Orange County bans "divisive" Pride flags as anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes rise [View all]
Orange County, California has banned the Pride flag from being flown outside of any county offices or on county government properties. The banning follows a recent increase in anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes in the county.
In a meeting last Tuesday, the countys Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to ban the flag. Republican supervisor Andrew Do requested the ban, Q Voice News reported, citing his desire to stop any divisive flags from potentially creating community disruptions at future board meetings.
Democrat Doug Chaffee voted in support of the ban along with Republican Donald Wagner. The boards two other Democratic members, Vicente Sarmiento and Katrina Foley, voted against the ban.
Dos resolution only allows the flying of the Orange County, state, and federal flags, as well as a flag for U.S. military soldiers who are prisoners of war and missing in action (POW-MIA). He said he supports the LGBTQ+ community, pointing to his efforts to help transgender people get vaccinated against COVID-19 and his hiring of a gay man to the countys top public health leadership role, Voice of OC reported.
Do said his proposal wasnt motivated by opposition to any specific social issue. However, Wagner disagreed, noting that Do issued his proposal at the beginning of Pride Month.
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/06/orange-county-bans-divisive-pride-flags-as-anti-lgbtq-hate-crimes-rise/