The White House Pride Month celebration faces sharp criticism for its message and behavior and rightly so
A new emblem made its debut at the White House, silently but unapologetically marking a seismic shift in the Pride Month celebration. This was not your standard rainbow banner, representative of the gay rights movement since 1978, but a new creation – a ‘Progress Pride Flag.’ I must confess, I looked at this new multicolored symbol, now displayed prominently from the portico of the so-called people’s house, and my heart sank. It didn’t take long for critics to express similar sentiments.
Allegations soon followed that this redesigned flag was an homage to a disturbing trend infiltrating every Western institution – the cult of pedophilia. While the original gay pride flag stood for unity in diversity, freedom of expression, and a hard-fought acceptance of the LGB community, this new design felt like a political statement, a vehicle for indoctrination rather than inclusion. And that’s because it is. That’s exactly what it is.
Suddenly, we’re no longer just talking about adults who have made conscious decisions about their identity. No, we’re including children, with a terrifyingly nudge-nudge-wink-wink attitude to hormone blockers, sterilization, and even surgical procedures that would make any ethical medical professional blanch. As these new symbols and colors get tacked on, the original gay flag seems to be shrinking, lost in this gaudy spectacle of over-embellished ‘inclusivity.’
Let’s compare this situation to a potluck dinner. Everyone comes together, contributing a dish that reflects their culture, their taste, their identity. It’s a joyous celebration of shared diversity, echoing the ethos of the original gay rights movement. This new flag, however, feels more like a buffet line where we’re piling on everything in sight, muddying the flavors, it’s gravy and ice cream, diluting the overall experience. Where’s the charm in that? And furthermore, it’s disgusting.
The addition of this flag in the space traditionally reserved for the American flag has not only provoked anger for its disregard for flag etiquette but has also led to accusations of a blatant affront to America’s national sovereignty. The same is happening in the UK, in Australia, in Canada, in Germany. The sight of the pride banner sandwiched between two American flags is nothing short of jarring. I can’t be the only one feeling as if the West are allowing their national symbols to be overshadowed, pushed to the backburner in favor of identity politics.
The ‘Progress Pride Flag’ includes a five-color chevron superimposed on the traditional rainbow stripes, each color supposedly representing a different marginalized community. As commendable as it might sound on paper, this feels more like tokenization than genuine inclusion. The black and brown stripes purportedly represent people of color, but when did sexual orientation become a racial issue? Was George Floyd killed for being queer and having they/them pronouns? I think not. The black stripe is also a memorial to AIDS victims, a commendable gesture, but why stop there? Why not add stripes for every health crisis impacting the community? How about a stripe for Long Covid?
Critics have rightly pointed out that the redesign risks inadvertently glorifying pedophilia. In a time when there is growing concern over the sexualization of children in public schools and elsewhere, this flag, backed by the White House, seems like a defiant slap in the face to anxious parents across the country.
Two trans activists at the White House event took off their tops, proudly displaying their bodies beneath the Progress Pride Flag, confirming the worst fears of critics. The visual impact of that act, against the backdrop of the flag, at the White House, was a stark reminder of the concerns about the normalization of such degeneracy.
And then there was the White House’s tweet, affirming a connection between the “LGBTQI+ Community” and “our kids.” The backlash was swift and sharp. Both Elon Musk and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis publicly condemned the post, with Gov. DeSantis hitting the nail on the head when he said, “They are not your kids.”
The designer of the new flag, Daniel Quasar, identifies as a “queer non-binary celestial object having a human experience” and uses xe/xym pronouns. More power to him, I suppose. I can respect the individuality and the courage it takes to live life authentically as a celestial body. My bone of contention isn’t with Daniel Quasar or his journey; it’s with the flag itself and what it represents.
The White House, the nation’s house, is supposed to stand as a symbol of unity, leadership, and above all, a beacon of democracy. Or so they claim. It’s supposed to be representative of everyone – gay, straight, liberal, conservative, cyclists, vegans, and everyone in between. Hanging this new symbol, fraught with controversy and division, from its portico, feels like replacing the stars on the American flag with a bunch of random hashtags. #FreeBritney could make an appearance.
It’s high time Americans reassess where the country is heading. Governor DeSantis’ powerful words, “They are not your kids,’‘ resonate beyond the immediate context. This is not your flag. This is not anyone’s movement but those intent on dismantling civilization. Let’s pump the brakes on this runaway ‘woke’ express before it derails civilization completely.
