Things We Saw Today: The Trump Administration Won’t Allow U.S. Embassies to Fly Pride Flags

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.

(via NBC News, image: ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images)

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Chelsea Steiner

Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.

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