Salt Lake City and Boise, Idaho, have adopted new official city flags following the implementation of a Utah law restricting the display of certain flags on public property. These flags incorporate designs that represent the LGBTQ+ community. These changes allow public entities to display pride-themed designs on city-owned property, including at the University of Utah, without violating new state laws.
The Utah Legislature’s flag ban, HB 77, went into effect last month. The new law bans public entities, including universities, from flying flags otherfrom flying flags other than a limited list of exceptions. This includes the U.S. flag, Utah state flag and flags of other countries, states and cities.
While the U is subject to this, Salt Lake City’s new flags offer a workaround to comply with HB 77.
Three New Flags
The Salt Lake City Council voted to adopt three new official city flags. They include the Sego Celebration Flag, the Sego Belonging Flag and the Sego Visibility Flag. These designs honor Black and LGBTQ+ individuals and their histories.
Boise officials took a similar step on May 7, approving a new flag featuring a rainbow stripe along the bottom. According to The Associated Press, officials redesigned the flag in part to support the LGBTQ+ community while aligning with Idaho’s political climate.
In a statement from the SLC.gov website, a spokesperson for Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said the city added the flags “to most accurately reflect the values of the City and its residents.”
“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,” Mendenhall said.
Each flag includes a sego lily flower in its design. The sego lily illustration was added to the Salt Lake City flag in 2020 to represent the community’s resilience. In an interview with KSL News, Mendenhall explained how this symbolism applies to the new flags.
“Let the sego lily represent the beauty and resilience of everyone who lives here, no matter their race, ethnicity, gender, faith, income or sexual orientation,” she said.
Student’s Thoughts On HB 77
The Daily Utah Chronicle conducted an anonymous survey to gauge how students at the U feel about HB 77 and Salt Lake City’s new flags. 45.5% of respondents said they strongly opposed the flag restrictions outlined in HB77, while 36.4% of respondents said they strongly supported them. Of the students who opted to share information about their identity, two students identified as members of the LGBTQ+ community, while eight did not. Three students identified as members of a racial or ethnic minority group, six did not, and one preferred not to say.
One student said they strongly oppose the bill because it doesn’t promote inclusivity. “Everyone deserves to be supported, included, and accepted, regardless of who they are,” they said.
Another student said they support the new legislation since public entities should remain neutral in certain settings. “Personal property and private business should be allowed to hang flags as they please, but government-funded institutions like government buildings and schools should not be allowed to promote certain beliefs over others,” they said.
Meanwhile, another student who expressed support for HB 77 said they feel the American and Utah state flags can bring a community together, deeming other flags unnecessary. “If we are hanging an American flag, it represents unity and all of us as a whole,” they said.
Student’s Thoughts On the New Flags
The survey asked respondents about their thoughts on the newly adopted flags. Some students believe that their creation shows the city values love, inclusion and cares about its younger population. Others believe a focus on policies like this undermines bigger issues, such as illegal immigration and homelessness.
“A flag rebrand shows solidarity with those who have been continuously oppressed by the Utah government,” a student said. “A new flag shows that Utah is not a lost cause in terms of right-wing propaganda and oppression.”
A student in opposition to flag bans said they support Mendenhall’s response to HB 77. “Utah legislators are making choices that harm their students out of fear and bigotry. I commend Mayor Mendenhall for taking a stand and supporting the inclusion of all types of people,” they said.
The survey also asked respondents if they think other states will begin to adopt similar legislation to HB 77. Some students said HB 77 is only the beginning of flag-banning, while others believe that HB 77 is a wake-up call for Americans.
“Utah has become a laughingstock due to these corrupt policies, and it is only a matter of time until they bleed out into the rest of the country,” one student said.
“No, as Salt Lake City is attempting to force ideas on people in government-sponsored institutions and thus is limiting the voices of all people,” another student said.
Students predict HB77’s impact on the U
The Daily Utah Chronicle also asked students in the survey if they believe HB 77 will impact inclusivity and LGBTQ+ representation on campus.
One student said the bill could lead people to believe that the U is okay with this change and becoming less inclusive. However, they noted that communications from the U regarding this matter said it won’t let the bill impact inclusivity efforts on campus.
A student in opposition to HB 77 said they believe the bill is furthering the damage done by HB 261, which led the U to eliminate the LGBT Pride Center and Women’s Resource Center. “College is a space of learning and expanding our horizons, which includes the acceptance and understanding of those who may be different from us,” they said.
One student who strongly supported the bill said they think the flag ban won’t impact inclusivity efforts on campus at all. “I think that the U is already inclusive, and it won’t be less inclusive without a pride flag. Just because you can’t hang the flag does not mean you are not welcome on campus.”
n.pickel@dailyutahchronicle.com
The post Students React HB77 and New City LGBTQ+ Flags first appeared on The Daily Utah Chronicle.