Secretary of State Antony Blinken has given U.S. embassies and consulates around the world blanket permission to fly the Pride flag on the same pole as the American flag, reported Foreign Policy on Thursday. The authorization is a shift from the Trump administration, during which embassies in Brazil, Germany, Israel, and Latvia were denied requests to raise the rainbow flag alongside the red, white, and blue one.
The timing of the rule change means the flag can fly on May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia and throughout Pride month in June. Or better yet, embassies could raise the flag year round in a show of universal support. However, Blinken also noted in the authorization obtained by Foreign Policy that the choice lies with leaders at each diplomatic mission to decide if displaying the flag is “appropriate in light of local conditions.”
During the Trump administration, embassies were allowed to display the flag within their grounds—but not on official flagpoles. The reversal is a return to the Obama era, when embassies were given permission to fly the flag during Pride month in June.
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.
