HRC Blog

Last night the Porterville City Council in central California voted to rescind the mayor’s proclamation designating June as LGBT Pride Month.

Mayor Virginia Gurrola issued the proclamation on June 4 after President Obama declared it as LGBT Pride Month. It is within the mayor’s jurisdiction to issue proclamations, and the city council typically signs the document. However, not one of the city councilors joined in support at the time.

The council voted 3 to 2 to rescind the LGBT proclamation, with City Councilmember Pete McCracken dissenting on the basis that the proclamation was within the mayor's rights.

The Porterville City Council was the only city government in the state to support Proposition 8, the discriminatory ballot initiative that outlawed same-sex marriage in California in 2008. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court returned marriage equality to California.