Community 'fed up' with council, win to raise Pride flag in Stockton

The Pride flag was raised at Stockton City Hall on Wednesday after many in the LGBTQ+ community feared they wouldn't see the multicolored flag displayed this Pride Month.

About 50 community members rallied on the steps of city hall Tuesday evening, just before the city council decided whether to fly the flag for a fifth consecutive year. The vote had been deadlocked at the June 13 meeting, with Mayor Kevin Lincoln and council members Michael Blower and Michele Padila voting "no," and Vice Mayor Kimberly Warmsley and council members Brando Villapudua and Dan Wright voting to raise the flag.

Susan Lenz, the District 4 councilwoman, was absent from that meeting, forcing the deadlock. She attended this week's meeting virtually.

"Over the last four years, the city of Stockton has raised the Pride flag for a week during June. This flag does not only stand for celebrating pride. This flag symbolizes LGBT resilience, strength, and the ongoing fight we've had to wage just for our basic humanity to be respected," said James Patnaude, a transgender service specialist at San Joaquin Pride Center who attended the meeting.

Patnaude added that the flag doesn't just represent the LGBTQ+ community.

"It is a symbol that shows solidarity with our community and takes a stand against the hatred we are all affected by," he said.

Stocktonians gathered outside to discuss their thoughts on the agenda item — some donning rainbow-colored clothing supporting the cause — before packing the council chambers to lead public comment. Nearly 40 comment cards were submitted for the item.

Due to the large number of comment cards, public comments were limited to one minute instead of the usual three minutes, Lincoln said at the beginning of the meeting.

"This one minute is ridiculous, but it speaks volumes to what's going on," Chris Dueker of Stockton said. "I'm going to quote from your biography, mayor, where you state you were driven to run, or wanted to run, for your love of people ... not seeing it. You're giving us a minute. People came out, showed up, wanted to be heard, and (you) can't be bothered. I think as a community, we're all fed up."

'Disgraceful' city council meeting worries some

Some who spoke during public comment voiced their concerns over hate speech targeting the LGBTQ+ community.

John Alita, Stockton's director of community services from 2014-2020 and deputy city manager from 2020-2022, said he found the dialogue at a recent city council meeting discussing a Pride event "disgraceful."

"I saw unequal treatment in this council chamber a few weeks ago when this body allowed people to call people in this room, without evidence, pedophiles and groomers and evil spirits and saying that they were going to shake their junk in people's faces," Alita said, referring to those who spoke in opposition to a drag show at Pixie Woods — Stockton's beloved children's park.

The show went on this weekend. The media was barred from attending.

"You have a chance to right the wrong tonight, or you can double down on the sickness that's infecting this country, and you can invite it into these council chambers and give it a seat at the dais," Alita said. "Your choice."

Earlier this month, Human Rights Campaign — the country's largest gay rights organization — issued a "state of emergency" over anti-LGBTQ+ laws passed across the U.S.

Leaders of that organization said the emergency declaration, the first in its 43-year history, was issued after over 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were signed into law in various states this year. That number more than doubles last year's total, previously the worst year on record.

Dottie Lofstrom urged council members to remember that "diversity, inclusion, and equity are not just words, but actions" for the community that votes primarily for Democrats.

Others questioned if flying the Pride flag was fair to other groups.

"If we fly a gay Pride flag, do we fly every other flag as well?" Brad Stahl, Stockton, asked the council. "Do we fly a Christian flag? Do we fly a Muslim flag? Do we fly a Nazi flag? Do we fly a 'Make America Great Again' flag? Where does that stop?"

Jerry Gregerson shared similar sentiments.

"I have friends in the gay community, so that's not the issue at all," he said. "My concern is, where do we stop?"

Warmsley said that residents of Stockton — recognized as the most diverse city in America in 2020 — should celebrate each other's differences and suggested that flags be flown for all groups.

"We must enhance and embrace culture on all levels, especially communities such as mine whose history has been erased," the vice mayor said. "So, yes, why not have the Native American flag? Yes, why not have the Juneteenth flag? And yes, why not have the Pride flag? In this city, we embrace diversity over adversity."

Padilla, representing District 1, said she wasn't sure if the city was ready to take on such a feat.

"I got a call for the Mexican-American flag. 'Well, can we hang that for Cinco de Mayo?' And believe it or not, the Confederate flag," she said. "We are an inclusive city, and we need to be inclusive to all communities, regardless of our opinions and beliefs."

"At this point, council nor myself, I don't think we're ready to fly any other flag than the American flag, our city flag, the POW flag ... we're not prepared for other communities in a nondiscriminatory fashion. I can't be the judge to say your flag represents or has more symbol than the other."

Before voting, Lincoln told community members that his commitment to the city was unwavering, regardless of the council's ultimate decision.

"I have family members, I have friends, who I love and support dearly, who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community, that know I am one of the most inclusive individuals, and they'll tell you that ... but they will also tell me, 'I do not expect you to stand and raise a flag.' That's coming from people that I know and that I love," the mayor said.

The votes were identical to the votes from the previous week's meeting: Lincoln, Blower, and Padilla voted "no." Warmsley, Villapudua, and Wright voted "yes," with Lenz joining them.

The Pride flag will fly before Stockton City Hall until June 28.

Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Community 'fed up' with council, win to raise Pride flag in Stockton