Tag Archives: Pride Flag

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Exxon/Mobile Bans LGBT Rainbow Pride Flags

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Exxon Mobil Corp. plans to prohibit the LGBT Rainbow Pride and rights flag from being flown outside its offices during Pride month in June prompting an immediate backlash.

Via Bloomberg:

Exxon updated company guidance on what flags can be displayed outside its offices, banning “external position flags” such as PRIDE and Black Lives Matter, according to the policy seen by Bloomberg News. In response, members of Exxon’s PRIDE Houston Chapter are refusing to represent the company at the city’s June 25 Pride celebration, according to an employee group email.

“Corporate leadership took exception to a rainbow flag being flown at our facilities” last year, Exxon’s PRIDE Houston employee group wrote in the email Thursday. “PRIDE was informed the justification was centered on the need for the corporation to maintain ‘neutrality.’” 

“The updated flag protocol is intended to clarify the use of the ExxonMobil branded company flag and not intended to diminish our commitment to diversity and support for employee resource groups,” Tracey Gunnlaugsson, vice president of human resources, said in a statement. “We’re committed to keeping an open, honest, and inclusive workplace for all of our employees, and we’re saddened that any employee would think otherwise.”

Sure Jan.

Queer Activist Want To Remove Gilbert Baker's LGBT PRIDE Flag from Harvey Milk Plaza in San Francisco

Queer Activists Want To Remove Gilbert Baker’s LGBT PRIDE Flag from Harvey Milk Plaza in San Francisco

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There is a war brewing in San Francisco over one of the most, if not the most iconic symbol to the LGBT community. Gilbert Baker’s LGBT Rainbow Pride flag. A small number of very vocal queer activist are calling for it’s removal from Harvey Milk Memorial Plaza in San Francisco and that it be replaced by the new “Progressive Pride flag”

“The flag for some Black and brown people, they don’t feel it represents them,” says Carnell Freeman, executive co-chair of the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District. “But I think it depends on who you’re talking to. For many white gays, they’ll say they think the Progress Flag is not attractive and that they’d keep it as it is, as a rainbow. If you talk to most people of color or allies, they will say, you know, it’s time for a change.”

For those of you who are unaware. Gilbert Baker designed the Gay Pride Flag in San Francisco in 1978 for the Gay Freedom Day Parade (now San Francisco Pride) at the request of Harvey Milk as a symbol of out hope, love, and freedom . Originally it featuring eight colors but simplified to six for easier reproduction, each stripe represents a value, including red for life, blue for harmony and peace and purple for spirit. Baker never trademarked the flag, believing it would flourish as a symbol for the community only if it were free to reproduce.

The Gilbert Baker Foundation, has started a Change.org petition of its own calling for the landmark designation of the pole, which was erected in 1997 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Milk’s historic victory as the first openly gay elected official in California history. It argues that the pole and the flag constitute a piece of installation art created by Baker that deserves to be protected. Cultural institutions including the Museum of Modern Art in New York have examples of Baker’s flag in their collections.. The petition has more than 6500 signatures. to date. (<– CLICK LINK to sign.)

 “Hundreds of thousands of gay, bisexual, trans, and queer people in the United States died of AIDS while activists — many of whom themselves succumbed to the epidemic — fought, pleaded, lobbied, petitioned, marched, and protested (and continue to do so all over the world!) while carrying this flag and its predecessors, all designed by Gilbert Baker.”  The Castro Merchants Association said in a press release issued last week..  Masood Samereie the president of the organization stated that “we would support any community effort to erect an additional flagpole or some other installation in a significant location in the neighborhood to fly flags that symbolize the diversity of our LGBTQ+ residents and visitors, and would use any influence we have with the city to push this through.

Many in the Castro neighborhood are saying they find the whole discourse around the issue is getting heated and they feared getting involved due to possible retaliation. A Castro resident and business owner, who asked to remain anonymous, described the situation as “the left eating its own.”

History, especially LGBT history should never be edited, fabricated or erased said gay activist, historian and Back2Stonewall website owner Will Kohler. In my opinion a second flagpole is the best option. “Our proud and brave historical past must be preserved. Only from the past can we learn to fight for our future.”

