by Ken Toole | Oct 27, 2025 | Guest Articles, LGBTQ+ Issues, Mayor
Guest Editorial by Allen Lanning
I have been more focused on national and international affairs lately, but this is LGBTQ History Month, so I’m going to weigh in on an issue in the Great Falls mayoral race.
There is a meme circulating on social media about kids looking at a Halloween costume labelled “Homophobic Mayor of Great Falls” which is clearly intended to represent our current Mayor, Cory Reeves. Cory is offended and disappointed, asserting he has never been homophobic, period.
But here’s the deal. Prejudice occurs on a spectrum, or slider, from mild, unconscious biases to intense, hostile attitudes. Prejudice against LGBTQ people is called homophobia. People like Cory consciously or unconsciously push the slider in their mind so that only the most egregious and open conduct qualifies as homophobia to them.
Granted, if you narrowly define homophobia that way, Cory is not homophobic. I believe he would never gratuitously physically attack an LGBTQ person, he would never call someone the “F” word, he would never join in bullying or making crude, hurtful jokes about LGBTQ people or fire someone just because of their sexual orientation.
But his definition of homophobia is too narrow. It’s wrong and misleading. Homophobia at the low end of the spectrum is still homophobia and is still hurtful.
When you take official action as Mayor out of a desire for LGBTQ people to remain invisible in the public eye and the public record, that’s homophobic.
When you change the City’s longstanding policy or practice of issuing proclamations or flying celebratory flags to avoid having to make a Pride Month Declaration or to avoid hanging a Pride flag on public property or to avoid publicly acknowledging the history of oppression and harm LGBTQ people have suffered, that’s homophobic.
When you assert governmental neutrality between oppressed LGBTQ people and the people who would oppress us, that’s homophobic. We see it. We know it for what it is. And we remember it.
I have always had polite communications with Mayor Reeves. He is generally friendly and accessible. I recognize that he has done positive things in his private and his public life. But homophobia doesn’t change its nature because it’s manifested in subtle ways by genteel people. And polite regard for one’s friends and family members who are part of an oppressed group does not excuse actions taken to further that oppression, even small ones.
So yes, if you judge Mayor Cory Reeves by his mayoral actions on LGBTQ issues, he is homophobic, despite his protestations. It’s fair to describe him as mildly homophobic. But it is not truthful or fair to allow him to slide himself out of the label entirely. Obviously, this is but one aspect of this race. But if that is an important issue to you, and it should be, remember that when you vote.
by Ken Toole | Jun 4, 2025 | City, LGBTQ+ Issues
June is Pride Month. This is a good time to revisit the whole issue of local government proclamations given Mayor Cory Reeves’ refusal to issue a proclamation supporting Pride Month one year ago. See our previous blog post here https://wtf406.com/?s=Pride+proclamation+
Some of my best friends are. . .
Here is Reeves’ explanation of his reason for refusing to issue a Pride proclamation last year. “While I firmly believe in equality for all individuals, I also believe that the government should not be involved in matters concerning personal and private relationships, whether they involve straight individuals or members of the LGBTQ+ community. My goal is to ensure that all citizens are treated with equal respect and dignity, without government interference in personal matters. The government should never condemn nor celebrate who should love who; those are personal life choices that the government should not interfere with.”
Reeves’ couching his action in the language of equality is nothing new. The same approach has been used to justify bigotry against African Americans, Jews, Native people, and others for years. In our current political environment, bigotry is the stock and trade of the right wing. Unfortunately, pandering to intolerance is just good politics these days. Reading through social media posts following Reeves’ announcement makes clear that his action was very popular among his supporters.
What The Hell Does That Even Mean?
Following the controversy over Reeves’ denial of a Pride Proclamation, the City of Great Falls adopted guidance for future proclamations. Effective July 1, 2024, proclamations are issued solely at the mayor’s discretion and are considered on a case-by-case basis. But the really outrageous thing is the description of the guidelines for proclamations that will not be granted. NonStop Local reported, “the city has outlined specific guidelines, stating that proclamations will not be issued for matters of political or religious nature, personal life choices, or topics with potential political controversy.”
