Pride flag will fly at the ‘people’s house’ in Fresno after Fresno City College led the way
After a week of political debate over the process to raise honorary flags at Fresno City Hall, Mayor Jerry Dyer announced Friday the Pride flag will be raised at City Hall.
Dyer said during a news conference that he was compelled to raise the flag after attending Fresno City College’s Pride flag-raising ceremony Friday morning, where he listened to LGBTQ+ members share their stories of being marginalized and even rejected by their own families. He was particularly moved by the experiences shared by Fresno City College President Dr. Carole Goldsmith.
“When the flag was raised this morning, I saw so many of the LGBTQ community, as well as family members, who were standing with them crying, almost as if they had been freed,” Dyer said. “And I felt that same emotion inside of me that generated a lot of tears. It’s a moment in time I think I’ll never forget.”
Goldsmith joined Dyer at the news conference in City Hall with several faith and LGBTQ+ leaders. Dyer, Goldsmith and the other leaders became emotional during the news conference. Dyer’s voice was thick with emotion as he held back tears, and Goldsmith wiped away tears as well.
Goldsmith said Dyer’s changed mind on the issue demonstrated the power of education.
“I never wanted to be the gay president. Today I am. But, I’m an educator first,” she said. “I’m all about education and how education can change lives. I think today is an example of how education and people’s story can change history. People’s stories can change hearts. People’s story can bring the city together.”
She thanked Dyer for listening to the LGBTQ+ community.
Dyer said the Pride flag will be raised at City Hall on June 11, as originally intended by the City Council. He said he will attend and invited the community to attend, as well.
Dyer hopes to restore the authority of raising honorary flags at City Hall to the city manager. Last week, the City Council voted to give that authority to elected officials. That prompted Dyer to make plans to install flag poles at Eaton Plaza in downtown for honorary flags and ceremonies, which LGBTQ+ leaders and residents compared to “separate but equal” laws. He still intends to do that, and will refer to the plaza as Unity Park, but he now recognizes the importance of raising the flag at City Hall, he said.
Jeffery Robinson, the CEO of Community Link and Fresno Rainbow Pride, said raising the Pride flag at City Hall will help the LGBTQ+ community in many tangible ways.
“We will see hate crimes decrease, persecution and bullying decrease, and ultimately suicides will decrease in our community,” Robinson said. “I am so honored and proud to say that the rainbow flag that was designed in 1978, to give a symbol of hope to our community, will be flying high and proud here at Fresno City Hall.”
People over politics
Dyer acknowledged he may lose some longtime Republican support over the flag raising, but he said ultimately this issue shouldn’t be political.
“This issue is really not a political issue. This is not a Republican or a Democrat issue. It is a people issue,” he said. “I was elected to represent all of the people — the faith community and the LGBTQ community. I have a heart for people — for all people. I love people right where they are, just because I do. I can either say that, or I can show that. I choose to show them, which is why I will be attending the Pride flag raising ceremony at City Hall on June 11.”
Councilmember Esmeralda Soria, who led the effort to raise the Pride flag at City Hall, said she didn’t expect the issue to become a political fight, but she’s excited for the LGBTQ+ community now. Both she and Council President Luis Chavez said Dyer was forced to have the same tough conversations they’ve had with community members as elected officials.
“I’m so glad that he’s had the conversations, the same conversations that I’ve had for many years, with the LGBTQ community about how meaningful it would be to raise the flag in the people’s house,” Soria said. “And that’s what City Hall represents. It is the people’s house, and the Pride flag is representative of people, not a cause. It is the people that live in our community.”
Soria also apologized to the LGBTQ+ community.
“This should have never been controversial,” she said. “This is again, a symbolic opportunity for us to demonstrate that they really are part of Fresno. If we are going to be ‘One Fresno,’ they are also included in their ability to raise a flag in the city of Fresno that represents them.”
Gay rights and Christianity
A number of clergy spoke at the news conference on how the Christian faith has addressed gay rights.
Dyer’s initial objection to the City Council’s resolution was over the exclusion of religious flags. Dyer himself is deeply religious and speaks often and publicly about being a born-again Christian.
Rev. Simon Biasell of Woven Community Church apologized to the LGBTQ+ community for the persecution Christian people inflicted in the name of faith.
“This is a historical moment that our city would raise the Pride flag. However, this moment is not new. This flag is not new,” he said. “For too long, this flag has been a divisive symbol. It’s been a divisive symbol because of people from my tradition — from the Christian tradition.”
Pastor Raygan Baker of The Big Red Church said the rainbow is a symbol Christians and the LGBTQ+ community share. God gave Noah the rainbow as a symbol of hope that he and his family could rebuild the world, Baker said. When a church, or City Hall, flies the rainbow flag, it means the same thing, he said.
“It means to many of us in the LGBTQ community, that it is a place where we are safe, where we know … that all of our brothers and sisters are welcomed, are safe there and can build our families and can make our own contributions to the city in which we all live.”
By raising the Pride flag at City Hall, Dyer and the City Council is inviting the LGBTQ+ community to have a “seat at the table,” said Rev. Tim Kutzmark from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno.
“I shared with the mayor that I know the pain of being rejected by a religion of origin. And I also know the healing that comes when you are welcomed home,” he said. “Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for welcoming the LGBTQI+ community to be fully part of your ‘One Fresno.’”
This story was originally published June 4, 2021 at 2:04 PM.