Salt Lake City And Boise Adopt Official Pride Flags In Defiance Of Attempted Erasure

On Tuesday night, in the kind of civic rebellion queer folks know all too well, Salt Lake City and Boise turned a moment of erasure into one of expansion—by making Pride flags official city emblems. It wasn’t just symbolic. It was strategic. On the eve of Utah’s statewide ban on “unauthorized” flags (legalese for LGBTQ+ banners), the Salt Lake City Council voted unanimously to adopt three new official city flags: one honoring the LGBTQ+ community, one for the trans community, and one celebrating Juneteenth. Each incorporates the city’s original flag in the corner—a detail of both inclusion and defiance.

Mayor Erin 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.”

This is what it looks like when a city chooses its people over politics.

Related: Utah Universities Canceled Lavender Graduation. LGBTQ+ Grads Held It Anyway.

Let’s be clear: this happened because on Wednesday, May 7, a new Utah law banned non-governmental flags from being flown at public schools, government offices, and universities. Supporters of the ban say it’s about “neutrality.” The $500-per-day fines, should you ignore it, say otherwise. And Governor Spencer Cox, despite his alleged support and appreciation of the LGBTQ+ community, let the bill become law without his signature (the same tactic he has been using with anti-trans bills for the past two years.) That’s not remaining neutral. That’s being complicit.

So Salt Lake got creative and codified the visibility that lawmakers tried to erase. And they weren’t alone.

In Boise, Idaho—another conservative state—a similar stance was taken just hours later. Their city council passed a resolution recognizing the Pride flag as an official city flag in a 5-1 vote, sidestepping Idaho’s new law (HB 96, which restricts flags on government property.) Boise Mayor Lauren McLean called the law an attempt to “force the City of Boise to take down the Pride flag that has flown at City Hall for nearly 10 years.” So Boise answered by making the flag official.

Outside Boise City Hall, dozens of residents gathered, waving rainbow and American flags. A celebration and statement that queer existence is not just permitted but protected.

While the flags flew high, the celebration stretched wide. On the same day Utah’s law kicked in, local communities gathered to celebrate Lavender Graduation (a ceremony that honors LGBTQ+ students graduating in spite of everything.) It was joyful and necessary.

In a moment when so many forces are working to push LGBTQ+ people out of public life, these cities did the opposite. They tried to take us down quietly. Instead, we lit up the skyline.

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