Solvang residents are asking the City Council to reconsider allowing Pride Month banners and a rainbow crosswalk a month after the panel rejected the initial proposal.
Several speakers on Monday night urged the council to allow the temporary addition of banners on light poles for Pride Month in June, saying it would send a welcoming message to the LGBTQ+ community.
The council rejected the initial request Feb. 27.
“I stand here before you not only as a citizen, but as a human, a business owner, a father, a proud gay man, to say what you did at the last council meeting was completely inappropriate, unprofessional, disrespectful and very disappointing,” said Kiel Cavalli, president of The Rainbow House, Inc., a resource center and safe place for members of the LGBTQ community.
Emails allegedly circulated by at least one council member before the meeting rallied people to “stop the gay agenda and madness,” Cavalli said.
He questioned reasons council members had cited for denying the banners claiming they were political, or limited to city-sponsored events or could not be installed for financial gain.
Some council members said Cavalli’s business sells Pride items, although he said the selection is limited at ONEderChild.
He pointed out that a Julefest banner sits outside the year-round Christmas shop.
The rainbow crosswalk proposal — now reduced to one that would sit at 2nd Street and Copenhagen Drive along the Pride parade route and removed— raised concerns that it would spook horses, including those pulling the Solvang Trolley might cause confusion.
Cavalli said Rainbow House resubmitted the application with modifications and options and urged approval, adding the organization wants to work with the city to find a solution.
“I stand here on notice putting you on notice in front of this community, and I suggest that you need to take a look at this and ensure the denial is not about discrimination or your own personal beliefs,” he said.
The item wasn’t on the agenda for Monday night’s meeting, so the council did not formally consider the request.
The revised banner includes Danish verbiage saying “all velkomne” or “all welcome,” and includes Solvang.
The group has suggested banners be placed for a shorter time period, although city policy calls for them to be in place for a month, Cavalli said.
Cavalli said they remain willing to work with the city and make concessions to find a suitable proposal.
Liz Marks said supporting Pride will foster tourism.
“The financial gain of having this support will affect all the businesses within Solvang in a positive manner. Tourists won’t stop coming because of a rainbow flag or a colored crosswalk,” Marks added.
Harry Mullin, a college student who serves on the Santa Ynez Valley Pride board, quoted Councilmember Robert Clarke’s comment that “Solvang is the friendliest goddamn town he’s ever been in.”
“We live in different Solvangs, sir. I have endured a life of discrimination and hate on the basis of my actual and perceived identify,” Mullin said, adding that he was called a derogatory term a short distance from City Hall.
“The battle for gender and sexual equality is one of life and death, and I do not exaggerate,” Mullins said. “You can say that you’re denying banners and crosswalks all you want, but you’re showing which side of that battle you really are on.”
His mother, Sandie Mullin, noted the theft of Pride flags and burning of one as a person allegedly shown on video with someone saying, “That’s where gays goes.”
“It is important. Representation does matter,” she said.
Kristin Flickinger, Pacific Pride Foundation executive director, said Pride flags and banners serve as a symbol of safety.
“If you haven’t experienced the feeling of joy and safety when you see a rainbow flag in a new city or a business, I implore you to listen to the members of the LGBTQ+ community who are telling you what these images mean to them,” Flickinger said.
At the Feb. 27 meeting, a number of residents spoke on both sides of the issue, with one woman claiming allowing Pride banners and cross walks would harm the brand of the Danish-themed city, while others noted Denmark has led inclusion efforts for the LGBTQ community.
Monday night, Clarke said reiterated he regretted “using the Lord’s name in vain,” apologizing for that comment.
“An entire month of banners, an entire month of street painting, I don’t think it’s right for Solvang. You can disagree with me if you want,” he said.
An admitted conservative, Clarke noted he approved the Pride parade last year, and complained that not wanting banners or crosswalks has meant they aren’t woke.
“It started with tolerance, then it went to acceptance, then it went to participation, and then it went to celebration, and if you don’t do all those things then you’re not woke and you need to be canceled,” Clarke said.