HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-02-25 Public Comment - C. Kirk - Pride FlagFrom:Claire Kirk
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Cc:hello@queerbozeman.com
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Pride Flag
Date:Wednesday, July 2, 2025 5:34:53 AM
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Good morning,
My name is Claire Kirk. I am a resident of Bozeman and work in fish and wildlife
conservation. My girlfriend and I live right in downtown Bozeman.
I moved to Bozeman for the amazing recreational opportunities. Whether it’s skiing in the
winter at Bridger, hiking in Hyalite, or fishing the various rivers around us in the summer. Ididn’t know I would move to Bozeman and find the love of my life! I felt so lucky when I met
my girlfriend, Emilie. We have been dating for almost two years now, and she’s my personthrough and through.
Seeing the pride flag flown is a reminder to the LGBTQ+ community in Bozeman that we arewelcomed and loved. Often, as a queer person, I am assessing situations to make sure it’s safe
to be out and affectionate with my partner. Living in a community that accepts and welcomesmy identity is so important to me. Throughout America, we are seeing rollbacks for queer and
trans rights with the current administration. Right now, it’s of utmost importance for Bozemanto continue to show its support and love for our community.
Here’s a link to the Trevor Project’s statistics on LGBTQ+ mental healthstatistics: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2022/
One of the key findings states that LGBTQ youth who live in a community that is accepting ofLGBTQ people reported significantly lower rates of attempting suicide than those who do
not.
Please show your support of our community. Although flying the pride flag might not seem
like a big deal to some, it could save another person's life or help them to feel more seen,loved, and accepted. And we all want to feel seen, loved, and accepted.
Thank you for your time.
Best wishes,
Claire Kirk
(541)-761-5366