Plum Council President Ryan Delaney says he “refuses to be silenced” after recent online backlash to comments he made in support of the LGBTQ community at last week’s borough council meeting.
Delaney’s statements, which he said were meant to “validate” LGBTQ residents during Pride Month, were reposted by the popular right-wing social media account Libs of TikTok. The posts drew hundreds of comments, resulting in more than two dozen calls to Delaney’s phone, he said.
Clad in a rainbow blazer, Delaney encouraged youth grappling with their gender identity to find a trusted confidant. He made his remarks during the meeting’s “president’s comments” period.
“If you’re struggling with your gender identity, struggling with your sexual orientation, as a mental health professional, I urge you to find a trusted adult to confide in,” he said. “I hope that’s your parents or your siblings, but that’s not always possible. Sometimes it might be your weird aunt or uncle; sometimes it might be your school counselor; and if nowhere else, you can find an ally right here serving as your council president.”
Delaney — a therapist who runs a mental health clinic — also said he is the father of three gender queer children and that he doesn’t fit into the typical masculine identity.
“I’ve long said, ‘I’m not a man, I’m not a woman, I’m a Delaney,’ and as my oldest child likes to say, ‘I’m as non-binary as an elder millennial can get,’ ” Delaney said.
An initial post by Libs of TikTok said Delaney was encouraging “children to secretly discuss their gender with people other than their parents, including himself.”
But he described the post as “rage-bait,” an online strategy meant to boost engagement through intentionally provocative content.
“It’s fascinating to see the toxic sludge of the internet rise up,” Delaney said.
Among the 26 voicemails he received, he said none had 412 or 724 area codes.
Still, at least one local official took issue with Delaney’s comments.
Mayor Harry Schlegel said he felt the statement was “very inappropriate” for a municipal meeting.
“That was not the time or place,” Schlegel said.
Though the mayor said it was Delaney’s prerogative to offer comments as council president, he said the statement had nothing to do with borough business, and he disagreed with some of its sentiments.
“Lead your life — just stay out of my face about it,” he said.
Delaney has frequently used the president’s comments period to speak about broader issues, such as suicide prevention and becoming an organ donor.
In fact, he opened his comments last week by addressing those two topics as well as the newly enforced Paul Miller’s law, which bars motorists from holding their phones while driving, before moving on to his more controversial comments.
He’s also no stranger to flamboyant dress, arriving at multiple meetings sporting an American flag cowboy hat and a red-white-and-blue bald-eagle blazer in the past.
Delaney was elected to council last November as part of a slate of Democratic candidates that swept aside the formerly all-Republican body. He previously served on council, but lost a bid for reelection in 2023.
Despite the backlash, Delaney said he has no plan to change course.
“I’m just doing me,” he said.
He’s received plenty of support among family, friends and community members, he said.
Delaney said he plans to turn the ordeal into a fundraising opportunity for Monroeville Area Pride Community Aid by donating a dollar for every voicemail he receives. He’s y working on finding others to match his donations, he said.
Councilman Ray Rall, also part of the recent Democratic sweep, said he supported Delaney, but he wasn’t shocked by the backlash.
“To me, his comments were trying to show some solidarity with (the LGBTQ) community,” Rall said.
Though he said he thinks the topic will likely come up again at Plum’s meeting July 13, Rall said he doesn’t believe it will become a major issue.
“I don’t see it distracting from council business,” he said.