SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- The City of San Diego on Monday raised a Pride flag at City Hall for the first time in its history in recognition of National Pride Month.
With June being National Pride Month, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said the historic flag raising is part of his effort to create a more inclusive community and to show the city’s support for the LGBTQ community.
Gloria is San Diego’s first LGBTQ mayor, and city officials said, “San Diego also carries the distinction of being the largest city in the country to ever elect an openly gay man as Mayor.”
The mayor, City Council President Jennifer Campbell, Council President Pro Tem Stephen Whitburn, City Commissioner Nicole Murray-Ramirez, and members of San Diego LGBT Pride and the San Diego LGBT Community Center were all on hand for Monday’s flag raising.
“The rainbow flag flying proudly at City Hall for the first time sends an important message to our LGBTQ community: we see you, we support you and you belong here. This flag is a representation of the LGBTQ community’s resilience, the struggles we have faced and a reminder that we must continue to fight for inclusiveness and respect in many parts of the world,” said Gloria.
Campbell said, “I am so proud to include the LGBTQ+ flag over City Hall because we know that San Diego recognizes the talents and abilities of all types of people no matter your color, religion or who we love.”
According to city officials, the flag now hanging at City Hall is known as the Progress Pride Flag, “which adds five arrow shaped lines to the classic Rainbow Pride Flag. The additional stripes represent marginalized communities of color, signified by the black and brown arrow shaped lines, and the transgender community, signified by the white, pink, and blue arrow shaped lines.”
City officials said the flag was sewn in Hillcrest by Shaun Sharp and Ashley Neil Tipton, a native San Diegan and the season 14 winner of the hit television show “Project Runway.”
