Voters in Huntington Beach, California voted on Thursday to only allow a list of acceptable flags the city can fly, effectively banning the “pride” flag from being flown on government property.
The proposal, called Charter Amendment No. 2, asked voters if they would support allowing only certain flags to be flown on properties owned by the city.
The permitted flags are the flag of the United States; the flag of the state of California; the flag of Orange County; the flag of the City of Huntington Beach; the POW-MIA flag — which honors prisoners of war and those missing in action; the flags of the six branches of the United States Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Space Force); and the Olympic flag, but only during the Summer Olympic Games.
Any other flag can only be displayed if City Council members agree to it unanimously.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Registrar reported that 58 percent of the voters supported the measure and 42 percent opposed it, adding that only 23 percent of the city’s registered voters voted on Thursday.
The amendment does not specifically refer to the “pride” flag — traditionally a rainbow-colored banner to promote gays, lesbians, bisexuals and other sexual minorities. However, the Times suggested the vote was seen as a “repudiation” of the Huntington Beach City Council’s unanimous vote in 2021 to fly the pride flag throughout the month of June every year.
The issue of the “pride” flag has become a more prominent part of American discourse since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021.
The subject has created a clear divide between the traditional ideological camps of Republicans and Democrats.
The Huntington Beach vote has created a lot of attention on social media.
LGBT activists were reportedly “outraged” by it.
BREAKING: LGBT activists are outraged after Huntington Beach voted in favor of restricting pride flags from being flown on public property.
— Leading Report (@LeadingReport) March 10, 2024
One X user, a self-proclaimed “California liberal,” said they were not surprised by and “totally” expected that Huntington Beach would ban the “pride” flag because the city is “full of MAGA racist bros.”
California liberal here and we aren’t crying and we totally expect this from Huntington Beach cause it’s full of MAGA racists bros. Californian’s who don’t live in Huntington don’t go to Huntington for that reason.
— MeLoveKitties (@MeIsLoveKitties) March 10, 2024
In 2022, Huntington Beach’s City Council became more conservative when it voted in several Republicans. In an increasingly liberal California, Huntington Beach has remained a Republican stronghold, particularly leading up to and throughout President Donald Trump’s presidency.
Live from the Huntington Beach Pier in Orange County, CA! My hometown is TRUMP town 🇺🇸👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/cZNqB1oQXT
— Roma Daravi (@romadaravi) March 3, 2024
On Saturday evening, “pride” flags were painted on the pavement and on a pillar outside the Huntington Beach Central Library in reaction to the flag vote.
Tagging has been reported at the Huntington Beach Central Library overnight, with Pride flags being painted on the pavement and a pillar.
Members of the LGBTQ community and others are out cleaning it up.
Measure B passed last week in HB.
Pictures c/o Wendy Rincon. pic.twitter.com/lKslbGZeL2
— Matt Szabo (@mjszabo) March 10, 2024
In June, the Biden administration came under scrutiny when it was accused of violating the U.S. flag code when it flew the “progress pride” flag outside the White House.
Should more cities enact similar measures?
The “progress pride” flag is a variation on the traditional “pride” flag, with added stripes (white, pink, light blue, black and brown) to represent the transgender community as well as racial minorities.
A Reuters “fact check” reported that, according to experts it consulted, federal law that details guidelines for displaying the U.S. flag is vague and therefore open to interpretation.
Gallup reported that as of February 2023, 7.2 percent of U.S. adults identify as LGBT, which is double what it was when Gallup measured it a decade ago. Gallup also found that LGBT identification is far higher in younger generations, which may be attributed to the increased emphasis on gender identification in America’s public schools system.
