Orange County will mark June LGBTQ+ Pride Month, even though its flag was grounded
One week after Orange County Supervisors effectively voted not to allow the Pride flag to fly over county-owned properties, an effort Tuesday to mark June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month ran a similar gauntlet but passed.
A 3-2 vote delivered during a June 6 meeting determined only U.S., state and county flags, along with the POW/MIA flag, would be allowed to fly at the civic center and on county lands, including parks and libraries.
Backers of the move claimed the rainbow standard, embraced in the LGBTQ+ community as a symbol of inclusion, was divisive and not representative of the entire Orange County constituency.
“Today, flags in general have become symbols that invite controversy and division within our community,” said Vice Chair Andrew Do, who put forth the proposal.
However, after a heated debate Tuesday over the merits and interpretations of declaring a monthlong observance, which culminated in a shouting match between two supervisors, the panel unanimously voted in favor of drafting a resolution supporting the designation.
The vote on the proposal put forth by Supervisors Katrina Foley and Vicente Sarmiento marks the first time Orange County has ever added LGBTQ+ Pride Month as an official county-recognized occasion.
Cities have made independent decisions about Pride Month and its associated flag, including Huntington Beach, which, earlier this year, voted not to fly the flag over city-owned property for a second year. The city of Newport Beach does not officially observe Pride Month.
By contrast, Laguna Beach has recognized the designation since 2017 and still flies the rainbow flag outside City Hall. Costa Mesa began the practice in 2019, with its City Council members refreshing the resolution on June 6.
Only government flags, as well as the POW/MIA flag, will be allowed to fly on county property after Tuesday’s 3-2 vote.
Residents speaking in public comments before the Supervisors on Tuesday differed in their views. Kylie Jones, a UC Irvine student, expressed her disappointment in last week’s flag decision and supported the resolution.
“At a time in which civil rights for sorely marginalized communities, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community, are being attacked nationwide, you all now have a chance to show up for your community members,” she said. “ I urge you all to make the right decision.”
Others opposed to the resolution leaned on the Bible, excoriating pride as a sin, accusing the LGBTQ+ community of lewd behavior and indoctrinating children.
“I’m really feeling a ‘virtue signal’ from all these months. It’s becoming a very big distraction, and it’s not what you’re here to do,” one female speaker told the supervisors. “You should go back to focusing on governmental and fiduciary responsibilities and not become a cultural poster board.”
The three supervisors who voted on the flag restriction last week — conservatives Do and Chair Don Wagner, along with Doug Chaffee, a Democrat — explained the difference between recognizing Pride Month and allowing pride flags to be flown on government property.
“At our last go-around, we decided that only the American flag, the county flag, the state flag and the POW/Missing in Action flag would be flown on our flagpoles. That was the right decision, and I make no apology for that,” Chaffee said.
“I think it’s appropriate, however, to recognize Pride Month in Orange County,” he continued. “Because there are some things the LGBTQ+ community has done that are contributing to our society. Certainly, they are a part of our fabric, and the diversity they represent is important.”
Ordinance No. 4283 would only allow flying of government flags, as well as six branches of U.S. military, on city property, dropping the LGBTQ banner from its list of approved flags.
Do made a distinction between recognizing the contributions of a group in the wider community and condoning every action made under the mantle of that group.
“Every symbol has its extremists, has people who, under that symbol, abuse [it] to further their own agenda,” he said. “The Pride community has been hijacked by a few with a political agenda. But Pride Month itself is a different thing. It’s showing acceptance and tolerance, and I support that.”
Sarmiento who, along with Supervisor Katrina Foley, requested the flying of Pride flags be put to a vote at the June 6 meeting but were blocked after the proposal was filed 15 minutes too late, said declaring Pride Month is a gesture of solidarity with people who live in Orange County.
“There is nothing more important than to make sure we embrace people who come from different backgrounds here — we’ve done it for many communities,” he said. “It’s not meant to supersede anything else.”
Foley cited figures from the O.C. Human Relations Council indicating that while hate crimes declined 13% countywide, reported hate crimes upon the LGBTQ+ community rose 83%.
“It is a matter of personal safety that we bring this item forward,” she added.
Prior to the vote, Foley and Wagner engaged in a heated discussion over what happened on June 6 and the too-late filing of the Pride flag proposal.
Foley accused the chairman of possibly colluding with Do’s office to preempt the move with the flag restriction vote, while he accused her of using her time to spread lies. Ultimately, Foley made a motion to call the vote, ending the dispute.
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