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Crowd with giant Pride flag in Salt Lake City for Pride Month 2024
These cities stand up for LGBTQ+ rights in the face of state opposition. Will their actions inspire change or face backlash from conservative leaders?
Despite statewide bans in Idaho and Utah, Pride flags will still be flown on city government buildings in Boise and Salt Lake City.
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The two capital cities took slightly different tacks to achieve the same goal of defying state governments attacking symbols of LGBTQ+ identity. By adopting the Pride flag or variations as an official flag of the city, these progressive cities in traditionally red states can legally fly the flags above city government buildings and property.
RELATED: The sneaky way a Utah teacher supported his LGBTQ+ students
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, a Democrat, proposed that the city adopt three new flags for a total of four official flags, the mayor’s office said in a press release.
“Our City flags are powerful symbols representing Salt Lake City’s values,” Mendenhall said. “I want all Salt Lakers to be able to look up at these flags and be reminded that we value inclusion and acceptance — leaving no doubt that we are united as a city and people, moving forward together.”
In addition to the original Sego Lily Flag, the proposed flags included a new Sego Celebration Flag, representing Juneteenth and the city’s Black residents; the Sego Belonging Flag, representing the city’s LGBTQ+ community; and the Sego Visibility Flag, representing the city’s transgender residents.
RELATED: Utah becomes the first state to ban Pride flags on government buildings
House Bill 77, passed this year by the Utah legislature, limits the types of flags flown on government buildings. By adopting the new flags as official flags, Salt Lake City could still fly the Pride-themed flags legally from government buildings. The City Council quickly adopted the measure.
In Boise, Mayor Lauren McLean, a Democrat, and the City Council took a more direct approach to counter Idaho’s statewide ban on nonsanctioned flags flying above government buildings, the Idaho Statesman reports. Boise’s City Council simply adopted the Pride flag as the city’s official flag on Tuesday.
RELATED: Why LGBTQ+ advocates filled Idaho’s capital with paper hearts
“There are so many folks that live lives of quiet desperation, every single day in our community, who carry with them a secret,” City Council President Colin Nash said during the contentious council meeting. “I hope just once that the city of Boise’s flag, that someone will see that and know that they are not alone.”
It remains unclear how the Republican governors of Utah and Idaho will respond to the direct challenges to the Pride flag bans.
