One-day installation is a first-time event marking Pride Month

By Meg Wade for Ashland.news

A surprise display to mark the end of Pride Month went up in Ashland early Saturday morning, June 28, Pride Day. Twenty-five Pride flags were placed on the posts of the streetlights along the dividing median on Siskiyou Boulevard from its western end at East Main Street to the Southern Oregon University campus at Garfield Street.

The display was put up by SOPride, which received permission, as well as one-time funds, from the city of Ashland for the project, said Councilor Gina DuQuenne, who is also founder and president of SOPride. It is the first time Pride flags have been flown on Siskiyou through the center of town.

Assembly of the flags took place Friday at Talent Maker City’s annual “Big Gay Workshop.” Talent Maker City also assisted with production of the component allowing the flag poles to be attached to the light posts. 

The flags use a version of the Progress Pride flag design, which includes additional lines to represent marginalized people of color, the trans community, and people living with HIV/AIDS. These lines are set together to shape an arrow, representing forward motion, and next to a yellow triangle and purple circle, to represent the intersex community.

The flags will be used for future events, including the annual Southern Oregon Pride celebration in October. Scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4, this year’s event will mark the 15th anniversary of SOPride. SOPride is seeking donations to be able to increase the number of flags for October.

The display went up at 7 a.m. Saturday morning, installed by a two-car team of seven people. The Preskenis family took the lead with Kofi, 12, waving a flag from the back of their truck. DuQuenne and other SOPride supporters followed. The group received friendly honks from several passing vehicles.

Asked how it felt to be participating, Jay Preskenis said, “Awesome! I love this community!”

The sidewalks along Siskiyou were still relatively empty, with a few residents out for morning walks or jogs.

Asked what they thought of the display, one woman wondered why it was a big deal. “Why is it news? This should not have to be news,” she said, before adding she thought the national political climate had created a context in which the flags were both necessary and newsworthy.

Another man taking a walk was more enthusiastic. “It’s beautiful!” he exclaimed, offering a fist bump of support. “Can’t max out those colors!”

There was at least one detractor. Standing at a bus stop near campus, Steven Lewis, who said he was not an Ashland resident but here to visit his girlfriend, didn’t approve of the flags, saying he thought they were meant to cause division.

“I don’t have anything against the lifestyle, it’s just the division,” he said, likening the flags to masks worn as protection against COVID-19. “Masks were MAGA hats for liberals,” he said, and, in his view, the flags send a similar message.

Those helping put up the flags said they were helping create visibility

“It’s such a simple thing, and so important for people to feel seen,” said Karen Carnival.

“It’s great to be involved in something like this. Everybody deserves to feel safe and to be seen. And to feel safe to be seen,” agreed Marie DeGregorio. “These are scary times.”

There were lots of cheers from the group as they proceeded along the boulevard, and claps and hugs at the end.

“We’ve been trying to do this since 2012,” DuQuenne said. “Last weekend we made history [referencing the Say Their Names plaque installation], and this weekend too.”

“So watch out next weekend!” she joked.

SOPride will wrap up Pride month with the Mt. Ashland Pride Ride from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 29. The event will feature a group run and hike, leaving the Mt. Ashland Ski Ride parking lot at 9 a.m., as well as an informal group bike ride. There will be music, food trucks, non-alcoholic beverages, and giveaways from SOPride, along with a raffle.

The annual Medford Pride event also was set for Saturday, June 28, from noon to 6 p.m. at Rogue X, 901 Rossanley Drive in Medford.

Ashland resident and freelance journalist Meg Wade’s byline has appeared in Mother Earth News and other publications. Email Ashland.news at [email protected].