancers, who will be in town this weekend for their state festival.

According to a letter sent to Mayor Stephen Santellana by Pride in the Falls, “Several weeks ago, you received a proclamation request to proclaim June Diversity Pride Month in Wichita Falls. This 2017 request represents over a decade of attempts to have our city leaders acknowledge and affirm the diverse communities that make our city successful.

“We are deeply distressed by this continual dismissal of our many diverse identities by the city.”

The letter includes around 110 names in support of Pride in the Falls’ proclamation request efforts.

Despite the denial, Pride in the Falls is continuing on with its Pride event from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. June 10 in South Weeks Park. It will include vendors, resources for the LGBT community, hot dogs and hamburgers supplied by Vaca Loca, and even a “cooling station" supplying water toys for cooling down in the June heat.

The event is designed to “promote and celebrate diversity … LGBT people are just as normal and worthy of celebration as others,” said Pastor Mel Martinez, who has helmed the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Community Church for six years and has led Pride in the Falls for two years.

Martinez said efforts to get “affirmative recognition” by the city predates her, going back to the controversy involving the efforts of the Rev. Robert Jeffress, former pastor at First Baptist Church, to remove from the Wichita Falls Public Library two children’s books that explain homosexuality, “Heather Has Two Mommies” and “Daddy’s Roommate.”

A Pride in the Falls group was active back then.

Martinez said when Pride in the Falls asked for a proclamation in 2016, then Mayor Glenn Barham said the group submitted the proclamation request too late.

This time around, she said the nonprofit organization — a group that educates, supports and brings to light human rights issues, especially as it relates to the LGBT population — received a confirmation that the request was received on time but that it was denied.

Martinez said, as of press time, she hadn’t been told why and hadn’t received feedback from the city.

“Is it too long? … What can we do to make this a possibility for next year?” Martinez asked. “... I emailed him (the mayor) again yesterday. … I noted the proclamation for the Texas Federation of Square and Round Dancers was approved. I expressed some disappointment. … Certainly Pride is as important as that.”

Martinez said she had addressed the city council in May, asking councilors to express their support to the mayor in hopes that it might result in a different outcome. She also addressed the council at its meeting this week.

Santellana, who is in charge of approving proclamation requests, said, “For me, I don’t do controversial, and I don’t do political,” and he asks himself, "Does this have community value we don’t see as political or controversial.”

The mayor said proclamation requests are “sporadic,” though he does receive many requests, and not all of them are approved. For example, if it’s the first year for an event, he may not approve it over a legacy event.

Santellana said, “It’s not that we don’t support their cause. There’s just things, as a municipality, we don’t get into,” adding, “Don’t be surprised if you see several of us that are at the (June 10) event.”

He said, ultimately, stirring the pot isn’t something he wants to do.

“We live in a huge faith-based community, and I have to be mindful of that.”

Martinez said she was at a city council meeting where city councilors said 25-30 people was a good sampling of the city to serve on a steering committee.

“Well, I’ve got 112 people on that letter. … We’ve passed that (number), so let’s make some changes. … We have plenty of folks behind it. We’ll have a great event on Saturday celebrating diversity and gay pride. It’s time to see the city accepting (of the LGBT community). You don’t have to approve. Accepting is different from approving.”

June is widely acknowledged across the country as LGBT Pride Month, though on a national level, President Donald Trump did not do so, issuing proclamations in June for Caribbean-American heritage, African-American music, homeownership, the outdoors and the ocean.

Follow Times Record News senior editor/reporter Lana Sweeten-Shults on Twitter @LanaSweetenShul.