Salt Lake kicks off Pride Month with flag raising at City Hall
Out and Proud
By Benjamin Wood @BjaminWood
WASHINGTON SQUARE—A handful of Salt Lakers joined the mayor and members of the City Council on Thursday to kick off Pride Month, taking turns at a flagpole crank to raise a large rainbow banner outside the City and County Building.
Mayor Erin Mendenhall noted the symbolism of working together to raise the flag, an annual tradition ahead of the Utah Pride Festival, which runs June 1 and June 2 on the grounds surrounding City Hall.
"Salt Lake City wants to be the place where anybody can come and feel welcome, know that they’re wanted, have their diversity celebrated and embraced," Mendenhall said. "And that’s what Pride Month is all about."
Councilmember Chris Wharton remarked on his role representing District 3 on a majority-queer City Council. He said he cherishes every day that he gets to be a part of a welcoming city where individuals can express themselves freely and safely.
"I hope to see every one of you enjoying the Pride Festival this weekend," Wharton said. "And I hope that every time you see this flag outside of City Hall, you remember that this building and this city is a safe space and that you belong here."
The Utah Pride Festival is scheduled to run from 11 am to 10 p.m. on Saturday and from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Additional events—including an interfaith service Thursday evening, a march and rally on Saturday and the annual Utah Pride Parade on Sunday—are scheduled in conjunction with the festival, and information and tickets can be found at utahpride.org.
Chad Call, executive director of the Utah Pride Center, said that ceremonies like Thursday's flag raising might appear "trite or hollow" to some, or even inspire feelings of discomfort toward the LGBTQ community. But he added that symbols are powerful, and he commended Utah's capital city for setting an example for leaders throughout the state.
Flying a Pride flag outside City Hall is more than a gesture, Call said, particularly for those who feel marginalized or unseen. He said it shows how far the local LGBTQ community has come, and suggested that few other groups have experienced so much change in such a short amount of time.
"Its symbols like this that carry special meaning," he said. "They signify to an entire city that our community is seen, that our community is heard, valued and—most important—that our community is loved, not just in spite of who we are but because of who we are."
Call said that Pride Month, which runs through June, is often a time for "coming out," when LGBTQ individuals publicly embrace their identity. But doing so is more than just a person being open about their sexuality, he said, it's also how a person takes a "giant and often scary step" toward living life as a truer version of themself.
I invite each and every one of you to join us and come out. Whether you’re gay or straight, trans or cis, come out," Call said. "I suppose there really is a queer agenda—and that agenda is embracing your true self."
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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