What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Pentagon Bans Confederate Flags on Military Property But That Also Includes Rainbow PRIDE Flags

Pentagon Bans Confederate Flags on Military Property But That Also Includes Rainbow PRIDE Flags

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Via Politico:

The Pentagon on Friday unveiled a new policy that effectively bans the display of the Confederate flag — without actually naming it.

The policy, a copy of which was obtained by POLITICO ahead of the official rollout, reflects an effort to find a compromise on the divisive issue, as Defense Secretary Mark Esper strives to satisfy military leaders without irking President Donald Trump, who has criticized NASCAR for banning the flag.

A draft version of the policy reportedly explicitly banned the Confederate flag on Defense Department property. Yet the official language simply lists the types of flags that are allowed to be displayed, including the American flag; the flags of the U.S. states, territories and the District of Columbia; military flags and those of allies.

“The flags we fly must accord with the military imperatives of good order and discipline, treating all our people with dignity and respect, and rejecting divisive symbols,” Esper wrote in the memo. The guidance applies to the public displays of flags by service members or DoD civilians “in all DoD work places, common access areas, and public areas.

By not enumerating it, the memo also effectively bans the LGBT Rainbow Pride flag.

Rudy Coots, president of DOD (Department of Defense) Pride, objects to the new policy because it would change Pride displays and events at the Pentagon.

“We were shocked to learn DOD’s new policy on the public display of flags bans the Rainbow Pride Flag from DOD workplaces,

Banning the Rainbow Pride Flag will have the opposite effect of the policy’s intended purpose of improving morale, cohesion and readiness. For LGBT soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and civilians protecting our nation each and every day, and their allies, the flag is a joyous symbol of hope, acceptance and accomplishment that should continue to be displayed proudly.”

“It’s absolutely outrageous that Defense Secretary Mark Esper would ban the Pride flag — the very symbol of inclusion and diversity,” said Jennifer Dane, interim executive director for the Modern Military Association of America . “In what universe is it OK to turn an opportunity to ban a racist symbol like the Confederate flag into an opportunity to ban the symbol of diversity? This decision sends an alarming message to LGBT service members, their families and future recruits.”

Man Gets Sentenced To 16 Years In Prison For Destroying LGBT Rainbow Flag

HATE CRIME: Man Gets Sentenced To 16 Years In Prison For Destroying LGBT Rainbow Flag

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Adolfo Martinez, 30, of Ames, Iowa was found guilty last month of a hate crime — a class “D” felony after he stole a rainbow pride flag hanging at Ames United Church of Christ and set it on fire using lighter fluid about two blocks away outside the Dangerous Curves Gentleman’s Club, the Des Moines Register reported.

Martinez told police he had ripped the flag down and had set it ablaze with lighter fluid because he is against homosexuality. 

‘It is my honor, it is written, it is a judgement and it is written to execute vengeance on the heathen and punishments upon the people. It is my honor to do so, and it is an honor to that. It is a blessing from the Lord, plain and simple. It was an honor to do that, it’s a blessing from the Lord to be able to stand for his word firmly against all odds plain and simple “ Martinez said in November.

Story County Attorney Jessica Reynolds said hate crime charges were added because Martinez is suspected of criminal mischief against someone’s property because of “what it represents as far as sexual orientation.”

Martinez was sentenced to 15 years for the hate crime charge, one year for reckless use of fire and 30 days for harassment, all of which will be served consecutively.

Former VP Mike Pence Hired by Heritage Foundation Anti-LGBT Hate Group

SHOCKER: Mike Pence Says It Was The ‘Right Decision’ to Deny Embassies To Fly Rainbow Pride Flag

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Vice President Mike Pence on Monday defended the State Department’s decision to bar U.S. embassies from flying rainbow flags on their flagpoles during LGBT Pride Month, saying that it was the “right” move.

Pence, who is well known for his anti-gay bigotry acknowledged in an interview with NBC News that he was aware that the State Department had “indicated” that the American flag should be the only flag flying on U.S. embassies’ flagpoles. He added that he supported the move. 

Asked whether the move ran counter to Trump’s expressed support for LGBT Pride Month, Pence said that he and the president were “proud to be able to serve every American.” 

“We both feel that way very passionately, but when it comes to the American flagpole and American embassies and capitals around the world, having the one American flag fly is the right decision,” he said, adding that the Trump administration had administered no other restrictions regarding flags or displays at U.S. embassies. 

