HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-23-25 Public Comment - J. Thiebes - Support for adopting the Pride Flag as Bozeman’s official city flagFrom:Joseph Thiebes
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Support for adopting the Pride Flag as Bozeman’s official city flag
Date:Monday, June 23, 2025 10:39:47 AM
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Dear Commissioners,
I am writing in support of Commissioner Bode’s proposal to adopt the
pride flag as Bozeman’s official city flag.
The pride flag is more than a contemporary symbol. It was created in
1978 as a response to the pink triangle, a mark once used by fascist
regimes to identify and persecute LGBTQ+ people. Replacing that symbol
of oppression with a flag of visibility and dignity was a powerful act
of reclamation. Today, the pride flag carries decades of historical
significance as part of a global civil rights movement.
That history alone may qualify it for exemption under HB 819, which
allows for the display of historic flags on government property.
Recognizing the pride flag as a historical symbol affirms its
long-standing role in movements for justice and inclusion, similar to
flags associated with labor, veterans, and civil rights struggles.
A city flag should unite, and real unity requires visibility. The
pride flag tells LGBTQ+ residents that they are not on the margins
here. They are part of Bozeman. Keeping the flag out of view to
maintain an illusion of neutrality would only reinforce exclusion.
Bozeman has already taken steps toward inclusion in policy and
planning. Adopting the pride flag would show that those commitments
are visible, lived, and enduring.
Please vote to make the pride flag Bozeman’s official city flag.
Sincerely,
Joseph J. Thiebes, Ph.D.
Bozeman resident