In Pinellas, Pride meets "Faith and Family" pushback
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A sign advertising Faith and Family Month, pictured last year at FamFest at Coachman Park. Photo: Kathryn Varn/Axios
Pinellas County commissioners this year became the latest elected officials mired in friction between Pride Month and a burgeoning movement declaring June as "Faith and Family Month."
Why it matters: All seven commissioners signed a Faith and Family Month declaration, which several said they understood to reflect a broad celebration of families and faith communities.
- But the movement's origins —and emails commissioners received after their chair circulated a proclamation that would also acknowledge Pride Month — point to a less-inclusive belief system.
Friction point: The Faith and Family Month website's statement of faith defines marriage as between a man and a woman and denies the existence of transgender people.
- And Pride, the emails say, "promotes values and policies that are contrary to biblical truth, harmful to the family structure, and ultimately detrimental to the long-term well-being of our community."
The big picture: The messaging is in line with a national trend by conservatives to make June a celebration of Christianity and heterosexual family structures.
Driving the news: Commission vice chair Chris Latvala brought the Faith and Family Month proclamation to his colleagues, he told Axios.
- Latvala, a Republican and former state lawmaker, said he was inspired by Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector, who signed a similar proclamation last year and again this year.
The intrigue: Board Chair Dave Eggers on Tuesday sent a Pride proclamation to his colleagues for their signatures — only after an Axios reporter called to ask about it.
- While he previously said there were no plans to recognize Pride Month because no community organizations had made that request, he later acknowledged leaving it out could make an unintended statement.
Zoom out: Faith and Family Month was organized by Christian service nonprofit Somebody Cares Tampa Bay, co-founder Daniel Bernard told Axios last year.
- Bernard did not return requests for comment, nor did two people who identified themselves as local pastors in emails to commissioners.
The other side: "It's unfortunate that they're only focusing on one segment and one definition of family," said the Rev. Ray Simms, senior pastor at King of Peace Metropolitan Community Church in Pinellas Park.
- The Bible's core values "are not threatened by anyone who affirms the LGBTQIA+ population," Simms said. "In fact, they demand it."
What's next: Proclamations are typically issued when they have the support of a super-majority of five commissioners, Eggers said.
- As of Thursday afternoon, three commissioners — Eggers, Flowers and Commissioner Brian Scott — confirmed to Axios they'd signed on to the Pride proclamation.