Opinion: Queen Creek mayor, council do not support LGBTQ+ residents

Earlier this month, I sent an email to the Queen Creek (QC) town council in regard to a lack of support and recognition of LGBTQ+ individuals within the QC community. I received a response from the mayor, Julia Wheatly. Her response failed to address my concerns regarding the lack of recognition or support of LGBTQ+ individuals in our community; but rather, she suggested I volunteer in my community to "offer my perspective to the community." Ms. Wheatley did not do her research because if she had she would have learned that I was a Kiwanis of Queen Creek member from 2009-2020 with my final year as their club president. My volunteer work in Kiwanis included the town's events in which she named as volunteer opportunities for me.

Based on her pat response, which did not include any form of response to my inquiry about the town's lack of commitment to LGBTQ+ individuals in QC, I have arrived at the conclusion that she and the town council do not care to support LGBTQ+ individuals in QC. The town council is surely supportive of LGBTQ+ individuals' tax revenue that go to support their efforts within QC.

Let me close with a final thought for non-LGBTQ+ individuals to ponder. I have heard numerous times in my 29 years since coming out as gay why do "you people'' always feel you need special recognition? Let me explain something to you cisgender, heterosexual, White people. You get special recognition EVERY DAY. That is the privilege you hold for winning the race lottery, of which our society has consisted of since its founding more than 400 years ago. Your special recognition is invisible and unrecognized by you because you simply hold that privilege. It's your implicit bias that makes you claim, why do "you people" need special recognition. It's not that we need special recognition but rather we simply want to be recognized. Have you tried to exist in a place where everybody was not cisgender, heterosexual (among several other minority identities) and could see no visible signs of acceptance? Would you feel included or excluded? We have come a long way since 1964 when the Civil Rights Act guaranteed all Americans (individuals) civil rights and to be treated equally but sometimes the majority members of our society forget and certain groups are excluded.

“QC Keoki”*
Queen Creek

*Editor’s note: This is a pen name requested by the writer