Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall has proposed three new city flags to defy a recent Utah law banning the display of LGBTQ Pride and identity flags at public buildings. This initiative comes after the law, enacted in March, made Utah the first state to outlaw such flag displays, triggering significant backlash from Democratic leaders and civil rights organizations. Mendenhall’s proposal, presented to the City Council, includes designs that celebrate Juneteenth, LGBTQ rights, and trans rights, integrating the city’s emblem into each.
The law, which will impose a $500 daily fine for unauthorized flags, has been interpreted as a broad ban on flags representing marginalized communities in Salt Lake City, a liberal enclave in an otherwise conservative state. The City Council is set to vote on the flags, with Mendenhall poised to sign the ordinance into law shortly thereafter.
The proposed Sego Belonging Flag would honor the LGBTQ community, the Sego Visibility Flag would recognize the trans population, and the Sego Celebration Flag aims to celebrate Black residents and the history of Juneteenth. Mendenhall asserted that these flags symbolize Salt Lake City’s core values of inclusion and acceptance.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox, while allowing the law to take effect without his signature, expressed concerns that the legislation overreached, focusing solely on flags while ignoring other forms of political expression. He emphasized his support for the LGBTQ community in his correspondence, acknowledging that his words might feel insufficient given the circumstances. The proposed flags signal Salt Lake City’s commitment to celebrating diversity and fostering unity despite state-level restrictions.
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