For the third year in a row, Lubbock Pride and supporters packed City Hall for a peaceful rainbow sit-in, politely asking the city to acknowledge what Target, Taco Bell, and literally half of corporate America figured out years ago: that June is Pride Month. Instead of a proclamation, they got the same thing they’ve been getting since 2022—crickets.
About 40 people showed up this time, including members of PFLAG and the Democratic Executive Committee, stressing that LGBTQ+ folks are business owners, taxpayers, and actual citizens who deserve the same recognition as any other group that gets a proclamation. Instead, the council seems perfectly fine handing out kudos to random organizations while LGBTQ+ residents keep getting the cold shoulder.
Mayor Mark McBrayer gave his usual “we respect your right to speak” line, which is politician-speak for thanks for showing up, now please enjoy talking into the void. Meanwhile, Pride organizers invited him and the council to attend Pride Fest and, you know, maybe show some leadership for once. Spoiler: don’t hold your breath.
Three years of sit-ins and still no proclamation—at this rate, Lubbock will probably recognize Pride right around the time they finally fix the potholes.
