NORRISTOWN — Officials came together on Monday to raise the Pride flag, commemorating Pride Month in Montgomery County.
Around 75 people were present for the morning ceremony outside the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown as elected officials, row officers, judges, and advocates collectively hoisted the Pride flag up the flagpole.
“We are proud to raise this flag today and proud to show our support for the LGBTQ community,” said Montgomery County Commissioners’ Vice Chairman Neil Makhija.
The 2024 ceremony was organized in conjunction with the Montgomery County Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusions. Raising the Progress Pride flag on Monday, the colors represented symbolize the LGBTQ+ community.
The flag, created in 2018 by Daniel Quasar, includes light blue, pink and white stripes to symbolize the transgender community, as well as brown and black stripes to represent “communities of color” and those “lost during the HIV/AIDS crisis in 1980s and 1990s,” according to the Human Rights Campaign website.
Taking place each June, the Human Rights Campaign website categorizes Pride Month as a “joyful celebration of all of the beautiful identities of our LGBTQ+ community.” It was made a federal designation in 1999 to broaden the reach of celebrating the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities.
Locally, Montgomery County began holding a flag raising in 2019 in Norristown and officials have organized one each year since.
“We are here today to say that despite the intolerance reflected in those words and actions, we believe that everyone in Montgomery County, we believe that everyone is valued, welcome, and included, no matter who they love or what they look like,” Winder said.
She shared her message to the county’s LGBTQ+ community: “We hear you, we see you, we stand with you.”
“When we lift this flag, we are letting everyone in Montgomery County know that our community is a safe place,” added Makhija.
County officials touched on the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising during Monday’s flag raising ceremony.
“It was not that long ago where people in the LGBTQ community had to live their lives in the closet, and were afraid to express their identity, afraid to share who they were because of the very real possibility and the very real history of violence,” Makhija said.
“I’m here to say we can do better and we need to do better and we can do better and we must do better for our friends and neighbors in Montgomery County,” Winder said, calling for more stringent protections to be codified into state law. Winder highlights a bill in the Pennsylvania General Assembly called the “Fairness Act,” that if passed would “add sexuality and gender identity to Pennsylvania’s nondiscrimination law.”
People in the audience could be seen waiving Pride flags. Among them was Lansdale resident Justin Coleman who said he came out to support Montgomery County Poet Laureate Program Director Chad Frame.
“It’s a historic moment,” he said, reflecting on the day’s events. “I think this is a step toward progress, but again, it’s a long journey and one step is nice, but you have to keep moving.”
Other speakers included West Norriton Township Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Anne Pavone, NAACP Main Line Branch President Brian Reese-Turner and Frame, who read the original poem “We don’t call it a riot”.
Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Lori Schreiber, the county’s first LGBT woman elected in 2019, took a moment to reflect on her own experience attending Pride events. She said she’s been sent more security seminars in recent years. But it was a meme she saw that struck a chord with her.
“Good people don’t spend time harassing marginalized communities,” she told the crowd, repeating the phrase several times. “If that’s true, why do so many of us feel so nervous?”
“Good people don’t spend their time harassing marginalized communities,” Schneider said, adding that “good people do spend their time elevating groups with less power.”
Amid instances of “increased political pushback,” speakers also called on people in attendance to get out and vote on Election Day.
“How do we empower, how do we unite, how do we get back to the celebration of pride?” Schreiber said, adding that “I truly appreciate all of you being” at Monday’s ceremony.
Speakers stressed the importance of attending various designations, flag raisings and Pride-related events taking place this month in other municipalities.
The county’s diversity, equity and inclusion office also organized a virtual Pride Month panel for June 12 entitled “Reflecting Our History, Empowering Our Voices, and Uniting Our Communities.” Visit montgomerycountypa.gov/pridepanel for more information.
