This year, the Stonewall National Monument in New York City
is displaying only the traditional Rainbow Pride flag, excluding transgender
and progress flags during Pride Month. This decision by the National Park
Service [NPS] has led to criticism and protests, with some activists and
visitors planting their own flags in defiance.
The Stonewall National Monument is the first US National Monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights,
having been designated as such in 2016 by President Barack Obama. It has since
become tradition for the monument to be adorned with various Pride flags,
including the trans flag with the NPS funding installation of the flags until
this year when the NPS told photographer, advocate, and installation creator
Steven Love Menendez that the park will not allow Trans or Progress Pride flags
this year; Menendez says:
“I used to be listed as an LGBTQ activist, and now it says
‘Steven Menendez, LGB activist [because] they took out the Q and the T.”
Erasing our trans brothers and sisters. |