Two people addressed Clearview council Monday, asking members to recognize Pride Week and fly the rainbow flag.
The plea, made by Brenda Cleary and Alyssa Nesbitt, is in response to a request from Simcoe Pride to recognize Pride Week from July 31 to August 8 and raise the pride flag on August 4, tabled Jan. 12.
Clearview council has a policy, passed in 1996, that states, the township cease to declare special weeks, months and days because the requests became “redundant due to overuse”.
Last year, council made an exception to the policy and flew the pride flag at town hall for the first time.
Cleary said she has seen adults make the lives of young gay people in the community difficult and feels the flag promotes inclusion. A foster child in her care left town because of discrimination.
“I want to live in Clearview, not no view, Clearview,” she told council.
Nesbitt said as a lesbian and mother living in Stayner last year’s flag raising meant to her that she and other LGBT are welcome members of the community and that the gesture helps fight discrimination.
Mayor Chris Vanderkruys said council will review the policy.
“We will try to get it on the agenda as soon as possible,” he said.