Flags are more than just decoration; the United States of America’s flag is a representation of equality, freedom and democracy to its citizens. However, that’s not the flag at stake with House Bill 77.
Taking effect on May 7, Utah House Bill 77 prohibits the flying of flags on government property without legislative approval and bars government employees from displaying flags that have not been approved in the bill.
In addition to current flags of the United States and other countries, the bill permits the displaying of official flags representing cities, specific branches or units in the military, the National League of Families Prisoners of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA), public schools and related authorized organizations, colleges and universities, tribes and the Olympics and Paralympics.
The bill’s chief sponsor, Rep. Trevor Lee, has maintained that the bill was created to ban Pride flags in schools. However, Lee later extended the prohibition to all government property, claiming political neutrality.
This type of targeting against the Pride flag has sparked protests among Utah residents, with many claiming it is a result of religious pushback influenced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Lee, whose online presence argues for merging church and state, has only fueled this ongoing fire.
The church has said that they don’t agree with the LGBTQ+ community but that they don’t discriminate against them, but many of the influential people attached to this bill have made their standings clear. While it isn’t the church that is making these statements, religion is heavily factored into decision-making with these bills.
“Identifying as gay, lesbian, or bisexual or experiencing same-sex attraction is not a sin and does not prohibit one from participating in the church, holding callings, or attending the temple,” the church said in its Topical Guide regarding same-sex attraction.
McKenzee Haderlie, a Weber State University student, is one student caught off guard by the legislation.
“America is supposed to be the land of the free. We’re supposed to be able to practice our own religious beliefs in society, and I don’t really know what damage someone having a Pride flag is doing,” Haderlie said.
Weber State has already started taking down some of the Pride flags that had been displayed throughout campus.
“We have bigger things that we should focus on. There are other things that should have been banned before they even thought about a flag,” Haderlie said.
Starting May 7, fines will be given to both state and federal buildings that fly flags that are not included on the list of authorized flags, with $500 fines being imposed for every day an unauthorized flag is flown.
