The Pride flag flies alongside the city, state and national flags at the Creekwalk flagpoles in Vacaville in 2023. The flag is flying once again this year.
Vacaville Mayor John Carli declined to sign the city’s 2024 LGBTQ Pride Month proclamation, leaving it to be signed by Vice Mayor Greg Ritchie, who promptly signed the document.
The document has not yet been presented to anyone but was provided to The Reporter.
The document is substantially shorter than the language recommended by the Solano Pride Center, and does not contain reference to the LGBTQ community until the final line. It also does not use the word Pride or proclaim the month as Pride Month, but notes June as “a time to recognize, support, include and safeguard the LGBTQ Community in the City of Vacaville.”
Carli did not sign a Pride proclamation until the 11th hour last year, sending then Vice Mayor Jeanette Wylie to the Pride in the Park event in his absence. Carli and Councilmember Roy Stockton also voted last year for a proposal that would have only government flags fly at the School Street Bridge, but all other members of the city council voted against them to keep the pride flag flying each June. A pride flag is currently flying at the School Street Bridge as a result of that policy.
Executive Director of Solano Pride Center Will McGarvey was disappointed to see the mayor refuse an opportunity to affirm a community that McGarvey says Carli previously caused pain for.
“We view this as a breach of his oath of office,” McGarvey said.
The Solano Pride Center sent a proposed proclamation to the city, McGarvey said, which included language about the Stonewall protests, the 2015 marriage equality decision, the Pulse nightclub shooting and more. Carli said this proclamation “did not meet the city’s guidelines” and that the policy gives him discretion as mayor to write a proclamation for the city of Vacaville.
“I no longer believe that they have the best interest of our community at heart,” Carli said in reference to Solano Pride Center. “I believe it is now time, as seen through the proclamation that was requested by a fellow council member, that we come together to support and safeguard the LGBTQ community in our city.”
McGarvey said the Solano Pride Center reached out to people involved with crafting a proclamation in early March, and asked about the Pride flag-raising ceremony. The city never responded about a flag ceremony, and the flag is already flying.
Greg Ritchie signed the proclamation last Thursday and will attend the Solano Pride Center’s Pride in the Park event on June 23 at noon in Andrews Park.
“Last week, Mayor Carli provided me with the opportunity to issue a proclamation for the LGBTQ community,” Ritchie said. “I am honored to sign this year’s prepared proclamation at City Hall in celebration of Pride month. It is important to me to recognize and support Vacaville’s LGBTQ community.”
McGarvey said the organization considers the Vacaville event particularly important because of the pain caused to LGBTQ community members in the city due to a lack of support from the mayor.
“We know a lot of young people are struggling in that city because of the amount of religious discrimination allowed and even supported by that city’s mayor,” they said.
People inclined to discriminate against LGBTQ individuals might feel emboldened to be more overtly discriminatory if they see that their elected officials do not support the LGBTQ community, McGarvey said, and that discrimination can have dire consequences for at-risk LGBTQ youth. When the city drags its heels, he said, it sends a message to area businesses, teachers and all members of the community.
“It makes a difference when an elected official who has taken an oath of office has chosen to turn their back on a community like ours and views this through a religious lens rather than civil rights lens,” McGarvey said.
The organization sent its request in for a proclamation through Councilmember Jeanette Wylie this year, he said, knowing Carli may not be receptive.
“We knew that the Mayor may not even accept an application from us after the way that they targeted our community last year,” McGarvey said.
Other cities throughout the county have worked closely with the Solano Pride Center to craft Pride month proclamations and events. Suisun City’s first Pride event was held Saturday and garnered more than 1,000 people to come out and celebrate. The fact that the city co-sponsored the event made it feel much safer and community-oriented, McGarvey said.
“It was great to work with their city council and their Parks and Recreation Department, which helped us make it a great event,” McGarvey said.
Carli said he supported both tolerance and acceptance in the city with regard to LGBTQ individuals, and that those who know him would not say he is prejudiced against LGBTQ people.
“I’m here to say if you are gay, you are welcome in Vacaville,” Carli said.
Carli said he could not, however, sign a proclamation as mayor regarding the issue because he does not condone the actions of Solano Pride Center, which he alleges is a religious organization. The organization has provided classes titled “Biblical Self Defense” and has held tarot card readings at previous Pride events. Carli also noted reservations about gender-affirming care for Trans youth.
“It is OK to say I pause to allow for science and medicine and psychology to speak for itself,” Carli said.
The mayor said the personal beliefs of everyone in Vacaville need to be considered equally when the city government makes a statement.
“A lot of this is about people’s individual beliefs,” the former Chief of Police said, “and my career has been focused on making sure people’s beliefs and values systems are protected.”
McGarvey said they would meet with their board Monday evening to discuss the organization’s options moving forward.
“I understand their process but it is not a Pride proclamation,” McGarvey said. “It doesn’t proclaim the month of June Pride month in the city of Vacaville or anything like that.”
Originally published at Nick Mcconnell