Pride flags are going up over city and town halls across New England to commemorate Pride month (and ongoing Pride celebrations throughout the summer, albeit mostly virtual this year), and we salute them all. But we especially love to give a shout out to communities supporting their LGBTQ residents and neighbors for the first time.
Take this past Friday’s flag-raising celebration in Monroe, Connecticut.
“This flag raising today is another small step in the long journey that is achieving equality and universal civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community,” Ken Kapoor, a member of the town’s board of education, told The Monroe Sun.
“Symbols have meaning and this flag being raised shows that our local government cares. It is awareness and education that can change hearts and minds and local events like this move that conversation forward,” said Kapoor.
Reports the Sun:
[Kapoor] recalled being scared when he first ran for public office, being that he is, in his words, “brown” and “not straight.” But he told the crowd you cannot let fear control you. He went on to win in his second attempt.
Kapoor thanked [First Selectman Ken] Kellogg for granting his request for a flag raising ceremony to celebrate Pride Month.
The first selectman read a proclamation, proclaiming June 26, 2020 as Pride Day in the town of Monroe, and urging citizens to “recognize the contributions made by members of the LGBTQ+ community and to actively promote the principals of equality and liberty.”
A number of public officials from both sides of the aisle attended the ceremony to show their support.
Kapoor said more people had wanted to be there, but the event was not heavily advertised to promote social distancing.
Read The Monroe Sun’s complete story here.
Not a subscriber? Sign up today for a free subscription to Boston Spirit magazine, New England’s premier LGBT magazine. We will send you a copy of Boston Spirit 6 times per year and we never sell/rent our subscriber information. Click HERE to sign up!
