For the first time in California state history the Pride flag will be raised daily over the State Capitol building in Sacramento in honor of LGBTQ Pride Month. The flag will fly just underneath the American and California state flag on the main flagpole through July 1st. It was raised Monday morning in the presence of a California National Guard honor guard in response to a request from Governor Gavin Newsom.
"In California, we celebrate and support our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community's right to live out loud – during Pride month and every month," said Governor Newsom. "By flying the pride flag over the State Capitol, we send a clear message that California is welcoming and inclusive to all, regardless of how you identify or who you love."
"...we celebrate and support our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community's right to live out loud." Governor Gavin Newsom
Colorado and Wisconsin have already started raising the Pride flag over their respective capitols. Earlier in June the Trump administration denied requests from U.S. embassies in Israel, Germany, Brazil, Latvia, and elsewhere to fly pride flags. However, several American embassies are reportedly displaying the pride flag this month in other ways.
"Seeing the Pride flag prominently flown at the Capitol reminds people everywhere that while some states and the federal government dehumanize LGBTQ people, California stands firmly for equality and inclusion," said Senator Scott Wiener, Chair of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus. "It reminds LGBTQ Californians that our government is working to move our community forward."
Even though the Pride flag has never flown on the flag pole above the State Capitol before, there have been several occasions in the past when it was hung over balconies both inside and outside of the building. The Capitol dome was also lit up with rainbow colors in June of 2015 in celebration of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the Fourteenth Amendment requires all states to allow same-sex marriages and recognize same-sex marriages from other states.