"A clout-hungry MAGA city council member in California's Coachella Valley is using his position as Palm Desert's mayor pro tem to try and divide what's long been a close-knit community of desert cities over the issue of LGBTQ+ rights. Young Republican Joe Pradetto introduced a resolution last week to rewrite the city's Pride resolution to strip it of references to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to bar the city from hanging the Pride banner from City Hall under the guise of "government neutrality.""
"The proposal rocked the community of cities around Palm Springs, a longtime bastion for LGBTQ+ residents and visitors. Initially slated for review at the council's next meeting in January, the uproar prompted officials to call an emergency session yesterday to debate it. Asked about the urgency, a city spokesperson told the , "Scheduling the meeting immediately is how we ensure that transparent consideration happens promptly, rather than leaving the matter unresolved.""
A Palm Desert mayor pro tem proposed rewriting the city's Pride resolution to remove references to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to prohibit hanging the Pride banner at City Hall. The proposal came from Young Republican Joe Pradetto and framed the change as a move toward "government neutrality." The measure prompted immediate backlash across the Coachella Valley and led officials to call an emergency council session. Hundreds attended the meeting and most public commenters denounced the proposal, warning it would harm LGBTQ+ residents, visitors, and the local economy. Councilmember Jan Harnik called the proposal destructive.
Read at LGBTQ Nation
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