Dear editor,

This is an open letter to the Marathon County Board of Supervisors.

Today you will vote whether or not to retract the Pride Month declaration that you VOTED to approve less than 60 days ago. You had retaliation from close minded, bigoted people in the community for your decision, so since it makes you look “bad” to some people you’re considering retraction of the decision.

Let me tell you what I felt when I found out that it was approved. For the first time in the five years I have lived in Marathon County, I felt accepted. I felt I could take a breath of fresh air because there are people fighting for for the right things in this county, sadly I was mistaken. You so strongly preach “Marathon County, Where Time is on Your Side,” yet you’re still stuck in the 1960’s. Pride Month gave the LGTBQ community in this county hope. Hope that maybe not today or tomorrow but in time, we will be able to feel 100% free and accepted.

Now you’re questioning it, and what does that tell us?

It tells me, and the thousands of other LGTBQ community members that we ARE NOT wanted in this community and that we are NOT accepted. We do not choose this life, why would we choose to be treated like this? I’m just telling you now Marathon County Board Members, if you think you had retaliation for Approving Pride Month wait and see what it is like if you retract it. I guarantee you will lose so many community members because they will not want to live in a county that goes back on their word and where they don’t feel accepted.

If you do retract this, I hope none of your children are gay. What would you do? Would you tell them they aren’t accepted in this county? Would you tell them they don’t matter? How would you explain retracting an ordinance that would push for their acceptance and feeling of safety?

I hope for your sake, and the sake of this community you choose the right thing today. Today you will choose to label Marathon County as a beacon for the first time in its history for LGTBQ members or you will choose to label it as a community that takes back its word and is not accepting of all its community members. The choice is yours board members, the fate of this lies in your hands so please make the right decision.

Donavan Rose, Wausau

Editor’s note: The views of our readers and guest columnists are independent of this newspaper and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Pilot and Review. To submit a letter, email us at [email protected] or mail letters to 500 N. Third St. Suite 208-8; Wausau, WI 54403.