What’s With The Uproar Over The LGBTQ+ Pride Flag In Minot?

While scrolling through my Facebook news feed, I saw that a friend posted a compilation clip of anti-LGBTQ+ statements made at a recent Minot City Council Meeting.If I didn't know better, I would have thought the video was a joke. But it's real, and right in Minot. Check out the video below, and then check out my thoughts after.

So, here's what I'm thinking:

• The Pride flag DOES NOT "represent genitals of certain Americans." 

  • The original Pride flag by Gilbert Baker when Harvey Milk presented him with the task of creating a symbol that represents the gay community. The flag was first seen at San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade celebration on June 25, 1978. Each color represents a different aspect of Pride. There have been different variations and interpretations of the flag throughout the years. But it's all for love, acceptance, and equality.

• "The letter 'P' stands for 'pedosexual.'"

  • I suppose you could make the letter "P" represent any word that starts with the letter - it also stands for "pathetic." I can't be 100% certain, but it appears this man is referencing the amendment of a California law having to do with statutory rape. Let's be clear, unless a person IS a pedophile, they do not condone/ support pedophilia or "pedosexuality."

• "There was a time we wouldn't speak about that in our living rooms, openly."

  • What does it matter to anyone about the conversations had/ not had in a person's living room? That has nothing to do with other peoples' rights.

• "I got relatives that are ex-homosexuals... we have to make choice for life and not for death."

  • Ex-homosexuals? Yeah, because people can flip their sexuality like a switch. And I don't know how sexual preference determines whether you live or die?

•  "We love God and must stand for truth. 'When the righteous rule, the people rejoice. when the wicked rule, the people mourn (Proverbs).'" 

  • Can straight people really be the only ones who love God? And I'm pretty sure bringing God into this violates separation of church and state.

• "Decisions such as this are what have led to riots, looking, and destruction in our major cities."

  • I guess I need to do research on this. I didn't know that being queer or flying a Pride flag caused devastation in cities.

• The the comment about Carrie Evans' "dishonest move" 

  • I thought the whole point of the outrage was because the people of Minot don't want to know about orientation? Now, it's dishonest that Carrie Evans doesn't make it a point to tell the world about her sexuality?

Yes, all these things were said by people of Minot. I mean, I can't say I am shocked that this is what people think, but it is shocking to hear it said so openly. It's also shocking that some actually believe the nonsense that was spewed at the meeting. Maybe do a little research before passionately fighting against the "homosexual agenda." They just want to have the same rights as straight people and to be accepted. And the flag represents the hardships and milestones in the queer life experience throughout history.

Just a side note, Minot City Council Vice President Carrie Evans made sure to defend herself and the LGBTQ+ people of the North Dakota. Check out that video below:

What do you think about the backlash against the flying of the Pride flag at City Hall in Minot?