Since the change in the process, the mayor has issued 25 proclamations, several of which arguably violate the guidelines. To be clear WTF406.com does not object to these proclamations. The issue is that the proclamation guidelines are extremely subjective and are left to only one person making the decision, Mayor Cory Reeves. The proclamations approved by the mayor under the new guidelines include “matters of political or religious nature.” Unfortunately, the Trump administration and its supporters have made all of these things “topics with potential political controversy.” The proclamations he’s issued include:
Martin Luther King Jr. Day [January 20, 2025], National Catholic Schools Week [January 26-February 1, 2025], Black History Month [February 2025], Juneteenth [June 2025], and Earth Day [April 22, 2025].
Mayor Reeves Action Will Not Keep People In The Closet
Obviously, a city proclamation is a small piece of the struggle for equality for LGBTQI people. The Great Falls LGBTQ Center has been sponsoring numerous events for Pride Month. Communities across the state are doing the same. They have all been well received, but, unfortunately, these celebrations have also generated harassment from those who want to keep people in the closet. History tells us that the struggle for equality among oppressed groups is long and difficult. So, support the LGBTQ Center here in Great Falls, and let the politicians who promote exclusion and condemnation know you don’t support them.
by Helena Lovick | Jun 17, 2024 | LGBTQ+ Issues
Great Falls, MONT
Mayor Proclaims He Won’t Proclaim Support for LGBTQ+ Community….
Early in June, the Great Falls Mayor Cory Reeves posted a statement on Facebook that he wouldn’t be issuing a proclamation for LGBTQ+ Month. And we’re still seeing the fallout on our town from the mayor’s clueless-at-best position.
Mayor Reeves’s Facebook proclamation that he’s not making a proclamation
Sure, I agree with the mayor that people should be “treated with equal respect and dignity without government interference in personal matters”. BUT ARE THEY?
Of course we know they are not. We all know that the LGBTQ+ community is marginalized, discriminated against, and faces continued stigma for just being who they are.
And Hate Speech Follows
Why didn’t Cory just stay silent and not issue a proclamation? Instead, he made it worse by openly refusing to make a proclamation of support. That clearly sends the message that our city government DOESN’T support the LGBTQ+ community. And like clockwork, bigots come crawling out of the woodwork. Affirming organizations, including our blog, are getting hate messages because we openly support actual “equality for all individuals” by speaking in support of the LGBTQ+ Community. The neo-nazi “wHitE LiVes MatTeR” crowd was emboldened to put up their racist and homophobic stickers in our town the night of June 15th. More than 60 anti-LGBTQ+ stickers and and dozens of racist white lives matter stickers were found throughout the downtown area. Below are some images of the hate-speech, lie-filled stickers.
Loser neo-nazi unsurprisingly spreads lies and hate speech stickers in Great Falls, Montana
Of course the neo-nazi who put up the stickers is still too big of coward to do it publicly. And yeah, Great Falls is NOT filled with bigots (nice strawman argument Rick Tryon, we never said it was). It is likely one or two fucking pieces of shit putting up those stickers. But that doesn’t stop the harm it causes.
Let this inspire those of us who don’t support hate
One person can have a huge impact. Love is Love! Put up a “Hate has NO home here” sign at your home, wear a rainbow. Be a visible ally. We can use more love in this world.
And Cory, if you’re reading this, you were wrong. You can own your mistake and issue a proclamation now. It won’t undo the harm you unleashed but it will be better than just letting the hate continue to froth up. Our community deserves better.
by Ken Toole | Jun 6, 2024 | LGBTQ+ Issues
“As mayor, I have decided not to issue a proclamation for LGBTQ+ Month. While I firmly believe in equality for all individuals, I also believe that the government should not be involved in matters concerning personal and private relationships, whether they involve straight individuals or members of the LGBTQ+ community. My goal is to ensure that all citizens are treated with equal respect and dignity, without government interference in personal matters. The government should never condemn nor celebrate who should love who; those are personal life choices that the government should not interfere with.”
There’s a lot to unpack in Reeves’ refusal to issue a proclamation acknowledging Pride Month. Though he couched his statement in the language of equality, his statement reveals a deep prejudice against LGBTQ+ people and a denial of reality and history.
Let’s begin with the reason cities issue “proclamations” in the first place. Generally the goal of a proclamation is to honor, celebrate or create awareness of an event, special occasion, cause or significant issues. They do not require funding, and they do not have “force of law.” They are a feel-good thing which brings people together around something they care about. Reeves’ action does just the opposite. His action has set off controversy while marginalizing a significant segment of the community. And his covering up by saying, “It’s none of our business” is simply lame. The same thing could be said of most proclamations cities make.
