WeHo and Fire Island Called Out for Lowering Pride Flags Over Charlie Kirk: “Don't Make Our Joy Honor Our Oppressor”

The clear gays are at it again, as they (the ones who reside in WeHo and seasonally in Fire Island) are being dragged on social media for lowering their flags at half staff for racist political agitator Charlie Kirk.

via: Them

LGBTQ+ Pride and transgender flags in West Hollywood and Fire Island were lowered to half mast over the weekend, in observance of the death of anti-LGBTQ+ pundit Charlie Kirk — drawing shock and outrage from community members and activists.

Flags were lowered across the U.S. to mark Kirk’s death, per a September 10 proclamation by President Donald Trump, that ordered all flags on public grounds be flown at half mast until September 14. Compliance was not universal; the New York Post reported that New York and New Jersey did not officially change their flag statuses, and Bergen County officials did not lower the flags as ordered. But other flags, including some flown in historic LGBTQ+ neighborhoods, did fly at half mast over the weekend, sparking local outrage.

In West Hollywood, the trans and Progress Pride flags were both lowered to half mast in Matthew Shepard Square this weekend, according to the WeHo Times. On Sunday, an unknown person reportedly posted a sign in the square reading “Shame on West Hollywood for lowering our flags in honor of a racist, transphobic, homophobic, Nazi-loving monster.”

West Hollywood city officials released a statement acknowledging “concern in the community” over the lowered flags on Sunday afternoon, writing that they had acted in compliance with Trump’s order per city policy.

“The City's action should not be interpreted as an expression of alignment with, or endorsement of, Mr. Kirk’s political views or actions,” the statement read. “Rather, the action was undertaken in accordance with the City’s Policy for Recognitions and Memorials, which acknowledges that the City follows the direction of the President in determining when flags in the City are flown at half-staff.” The City Council will “consider updates to the City’s policy regarding the lowering of flags to ensure that it appropriately reflects the values of the West Hollywood community” in the future, officials wrote.

On the other side of the country, another trans flag and Pride flag were also lowered to half mast at Cherry Grove dock on Fire Island, as documented in an Instagram post from the Black and Brown Equity Coalition (BaBEC), which has led organizing efforts on the island for years.

“We cannot stay silent seeing Pride and transgender flags at half-staff on Cherry Grove dock to honor Charlie Kirk; a man who called trans people ‘a middle finger to God,’ cited biblical passages advocating violence against queer people, and suggested LGBTQ+ individuals be handled ‘like in the 1950s,’” BaBEC members wrote in the post. “If federal protocol requires all flags to fly below the U.S. flag, including when at half-staff, then remove the Pride and trans flags entirely. Don't make our joy honor our oppressor.”

Kirk, who was shot and killed in Utah last Wednesday, was the founder of the right-wing campus activism group Turning Point USA and a prolific anti-LGBTQ+ speaker, once calling for doctors who provide gender-affirming medical care to be given a “Nuremberg-style trial.” Several people have already lost their jobs for posting about his death on social media, including trans horror writer Gretchen Felker-Martin and former Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah. Some historically Black colleges and universities increased security or canceled classes altogether after reportedly receiving violent threats immediately following Kirk’s death last week.