Town of Woodstock will no longer fly Pride banners on downtown lampposts

For many years, Pride flags have been among the banners flown on lampposts in downtown Woodstock.

But going forward, a change in the town's rules means they will no longer be allowed.

"We're disappointed that that's the position the town has taken," said Amanda Lightbody, founder and president of The Rainbow Crosswalk, a non-profit Pride organization supporting the Woodstock region.

Last October, her group appeared before town council to thank them for the Pride banners over the years, after Lightbody said she learned the banner policy was being reviewed.

Then on Nov. 14, the town passed a motion saying any banners put up by the town can be for "tourism and heritage promotion only."

Lightbody said her group was not notified and reached out in January to follow up.

"We discovered, looking through the minutes, that they already had proclaimed it in November, but nothing was ever said to us," she said.

Woodstock Mayor Trina Jones was unavailable for an interview, but said in a previous council meeting that the rule was adopted to be more fair and cut down on a multitude of requests for different banners. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)

Scott MacCallum, vice-president of the The Rainbow Crosswalk, sent a letter to council asking if the Pride banners could be given an exemption to the new policy.

Council did not respond to the letter until its meeting on March 26, when Mayor Trina Jones read council's response to MacCallum, which was posted to YouTube.

WATCH | 'There's been no communication':

Jones said the policy was created so the town could better handle "a multitude" of requests that had been coming in for special banners.

"The policy was developed in an effort to ensure requests are reviewed and treated equitably by the town and to provide a clear and transparent framework to ensure fairness," the letter says.

"While the request set out in the letter does not fall within an exemption to the policy, on behalf of council I wish to reiterate that the Town of Woodstock is for everyone, welcomes everyone and celebrates diversity."

Similar changes elsewhere

Lightbody said she was surprised, but council's directive is similar to a change she's seen across Canada.

"There's this movement to say, 'We include everybody, so we're going to not recognize anybody,'" Lightbody said.

"And that's a dog whistle for people who are a little bit bigoted."

CBC News requested an interview with Jones, but was told by clerk Laura Gaddas that she was unavailable.

In an emailed statement, Jones said that she has not heard any negative feedback from The Rainbow Crosswalk or any other citizens following council's response to the request for an exemption, so she cannot speak to their concerns.

Jones said she would not offer any more comment at this time.

When asked to put a number figure on the multitude of requests the town said it has received for other banners, Gaddas did not respond.

Parent disappointed by decision

Ebony Scott has lived in Woodstock her whole life and describes herself as an ally of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

"Ultimately, I'm really disappointed," she said.

Scott said she and her husband "try really, really hard to teach our children that there are people all around us who lead very different lives than we do, and that is what makes life so beautiful."

Ebony Scott has lived in Woodstock her whole life and says she's disappointed because she and her husband have raised their children to be accepting of others. (Submitted by Ebony Scott)

"It feels like it was not that long ago that they brought out the Pride flags and were openly welcoming to that group."

Scott said she understands the town can't have banners for everything, but Pride flags were an important way to show support for a marginalized community.

"It's just like a little nod of recognition that may not have been there before," she said.

"I have a lot of hope for our community going forward, but I think we have a little ways to go."

Pride crosswalk vandalized in 2017 

The Pride banners are not the first time New Brunswick has seen pushback over 2SLGBTQ+ support.

In 2018, a Chipman man had a straight pride flag flown at town hall for a day after a Pride flag had flown.

Last summer, during a "1 Million March 4 Children" event in Saint John, a Pride flag was ripped away from counter-protesters.

It has even happened in Woodstock before, when a rainbow crosswalk was vandalized in 2017.

Lightbody said it was Woodstock's previous mayor, Arthur Slipp, who had the Pride banners put up as a response to the crosswalk vandalism.

In 2017, a rainbow crosswalk was vandalized. The Pride banners were put up not long after by a previous mayor. (Kristen Stephens/Supplied)

She said seeing Pride flags downtown or in a business is a small step to show that everyone is welcome.

"That's what we're trying to promote around here. And when you don't see them, when you don't see yourself represented, you hide."

Lightbody said there are lots of allies around Woodstock, but added that it's challenging when the province's Education Minister, Bill Hogan, whose riding includes Woodstock, is in favour of Policy 713, revised to require parental consent before teachers can use a chosen pronoun requested by a child under 16.

Lightbody said one positive aspect of it all is that the council did give her group several of the Pride banners back so they could be used elsewhere.

She said her group is working on getting them hung up in other towns across western New Brunswick and are planning ways to support pride events in town this spring and summer.

"We are going to attempt to paint the western valley as rainbow as we can."