Sykesville council proclaims June 2025 Pride Month after residents speak in support

The Sykesville Mayor and Town Council on June 9 unanimously adopted a proclamation declaring June 2025 as Pride (LGBTQ) Month in the town.

The proclamation recognizes “the history of the LGBTQ liberation movement” and calls for visibility, dignity and equality for LGBTQ people. Mayor Link and council members opened the discussion after the mayor read the proclamation and noted that the council and staff had received an email asking them not to adopt the proclamation because the writer considered it “politically divisive.”

Supporters who spoke during public comment told the council the proclamations matter. Sharon Young, a resident of 613 Revere Court, said she backed a prior proposal and objected to election‑period misinformation that motivated her to speak. Dana Alonzo, a resident at 7307 Spout Hill Road, told the council the town’s demographic changes over recent decades make proclamations appropriate; she cited U.S. Census figures presented during public comment to note changing population share and median age trends.

A council member who read a prepared statement said issuing proclamations is not a partisan act but a recognition of dignity. “When a government, local or national, recognizes Pride Month … it is not endorsing a political position. It is affirming human dignity,” the council member said. Other council members urged civil public discourse and noted mental‑health risks for LGBTQ youth, citing higher suicide risk among that group as part of their reason for support.

Council members acknowledged the email opposing the proclamation and said they welcomed continued public engagement. The motion to adopt the proclamation carried unanimously.

The proclamation will be used by the town for public programming this month, and council members encouraged ongoing community dialogue about differing viewpoints.

Votes at a glance: the motion to proclaim June 2025 as Pride Month passed unanimously at the June 9 meeting.