In yet another thinly veiled attack on LGBTQ rights and representation, the Trump administration has denied requests from U.S. embassies to fly the rainbow flag during Pride Month. Diplomats from Israel, Germany, Brazil and Latvia had petitioned the State Department to fly the flag during June, which was always permitted during the Obama administration. But they were soundly rejected.
The flag can (and will be) flown in other areas of the embassies, but they are not allowed on the official flagpole. Though the President recently paid some lip service tweets about celebrating Pride, his administration has been callously and cruelly rolling back protections for the LGBTQ community.
Trump has made it easier for homeless shelters to turn away trans people, and enacted the trans military ban.
German ambassador Richard Grenell, the highest ranking openly queer member in the administration, tried to downplay the rejection, saying “The President’s recognition of Pride Month and his tweet encouraging our decriminalization campaign gives me even more pride to once again march in the Berlin Pride parade, hang a huge banner on the side of the Embassy recognizing our pride, host multiple events at the Embassy and the residence, and fly the gay pride flag.”
Despite banning the flag on the official flagpole, embassies across the globe have been hanging the flag off the side of buildings, out of windows, and displaying the rainbow in lighted decorations. It’s yet another mean-spirited, dehumanizing move from the administration to make LGBTQ folks feel like second class citizens.
Nice to see the us embassy in Seoul displaying the pride flag even if it’s not on the flagpole. pic.twitter.com/UFTm4jlN1H
— decipherstatic (@decipherstatic) June 9, 2019
Here is the US Embassy in New Dehli, India showing up for #Pride after requests to fly the rainbow flag were denied by the Secretary of State and the Trump Administration. pic.twitter.com/FnDas8C2bD
— Kestin Page (@Kestin) June 9, 2019
Because the State Department is refusing permission to fly the Pride flag on US embassy flagpoles, the embassies are responding by hanging the flags off the poles. Bravo! pic.twitter.com/4R6zQ1pMke
— Bruce Campbell (@nytherapy) June 8, 2019
(via NBC News, image: ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images)
- E3 is jam-packed with all sorts of news and announcements for gamers. Check out the rundown here. (via The Guardian)
- This interactive graphic helps you untangle the twisty timeline of Avengers: Endgame. (via CBR)
- Dark Phoenix had the worst opening of any X-Men film, stands to lose $100 million. (via Deadline)
- Yeah okay, we’re here for faces on ice cream.
- Elden Ring brings George R.R. Martin into the world of video games. (via Kotaku)
- Catch a glimpse of Loki strolling around in the new Disney+ series. (via Collider)
- James Wan doesn’t understand why Swamp Thing was cancelled, and yeah, neither do we.
I’ve been getting the exact same order from the local ice cream joint for 26 summers
today, it is my pleasure to introduce to you – my friend, Twist With a Face pic.twitter.com/DKOwmwkWfY
— ️ (@SydWeiler) June 9, 2019
How are you spending this lovely Sunday, Mary Suevians?
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