Following the letter of their respective conservative Mormon-heavy states’ laws banning the display of unofficial flags on municipal property, but most certainly not the spirit as the laws are intended to ban Pride flags, the city governments of Salt Lake City, Utah and Boise, Idaho on Wednesday officially adopted rainbow flags through separate but similar means, the AP reports
Boise made the Pride flag one of its official city flags following an April 3 state government ban on the symbol whilst Salt Lake City created a new city flag incorporating a Pride flag.
“My sincere intent is not to provoke or cause division,” said Salt Lake Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “My intent is to represent our city’s values and honor our dear diverse residents who make up this beautiful city and the legacy of pain and progress that they have endured.”