Park City raised the first pride flag in Utah this year in celebration of Pride Month.
Park City Mayor Andy Beerman raised the pride flag at Miners Hospital, in front of around 30 LGBTQIA members and allies.
Park City formed task force for the group earlier this year to give the LGBTQ community a voice in local government. Leah Langan is the Executive Assistant to the Mayor and City Manager and a founding member. She says the task force designed this year’s flag to be more inclusive.
"There was a new design created that includes white, pastel pink, and pastel blue," Langan said. "And those are the transgender community colors. Previously, we only had the rainbow plus the black and the brown for people of color. But we thought it was a really important gesture to be able to include the trans community as well."
The new flags came in, and Beerman asked Langan if he could hang one Wednesday because he’s going to be out of town June 1, the first day of Pride.
"We really were planning on just sneaking over here and taking a shot to post on June 1," Beerman said. "So the fact it's turned into a party is quite a treat, because the work we're trying to do in town is going to take a community."
Utah Pride Director Rob Moolman was also at the event and helped Beerman raise the flag. He said it was unlikely that Park City could’ve had a small event.
"The idea of just sneaking up and quietly raising a flag doesn't fly in the queer community, as you can see," Moolman said. "And I think that what is important about that is that it means so much."
Pride Month starts Tuesday. Pending City Council approval there will be signage on three buses. There will also be signs at city facilities and libraries as well as a rainbow design potentially displayed on a city crosswalk.
