STOCKTON, Calif. — Update: 7 p.m.
The Stockton City Council has voted to raise the Pride flag for Pride month.
The vote passed with Mayor Kevin Lincoln and councilmembers Michelle Padilla and Michael Blower dissenting.
Original Story:
Stockton City Council members are set to vote on whether or not to honor Pride month by displaying the Pride flag on city flag poles.
The decision was previously delayed by a week after council members agreed to make that vote on Tuesday.
"The symbolism is still pretty powerful and potent to see it be raised up," said David Sengthay.
As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, David Sengthay has hopes to see the Pride flag flying at city hall in his hometown of Stockton. That is why he joined the San Joaquin Pride Center in rallying in front of city hall on Tuesday to make sure that hope becomes a reality.
This comes after the city council decided to push the vote by a week. During last week's meeting, Councilmembers Michelle Padilla and Michael Blower expressed their hesitation.
"Our city is suffering from crime and homelessness and that's where our focus needs to be," said Councilmember Padilla.
Both Padilla and Blower making it clear that they do stand with the LGBTQ+ community, regardless of their decision regarding the flag.
"I too don't have a problem with Pride, and I don't want to see people discriminated against but I also don't understand why one group would get a flag," said Councilmember Blower.
For James Patnaude, a transgender service specialist with the San Joaquin Pride Center, he said these responses just make him roll his eyes.
"That's one of the oldest excuses in the book, in my opinion, raising a flag is the bare minimum that a government agency or organization can do to show their support for our community," he said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Patnaude and other supporters showed up to city hall to make sure council members know where they stand.
"We are citizens of Stockton, and we need to be represented just have our humanity acknowledged in the same way that anybody else's is," he said.
Regardless of the decision, this group said they will keep on fighting for their rights. The California Women's List also raised more than $1,000 to go towards the San Joaquin Pride Center to help their mobilizing efforts, just like their cause for the display of the Pride flag.
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