From The Editor: Fly Your Flag

When it comes to the impression your home (and garden) make, all the little details matter: the font of your house numbers, whether the front door matches the front porch, whether you’ve had your roof replaced since that hail storm years ago. And that’s just the outside!

Although it may not be fair, humans are quick to make judgments. Whether just walking through a neighborhood or visiting the home of a friend for the first time, the appearance of the homes you’re walking past or into makes an impression.

One of the strongest, most intentional statements you can make on the outside of your home is flying a flag. They range from silly (the Nicki Minaj saluting American flag comes to mind) to sporty to serious. Your choice of flag might not say much about you, other than that you have a sense of humor or are very proud of Wisconsin sports. It could also say everything about you, or mean everything to someone who sees it.

Flags not only announce who lives inside a home but also signal who is or is not welcome in and around it. The flag of another nation could indicate the presence of an immigrant community, like the white stars on blue backgrounds dotting Cedar-Riverside. Or, in the case of a Ukrainian or Palestinian flag, it could signal solidarity with a nation at war, even if the person flying it doesn’t have a personal connection.

A neighbor’s POW/MIA flag could lead to a touching conversation about lost relatives. The American flag? Depends on who’s flying it — it could represent a dedication to the values of inclusion, acceptance and equal opportunity, often cited as our nation’s defining principles. It could also signal allegiance to other ideas from America’s past, possibly including definitions of American identity that leave out diverse communities and lead to discrimination against them. 

A Pride flag, however, leaves no ambiguity. It signals that everyone is welcome, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. And for someone struggling to come out, trying to find a safe space to pass the time or searching for a new neighborhood to make their home, that could mean everything. Whether joining a rainbow chorus of flags lining a street or standing alone, your Pride flag could make a difference.