Community members showed up in force at the Delaware County Council meeting Tuesday, and most who spoke were demanding Ryan Webb resign as a member of the council following his declaration on Facebook earlier this month that he identifies as a woman of color. Charlize Jamieson, a transgender female, addressed the council saying, “I know better. We all do. I know better because of his history of making hateful anti-trans statements on social media and disrespecting one's pronouns. He has, purposely, and intentionally, misgendered me.” That is not something transgender people do to one another."
She went on to say that Webb was being disingenuous and his words embarrass the county council too. Webb, and the rest of the council, sat silently as a parade of people addressed the elected officials, showing various degrees of disappointment and anger, each speaking for about three minutes as allowed by council rules. Students Demand Action of Burris Laboratory School also spoke at the meeting. Six students approached the podium and demanded Webb's resignation, with one student saying people like Webb make the process of figuring out who one is more difficult. Later Webb told The Star Press that the people who spoke against him had a right to voice their concerns. But he said he wishes they would step back and realize they are perpetuating hate, intolerance, and bigotry towards him. #lgbtq_civil_right