(La Porte, IN) - A pride flag will not be flying outside La Porte City Hall but it’s not being kept in the closet either.  City Councilman Tim Franke says the pride flag will be in a display case at City Hall.

 

The display case is in the lobby outside the city council chambers.  Franke says included with the pride flag will be some LGBTQ related literature. 

 

The flag was presented this week to the city by Elissa Affeld, a member of the LGBTQ community and member of the city’s Diversity and Inclusion committee.  During her presentation, Affeld said she hoped the city would fly what’s often referred to as the

rainbow flag.

 

Franke said the decision to place the flag in the display case was reached during talks by members of the La Porte City Council and Mayor Tom Dermody.  He said the flag will not be flown because the American flag and state flag have traditionally been the only flags flown outside City Hall.  Franke said officials also wanted to avoid opening the door to requests to fly other flags.  He said the pride flag will be in the display case for the remainder of the month. 

 

June is Pride month.  He said the city is open to featuring other flags in the display case on a monthly basis as long as the message conveyed is a positive one.