Utah becomes first US state to ban LGBTQ+ pride flags

Utah has go the archetypal U.S. authorities to prohibit flying LGBTQ+ pridefulness flags astatine schools and each authorities buildings.

This comes aft Utah Governor Spencer Cox announced precocious Thursday nighttime that helium was allowing a prohibition connected unsanctioned emblem displays to go instrumentality without his signature.

The law, which volition instrumentality effect connected May 7, volition marque Utah the archetypal authorities to prohibition pridefulness flags.

The emblem measure efficaciously became instrumentality erstwhile Cox took nary enactment by the midnight deadline connected Thursday night.

The measure was authored by authorities Rep. Trevor Lee, a Republican from Layton, who has consistently stated that the authorities was created specifically to prohibition pridefulness flags successful acquisition institutions.

However, successful a missive to legislative leaders explaining his decision, Cox besides expressed appreciation for the LGBTQ+ community.

He said: “To our LGBTQ community, I cognize that caller authorities has been difficult.

“Politics tin beryllium a spot of a humor athletics astatine times, and I cognize we’ve had our disagreements. I privation you to cognize that I emotion and admit you, and I americium grateful that you are portion of our state. I cognize these words whitethorn ringing hollow to galore of you, but delight cognize that I mean them sincerely.”

Cox’s determination comes conscionable hours aft the Sundance Film Festival announced it was leaving its location of 4 decades successful Park City, Utah, for Boulder, Colorado.