Following a contentious meeting, the Brooklyn, Ohio, City Council narrowly voted to approve a resolution declaring this June to be Pride Month.
The Cleveland suburb has been plagued over the last year by a string of incidents in which Pride flags have been vandalized or stolen. At council’s May 27 meeting, these incidents were repeatedly raised to illustrate the importance of a statement of LGBTQ+ support.
Still, tempers flared between council members as the resolution was discussed and the motion passed 4-3 to approve.
“I’m proud that a majority of council took this step,” said out LGBTQ+ councilmember Steven Coyle, who brought the language forward. “It sends a clear message to LGBTQ+ residents and visitors that they are seen, valued and belong here in Brooklyn This resolution is more than symbolic; it’s a reflection of the inclusive community we’re striving to be.”
Public response
Before council members voted, several residents spoke in favor of the resolution during the public participation part of the meeting.
The Rev. Ginger Marshall said that she and her wife moved to Brooklyn over a decade ago, after making sure the community was “reasonably safe or at least not openly hostile” to LGBTQ+ residents. She said that the wave of Pride flag desecrations challenged that feeling of safety, but that the council could send a strong message to counter those incidents.
“This is a declaration that we as a community can take a stand, that all of our neighbors are welcome and that no one is mistreated,” Marshall said.
Resident Joseph Pierce said that the bad actors who vandalized Pride flags do not represent the city’s ideals and that the resolution would show that “intolerance is not who [Brooklyn] is as a city.”
“As you all vote on this resolution, please consider how this will set the tone for a more inclusive community and how we will all move forward together,” said Pierce, the vice-president of local nonprofit Brooklyn Area Pride.
Heated debate
During the meeting, Coyle highlighted that the city council had previously approved several resolutions, including ones on Black History Month, Motorcycle Safety Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
“Pride Month is a time to honor the courage, contributions and experiences of the LGBTQ+ community and to affirm that our City Council stands with those who have too often been overlooked and marginalized,” Coyle said.
For his remarks, Councilman Aaron Borowski read a letter from a constituent who said that the city should not approve the resolution.
“Most folks are ordinary and working people,” Borowski read. “They aren’t flying flags for the LGBTQ+ community. This resolution creates an unnecessary division in our city. LGBTQ+ individuals have decided to live a particular lifestyle.”
Borowski said the letter was “their words, not mine.”
Councilman Kevin Tanski said that he would not support the resolution as it did not benefit “all Brooklyn residents.”
Councilwoman Sue Grodek countered that the first line of the resolution was, “the City of Brooklyn supports the rights of every resident to experience equality and freedom from discrimination.”
“[The resolution] simply meant to state that we recognize Pride Month, which is happening whether we pass the resolution or not,” Grodek said. “I want to recognize Pride Month in our city as well as in our country.”
Ultimately the council narrowly approved the resolution, with Coyle, Gordek, Matt Mosley and Council President Kathleen Pucci voting to recognize Pride Month. Council members Boroski, Tanski and Andy Celcherts voted against.
“It is disheartening that our entire council could not come to a unanimous agreement to recognize June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month,” Coyle told The Buckeye Flame after the meeting. “As a country, we’ve made meaningful strides toward inclusion and equality, but moments like this remind us how fragile that progress can be. When a basic gesture of visibility and support becomes controversial, it sends a message that some people in our community are still being left behind.”
Mayoral inaction
After the resolution passed, Mayor Ron Van Kirk had five days to sign it. He declined to do so.
The Buckeye Flame reached out to Van Kirk for comment, but he did not respond.
In his remarks during the meeting, Van Kirk did not mention the resolution but later told Cleveland.com that he was not in support.
“I’m not really in favor of these types of resolutions, really, because they tend to be political, often divisive in nature,” Van Kirk said.
By his not signing the legislation, the resolution recognizing Pride Month will not go into effect for 30 days, until after Pride Month has ended.
Originally published by The Buckeye Flame. Republished here with permission.
This article appears in Cleveland SCENE 06/05/25 Best of Cleveland.