City of Madison and Dane County officials raised the Pride Flag, signifying pride in and support for the LGBTQ+ community, over the Madison Municipal Building and City-County Building Monday as at least two other institutions in Madison opted not to for the first time in years.
“Sometimes people ask if it makes a difference to fly a flag. And my answer is yes — it makes a difference,” said Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “When you see that flag, I know the people in these buildings care enough to make sure that, as an out lesbian, I know I am welcome and that my government cares about me and my community … It matters that we fly this flag. It matters that we communicate to all of Madison and Dane County that here we respect people’s rights, and we value diversity and we celebrate Pride.”
The flag will fly below the flags of the United States, the Ho-Chunk Nation and the City of Madison for the month of June, designated as Pride Month.
Others noted the need to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community now, as the Trump Administration and other forces look to roll back rights, especially for transgender people.
“Liberation isn’t real until liberation is for everyone equally,” said Dane County Supervisor Rick Rose. “The flag we raise flies for all of us — every color, every stripe — a promise of belonging for our trans siblings right here in Madison and elsewhere.”
“There are too many people in the LGBTQ+ community, especially our trans neighbors, friends and loved ones… who are still facing the reality of barriers to safety, to dignity, to healthcare,” said Dane County Executive Melissa Agard. “We are living in an upside-down world right now. It is more important than ever that we continue showing up and speaking hard truths.”
The ceremony took place days after Madison365 reported that the Wisconsin Historical Society acknowledged that it will not raise the Pride Flag this year after doing so each June since 2019. A Wisconsin Historical Society spokesperson said “advocacy” is outside its mission.
“I don’t think flying the pride flag is advocacy,” Rhodes-Conway told Madison365 after the City ceremony. “It’s up to everybody what they want to do, but I do think it’s important. It’s important that our community can see the pride flag all around town, and definitely when you see that flag, it says something about that institution, and knowing that that institution respects our community and wants to be welcoming to everyone.”
“It’s a shame that people are so afraid to represent one of the smallest populations and a vulnerable population, and are capitulating to pressure from on high,” said Madison Alder Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford, the first openly transgender person elected to the Madison Common Council. “That just breaks my heart. It says that they don’t value those of us who contribute to their organizations, who are part of them, who are visiting them and interacting with them enough to show that they do, and that hurts.”
Martinez-Rutherford, Rhodes-Conway and Alder Sean O’Brien read the Common Council proclamation of June as Pride Month, which Rhodes-Conway presented to Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools executive director Tyrone Creech.
This story has been updated.
