Several faith leaders and community activists were expected to attend an in-person Glenview Village Board meeting tonight (Tuesday) calling on the village to fly the rainbow Pride flag in front of village hall, or at the very least acknowledge National Pride Month.
“We as Glenview residents see neighboring towns flying the Pride flag, hosting Pride parades, and otherwise professing support of the LGBTQ community. We want that here,” said Glenbrook South student activist Andrew Duffy, who was expected to speak at Tuesday’s village board meeting. “We want the village of Glenview to fly the Pride flag at village hall and show their support in other ways, too.” Duffy helped organize a demonstration to save Fire Station No. 13 earlier this spring.
Also expected to call on village leaders to fly the Pride flag were the senior pastors at both Glenview Community Church, Rev. Chuck Mize; and St. Philip Lutheran Church, Rev. Josh Evans.
Pride Month commemorates the June 28, 1969 uprising at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City when it was raided by police which sparked the gay rights movement, often referred to as “Pride.”
“Pride is a celebration of humanity, of people other than straight,” Mize said. “Other villages are doing this (flying the Pride flag or recognizing Pride Month). This recognizes a population in Glenview. It’s very sad we’re not doing it.”
Glenview Community Church has been flying the Progress Pride flag, combining the rainbow Pride flag with a chevron in the colors of a flag honoring the transgender community, on a small flagpole on the church’s monument sign since the winter. That flag was stolen over the Easter holiday, was better secured, and attempted to be stolen again in May. Monday morning church staff found the flagpole again severely bent and damaged.
For Evans, his church is what is called a “reconciling congregation” which in church parlance means they are welcoming to all, including the LGBTQ community, as several signs posted outside the church attest.
Evans, who is openly gay, recalled in his sermon being at his first Pride Parade in Chicago a decade ago and the feeling of empowerment he received being surrounded by people of his faith community at the event.
“This Sunday, as we stand at the beginning of another Pride Month, I’m reminded of that welcome I received at Urban Village, now 10 years ago. It was an experience that freed me to be fully myself … fully who God created me to be,” Evans said from the pulpit of St. Philip’s during his June 6 sermon. “At the same time, this Sunday, I’m also acutely aware that not everybody experiences that welcome, certainly not in the church.”
Other communities where the Pride flag is either flying at village, or city hall or elsewhere prominently, include the city of Chicago where the flag flies at the Richard J. Daley Center, Northbrook where the flag flies at village hall, and on street light banners, outside the Northfield Township Hall. Des Plaines also flies the flag outside city hall. The flag also flies in the Rotary Green in Buffalo Grove. Elk Grove Village and Schaumburg issued proclamations in honor of Pride Month earlier this month. Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson and a village trustee attended a celebratory Pride Rally on the lawn of the United Methodist Church in Elk Grove Village Sunday.
Deputy Glenview Village Manager Don Owen said he did not believe the village had a policy speaking to what flags could fly outside village hall. He said he expected village trustees would review and consider residents’ requests on the issue.
The Journal was not immediately able to reach Village President Mike Jenny by phone or email Monday or Tuesday.
Historically, Glenview has not issued proclamations for social issues, events, groups, significant dates, or holidays with nearly the regularity of other surrounding communities.
One mayor in another community, who did not want to be identified, said the danger in allowing the Pride flag to be flown at a village or city hall is, once it is, other groups might demand their flags be flown as well.
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