Two Democrat-Run Cities Declare Pride Flags Official City Symbols to Sidestep Red State Laws

| Published May 9, 2025

In a bold move to counter state-level restrictions, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Boise, Idaho, have officially adopted LGBTQ+ Pride flags as municipal symbols, effectively circumventing recent laws in their respective Republican-led states that ban the display of non-sanctioned flags on government property.

Utah’s legislation, which took effect this week, prohibits the display of any flags other than those specified—such as the U.S. flag, state flag, and military flags—on government buildings, with violations incurring a $500 daily fine. Similarly, Idaho’s law, effective since April, restricts flag displays to a select list, aiming to maintain political neutrality in public institutions.

In response, Salt Lake City redesigned its city flag to incorporate elements of the LGBTQ+ and transgender pride flags alongside the city’s emblem, the sego lily, and also adopted a flag recognizing Juneteenth. Boise, on the other hand, officially designated the Pride flag as one of its three city flags through a city council vote, allowing it to continue flying over City Hall.

These actions have sparked debate, with supporters viewing them as affirmations of inclusivity and opposition to efforts that suppress LGBTQ+ visibility, while critics argue they undermine the intent of state laws designed to ensure neutrality in government spaces.

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Blue cities look to skirt state bans on Pride flags and more at government buildings

Boise and Salt Lake City have made the Pride flag, or variations of it, official city symbols. (Adam Eschbach/The Idaho Press-Tribune)

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The decision by Salt Lake City and Boise to declare Pride flags as official city symbols carries several significant implications:

1. Erosion of State Authority:

• These cities are directly undermining state laws designed to ensure political neutrality in government spaces. This sets a dangerous precedent where municipalities can bypass state legislation through symbolic declarations.

2. Politicization of Public Symbols:

• By officially adopting the Pride flag, these cities risk turning municipal symbols into platforms for ideological expression rather than unifying symbols that represent all citizens, potentially alienating those who do not share these views.

3. Undermining Neutral Public Spaces:

• The move contradicts the principle of maintaining neutrality in government spaces, where official displays are meant to avoid endorsing any particular political, social, or ideological cause.

4. Potential Legal Challenges:

• These actions could provoke legal battles between state governments and city administrations, further straining relationships between Republican-led states and their more liberal cities.

5. Broader Cultural Divide:

• The decision reflects the deepening cultural divide between conservative states and their progressive urban centers, illustrating the ongoing clash over social values in the United States.

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Overall Takeaway

Salt Lake City and Boise’s decision to declare Pride flags as official city symbols highlights a growing cultural clash between progressive urban centers and conservative state governments. By using symbolic declarations to bypass state laws, these cities are setting a precedent that challenges state authority and politicizes public spaces, further deepening America’s cultural divide.

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SOURCES: BREITBART – Two Democrat-Run Cities Declare Pride Flags Official City Symbols to Sidestep Red State Laws

FOX NEWS – Blue cities adopt Pride flags as official symbols in bid to skirt red-state laws

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