Pride flag not permitted to fly outside Arlington Heights Village Hall
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS - Efforts to add a Pride flag outside the Arlington Heights Village Hall were effectively shot down by a new flag display policy passed by the village board Wednesday night.
The board voted 5-3 to allow only four flags to be flown outside the village municipal center. Three of them were already flying: the American flag, the state flag and the village flag. Also allowed was the National League of Families POW/MIA flag.
Trustee Nicolle Grasse offered an amendment that would allow the Pride flag to fly as well, but it did not pass.
Mayor Tom Hayes, who supported limiting the number and type of flags flown outside village hall said the vote should not be viewed as a referendum on the Pride flag. He said it was based on concern about future requests from other groups.
"The village is not a place for political or social content," he said.
Many city’s are taking up the same issue after requests from the LGBTQ community to fly Pride flags as a way of showing inclusiveness.
In June, some state government buildings flew the Pride flag, including the state capital in Springfield. Governor JB Pritzker said every Illinoisan should be proud of who they are.
However, the move was temporary in honor of Pride month, a time to promote equality for the LGBTQ community.