Some U.S. diplomats responded to the rejections by displaying the LGBT pride flag in different settings. For example, diplomatic missions in Seoul, South Korea, and Chennai, India, sent out press releases and videos showing the flag hanging outside their respective buildings.

Other embassies abroad opted to display the rainbow flag on building facades.

via GIPHY

Gay History - March 4: Vanity Plates, Man Hating Lesbians, and Murder

U.S. State Department Refuses Permission To Embassies on Foreign Soil To Fly Rainbow PRIDE Flag

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NBC News reports:

The Trump administration is rejecting requests from U.S. embassies to fly the rainbow pride flag on embassy flagpoles during June, LGBT Pride Month, three American diplomats tell NBC News.

The U.S. embassies in Israel, Germany, Brazil and Latvia are among those that have requested permission from Trump’s State Department to fly the pride flag on their flagpoles and have been denied, diplomats said.

Although the pride flag can and is being flown elsewhere on embassy grounds, including inside embassies and on exterior walls, the decision not to allow it on the official flagpole stands in contrast to President Donald Trump’s claim to be a leader in supporting LGBT rights overseas.

Our advice to Embassies abroad. Don’t ask for permission. Do it anyway.

Fuck the Trump administration.

via GIPHY

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California City Bans Flying of Rainbow Pride Flag At City Hall After Bigoted Residents Descend On Council Meeting

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Dublin, California a suburban city east of the gay mecca of San Francisco has decided it will not fly the Rainbow Pride flag over city hall after it was proposed by a gay city council member and then contested by a a group of bigoted residents.

At a city council meeting the bigots spoke loudly, asking if the city then has to fly the Confederate flag or the Black Lives Matter flag, or a communist flag.

Dublin resident Josh Rodriguez wearing a MAGA cap stated that the rainbow flag “ was not all inclusive” because the LGBT acronym doesn’t include the letter “S” for Straight. And another bigot spewed even worse anti-gay propaganda saying: “At the end of the day, I believe there is another letter that to the end that is being propagated actually at our state capital right now and that is “P” for pedophile.”

Councilmember Shawn Kumagai who proposed the flying of the rainbow flag to celebrate Pride Month said : “As a gay man and growing up through the marriage equality fight and serving in the military under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, I know we have some work to do in this area.”

Dublin has a population of about 46,036 residents and 28,798 registered voters with 12,071 (41.9%) registered as Democrats, 5,044 (17.5%) registered as Republicans, and 10,505 (36.5%) decline to state voters.[

Ironically since 1992, Dublin has been a Democratic stronghold in presidential elections. 

Amazon Tells GOP Senators It Won’t Sell Books That “Frame LGBTQ+ Identity As Mental Illness”

Rainbow Flag To Be Permanently Installed At Stonewall National Monument October 11th.

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For first time that the LGBT Pride flag will wave over federally-funded land when the original Rainbow Flag created by the late Gilbert Baker will be unveiled in a special ceremony on Wednesday, October 11 at 12 Noon at the historic Stonewall National Monument in NYC, thanks to the efforts of grassroots activists.

It will claim a permanent home under the stewardship of the National Park Service.

Stonewall National Monument is located in Christopher Street Park in New York’s Greenwich Village. The park is on the corner of Christopher Street and 7th Avenue South.

The event will be emceed by Gay USA television co-host Ann Northrop and longtime San Francisco AIDS and LGBT activist Michael Petrelis who spearheaded this initiative.

“It is a victory for our community to have these symbolic colors flying majestically over our Stonewall, designated as a National Monument by President Obama, even as our LGBTQ brothers and sisters are under attack by the current regime in power,” said Petrelis. He went on to say, “As we gather today, we are reminded of another October 11, thirty years ago, when the names of fallen comrades were symbollically celebrated on another national monument – the AIDS Quilt – during the reign of another President who waged and attack against us.”

October 11 also marks the thirtieth anniversary of the historic 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian Gay Rights–when the NAMES Project AIDS Quilt was unfurled on the National Mall and coincides with annual National Coming Out Day, a day celebrating the idea that all members of the LGBT community should be able to live their lives openly, honestly, and with pride.