HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-15-25 Public Comment - J. Cassidy - Public Input from a LGBTQIA+ LocalFrom:1Jade6
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL][WARNING: ATTACHMENT UNSCANNED]Public Input from a LGBTQIA+ Local
Date:Monday, July 14, 2025 6:32:48 PM
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Commissioners,
Hello! My name is Jade, and I am a member of the Bozeman Queer community! I wanted toshare my story with you, and express support for the Pride flag becoming the official city
flag!
I live near the heart of Downtown Bozeman! I work at the Downtown Co-Op where I get tohelp support community businesses and interact with all sorts of walks of life. In my spare
time I love to go to Taekwondo, go on hikes, draw and paint, play video games and RPGs, andsupport LGBTQIA+ events!
Something that I have always valued about Bozeman is her vibrancy and welcoming
mentality. I have always felt the most safe and most seen here as a Queer Montanan inBozeman, and because of this openness, I have been fortunate enough to find a support
network who loves me for who I am. There isn't a single day where I take them for granted,and I have Bozeman to thank for that.
On that note, I wanted to express my full support for the Pride flag to become the city flag,
and I want to share my reasons why.
The Pride flag is a symbol to me of love, hope, safety, and forgiveness. It is a beacon of safetyto me, and lets me know that I am allowed to be who I am. It represents the fight to not only
be allowed to love whom I love, but to love myself too. It represents hope for me of what ourcommunity could look like in the future and how we can all grow as people collectively and
individually. It represents forgiveness when people can be cruel to us, it gives me support toforgive them, pick myself up, and move forward.
It is not just a light at the end of the tunnel for me, it has saved so many lives. Being allowed
to be seen and safe has impacted the community as a whole in so many ways. I went to Pridelast month, and I have never seen a collective group of people so happy and accepted. Now
more than ever, we need your help and support, and having the Pride flag as our city flagwould show us that we are cared about, visible, and loved.
I want to end my thoughts with a personal story. In December of 2022, I decided to get a
firefly tattoo on the back of my neck. It has then since become my symbol of humility,morality, and hope. It's my guiding star. Fireflies glow in the darkest of places, and I want to
be that light for others. I want to be a bright light for other people. The reason why I share thisnow, is because what my firefly tattoo means to me, is what the Pride Flag represents for our
community.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and my comments about an upcomingsignificant choice. I wish everyone the best, and hope you have a great day!
Thank you,
Jade Cassidy