California Gov. Gavin Newsom had the rainbow pride flag raised at the state Capitol on Monday for the first time in state history, sending a message of resistance against the Trump administration’s policy forbidding the LGBTQ banner at other government buildings.
The Democratic governor tweeted out the news with a photo showing the pride flag flying beneath the American flag midway through LGBTQ Pride Month. It will stay up until July 1.
Special day
“In California, we celebrate and support our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community’s right to live out loud – during Pride month and every month,” Newsom said in a statement.
Support:
- lesbians;
- gays;
- bisexuals;
- transgenders
“By flying the pride flag over the State Capitol, we send a clear message that California is welcoming and inclusive to all, regardless of how you identify or who you love.”
Newsom’s decision comes shortly after Vice President Mike Pence confirmed that the Trump administration rejected U.S. embassies’ requests to fly the rainbow pride flag in June.
Though Pence’s reasoning was that only “one flag should fly” on those State Department buildings, he’s long been one of the most vocal opponents to LGBTQ equality efforts, supporting so-called gay conversion therapy, fighting to stop marriage equality and defending people seeking to discriminate against LGBTQ people.
Pride Month Policies
A group of Senate Democrats is pushing back on the State Department after reports surfaced suggesting that officials had denied several U.S. embassies’ requests to fly the rainbow pride flag on their flagpoles for LGBTQ Pride Month.
His community requires our moral leadership and support,”
by Andrew Cornegi | December 20, 2018
The senators also expressed concern over the State Department’s apparent disregard for Pride Month, pointing to a New York Times report that noted the department did not issue a public statement commemorating the month.
According to the Times report, the State Department removed Randy Berry as the special U.S. envoy tasked with promoting LGBTQ rights internationally.
In the letter, the senators shed light on the injustices and terror people within the LGBTQ community face around the world, including the deaths of hundreds of gay men in Chechnya and legislation in Brunei that makes gay sex punishable by death.
