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Heated public remarks at Woonsocket council meeting over Pride month recognition
Summary
Public commenters and council members exchanged sharply divergent views on LGBTQ+ Pride month and a pride flag displayed downtown; Councilwoman Fox delivered a remembrance and endorsement of Pride month.
Public comment at the June 16 Woonsocket City Council meeting centered in part on whether the city should commemorate Pride month and keep a pride flag on city property.
Several speakers urged the council to remove the flag or oppose formal recognition. At the podium, Reverend Rhonda Sharon of 1025 Park Avenue said she did not agree with Pride month and called it "attention seeking," adding that she had several gay friends but still opposed the observance. John Reynolds Jr. of 1240 Diamond Hill Road told the council he regarded the flag as "a representation of an unnatural behavioral disorder" and urged that the flag be removed from the Market Square pavilion. Stephen Weber and other speakers also expressed opposition to Pride displays on city property.
Councilwoman Fox, who introduced agenda item 25 P 30 to "celebrate Pride month 2025 and honor the legacy and contributions of the Woonsocket LGBTQ community," delivered an extended statement in support. Fox said she felt "very fortunate to have been born a queer woman" and recounted experiences that, in her view, showed why civic recognition and protections matter. Fox urged respect and acceptance and described the recent downtown Pride event as "phenomenal," saying, "it was phenomenal to see River Island Park so alive with vendors, with food trucks, with so many people, just out and about being happy, feeling safe." She noted ongoing challenges for queer and trans people including access to health care and housing insecurity for youth.
Andrew Liles of 887 Park Avenue spoke in favor of Pride recognition, saying he appreciated the city's support. There were no council votes recorded on removing the flag during the meeting; the petition item was a request to address the council on the topic.
The exchange illustrated strong community division on public displays tied to identity and raised questions about how the council balances differing constituent views when it takes up ceremonial recognitions or uses of city property.
