Salt Lake City adopts LGBTQ and Juneteeth flags, sidestepping Utah's new Pride ban.
Banner Yet Wave
By Benjamin Wood @BjaminWood
The Salt Lake City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to formally adopt three variant designs of the city's flag, acting on a request by Mayor Erin Mendenhall to exploit a loophole in HB77, which otherwise bans the flying of Pride and other pro-diversity banners from government buildings.
Each of the new designs maintains the tri-symmetrical Sego Lily symbol that serves as the traditional city flag's canton, but with the blue-and-white background replaced with the imagery of the Juneteenth Celebration, LGBTQIA Belonging and Transgender Visibility flags.
“Our city flags are powerful symbols representing Salt Lake City’s values,” Mendenhall said. “I want all Salt Lakers to look up at these flags and be reminded that we value diversity, equity and inclusion—leaving no doubt that we are united as a city and people, moving forward together.”
In a press release announcing the council's vote, the Mendenhall administration noted that Salt Lake City's new flag ordinance was intentionally crafted to comply with the letter of the state's law, which took effect Wednesday. HB77 was sponsored by Layton Republican Rep. Trevor Lee, a far-right conservative provocateur, and narrowly limits the permissible flags on public buildings (like schools and city halls) to a small list of official government banners like the United States, State of Utah and city flags.
City Hall also noted that each of the three variant flags combines elements of the city's design—updated in 2020 from its prior, lackluster version after a community-driven modernization effort—with others that have regularly flown at Washington Square in recent years.
“Like other civic symbols, these flags reflect our shared humanity and the values that help everyone feel they belong—no matter their background, orientation or beliefs,” Council chairperson Chris Wharton said. “While the state has restricted which flags public buildings can fly, I’m glad we can still uphold our community’s values within the law.”
Following the Council's vote, Lee took to the social media site X to post a petulant threat against the state's capital. "Does Salt Lake City really want to play these games?" he posted, seemingly incapable of recognizing his role in this particular edition of political theater.
About The Author
Benjamin Wood
Lifelong Utahn Benjamin Wood has worn the mantle of City Weekly's news editor since 2021. He studied journalism at Utah State University and previously wrote for The Salt Lake Tribune, the Deseret News and Entertainment Weekly
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