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Denton council divided over proposal to recognize 'bridal month'; members seek language edits and more council consensus
Summary
Councilmembers debated whether to place a resolution recognizing June as 'bridal month' on a future agenda; supporters argued it promotes inclusivity for LGBTQIA+ residents while opponents said proclamations can be divisive. Staff will revise language and return the item for consideration.
City staff and councilmembers discussed a proposed resolution to declare June as “bridal month” in Denton during a Sept. 16 work session. The item drew detailed debate over language and whether the city should issue month‑long recognitions.
Christie Fogel, chief of staff, told the council the proposal originated as a two‑minute council member pitch and that a consensus of four councilmembers is required to place it on a future agenda. Several councilmembers said they supported recognizing LGBTQIA+ residents but wanted revised language that would be less likely to be interpreted as antagonistic toward other governmental partners.
Councilmember Jester (District 6) proposed simplifying the acronym to “LGBTQ+” (rather than enumerating many specific identities) and removing a whereas clause that characterized ongoing public behavior in Texas as threatening to transgender residents, saying that clause could be interpreted as antagonistic toward legislators and partners. Jester also suggested using non‑gendered language in places where the city charter previously replaced gendered references with neutral ones.
The mayor said he opposed placing the resolution on the agenda, saying the city generally does not adopt proclamations recognizing specific identity groups and that doing so is divisive. Councilmembers from Districts 2, 5 and others spoke in support of a recognition and urged the council to workshop the language.
City staff said the drafted resolution provided by the proposing councilmember did not include a retroactive date and that, as drafted, the resolution would be perpetual unless changed. Staff said there was one request this year for a 'bridal proclamation' (2025) and that the last time the city issued a similar proclamation was 2022.
Council consensus: Following discussion, staff was directed to circulate revised language that trims the enumerated acronym to “LGBTQ+,” removes the stated “ongoing behavior” whereas clause and omits references the councilmember suggested changing. Staff will return the revised language for consideration; a consensus of four councilmembers would be required to place a resolution on a future council agenda.
Ending: No resolution was adopted Sept. 16. Councilmembers who supported a revised text asked staff to prepare updated language for distribution to council ahead of a future consent or individual consideration item.
