Advocates for the LGBTQ community are expressing increasing concern about the rising number of cities and schools in the United States that are implementing policies to prohibit the display of the rainbow Pride flag on public property and in classrooms. These measures are often part of broader efforts by lawmakers to introduce reforms and policies that restrict certain books, alter school curricula, limit the use of preferred pronouns, and curtail reproductive rights. These restrictions have been approved by various cities, including Delaware, Ohio, and Cold Spring, New York, as well as school districts across the country.
A bill introduced by Florida state representative David Borrero seeks to limit the display of flags at all government and public school buildings across the state, purportedly to avoid favoring any one group over another. However, the bill would have the same effect as explicitly banning the rainbow flag.
Peg Corley, the executive director of the LGBTQ Center OC, based in Santa Ana, California, stated that “Literally every walk of life is represented in the LGBTQ community, so saying we’re not going to fly a symbol of diversity and inclusion – that’s the message they’re sending.” and described the consideration of these measures by council members in Huntington Beach, California as sending "a very loud message."
Although some bans have been overturned, the Gilbert Baker Foundation has launched a Save the Rainbow Flag campaign to assist local community advocates in opposing these measures.
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