OUTwest Lubbock, a community resource center for LGBTQ+ people in West Texas, has started a letter-writing campaign asking the Lubbock City Council to recognize June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month.
The campaign aims to recognize the cultural and entrepreneurial contributions of the LGBTQ+ community and declare that Lubbock "is a city that welcomes all." OUTwest is also raising funds for print and media advertising associated with the campaign; its donation goal is $2,500.
After similar requests last year were largely ignored by the city council, LGBTQ+ advocates conducted a rainbow sit-in protest, filling the Lubbock City Council’s chamber with rainbow-themed attire during a late June meeting.
Mayor Tray Payne declined to give comment after last year’s protest, and only two of the seven city council members responded to the initial emails asking for a proclamation, according to LubbockPRIDE.
One of them was Mark McBrayer, who led the recent mayoral race with over 37% of votes and will compete against fellow council member Steve Massengale in a runoff election on June 15th. McBrayer's response claimed it would be “improper” to support last year’s request.
A Pew Research Center study published last June found that a record-high seven percent of Americans are gay, lesbian, or bisexual.
OUTwest Lubbock requested that the council issue a proclamation recognizing Pride Month at Lubbock’s 12th Annual PRIDE Festival on June 22. The OUTWest Lubbock website has more information on the Pride Proclamation campaign.