Discrimination and violence have been directed at the LGBTQ+ community for decades as part of an effort to keep this group out of the mainstream of society. Unfortunately, this is a tradition with lots of precedent in American society. Many groups which have been pushed out have organized to push back. One tool for doing that is celebrating their existence and refusing to remain silent in the margins. Another is forming civic groups and “fraternal” organizations.
As a result we have St. Patrick’s Day (Irish), Martin Luther King Day (African Americans), and so on. Civic and fraternal organizations were formed to organize and promote communities which have faced bigotry, rejection and discrimination in society. The Sons of Norway, The Hibernians, and Knights of Columbus are just a few of the better known of these organizations.
The LGBTQ+ community organizing Pride Parades and Pride Month and asking local governments to issue proclamations of support and celebration is a time honored tradition in America. Unfortunately, Cory Reeves’ refusal to issue a proclamation also finds its roots in tradition as well. The efforts of all of “out” groups to confront discriminatory treatment has always been resisted by those in power. And just like Cory Reeves, those who seek to keep others “in their place” cloak themselves with phony excuses which deny the fundamental bigotry of their actions.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time the City of Great Falls has flubbed this issue. In the summer of 2020, the LGBTQ+ community asked the city to adopt an ordinance which prohibited discrimination against them as has been done in other major cities in Montana (Missoula, Helena, Butte, Bozeman). After taking public comment, the commission decided not to adopt an ordinance which specifically condemned discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals.
The LGBTQ+ community has come a long way in the last 50 years. But, as Reeves’ action demonstrates, there is still a long way to go. Change in issues like this is a long slow struggle which requires commitment and tenacity. The LGBTQ+ community understands that and will continue to press for equal treatment. This motto says it all: “We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it!”
by Jasmine Taylor | Feb 11, 2024 | LGBTQ+ Issues
The times, they are a…fucking disappointment mostly. But there is one silver lining. Thanks to the internet and misunderstood geniuses like Elon Musk (the self-driving car of CEOs) we are now all privy to the VERY BIG FEELINGS of men who like football.
Remember the good old days? When Republicans were angrily burning their nikes and pledging an NFL boycott because a Black man had an opinion. Well, Meltdown Season has returned, and this time the threat is none other than the lovecraftian horror known as female pop music.
Taylor Swift is in her athlete era. Suddenly, a whole swath of people who never gave a fuck about carbon emissions are out holding hands with Greta Thunberg. What does it take to make a Republican “go woke?” A little blonde pop star.
But this reaction to female fandom isn’t new. We see it whenever a woman is too much of something- too loud, too honest, too comfortable in spaces reserved for men.
As a Queer woman, I am contractually obligated to follow at least one sport. Long ago, I had an ex who liked the Raiders. Long story short, left the guy but kept the team. Now, each year I get up to 3 CEUs (Masters, Bisexuality) for fulfilling my football viewing obligations.
Of all the things I do that piss men off, having a football team is near the top of the list. Even expressing such a preference typically comes with an entrance exam. Wear a black and silver t-shirt and a man will materialize to ask you if you even know the name of the quarterback. A similar effect occurs when a woman wears a band t-shirt. The arenas may be slightly different, but the problem is the same. A “woman” has entered a space that is owned by The Men. Allowing women in that space inherently devalues it. Whenever women like something en masse, the cultural narrative quickly deems that thing as frivolous, unserious, and other updated versions of “hysterical.”
Never in my wildest dreams did I expect that this year Taylor Swift would be able to make the cringiest NFL fans so mad that they would be forced to devote their loyalty to….San Francisco?
Yes, America’s Queerest City is getting the love and support of Republicans across the country. Suddenly, men who love to own the libs are using phrases likes “carbon footprint” and “billionaire class.” While musical taste is subjective, I think we can all appreciate the joy of watching stupid people get angry. And with that goal in mind, Taylor Swift is this year’s MVP (Most Valuable Popstar).
by Jasmine Taylor | Feb 10, 2024 | Elections, LGBTQ+ Issues, Militia and Hate Groups
The Gallatin County Republicans has caused quite a stir with an invitation to their annual fundraiser dinner. You may have already seen it circling online. If not, we’ve included it below. We think this invitation pretty much speaks for itself.
Read the Democratic Party’s response here: https://www.montanademocrats.org/news/mtgop-calls-hundreds-of-thousands-of-montanans-peasant-families
