This Is (Not) a Pride Flag.

Why We Made Pride Merch That’s Exactly What Pride Has Always Been: Political.

Let’s rewind.

What even is HB77?

Earlier this year, Utah lawmakers passed HB77, making Utah the first state in the country to ban Pride flags from public schools and government buildings.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Trevor Lee, claimed it was about keeping schools “neutral.” But let’s be honest: neutrality doesn’t mean silencing one side. Rainbow flags were banned. Nazi flags were still allowed until public outrage forced a revision. If your definition of neutrality protects hate symbols but not belonging? That’s not neutrality. That’s performative cruelty.

Gov. Spencer Cox let the bill become law without signing it, which is Utah Moderate™ for “don’t blame me, I’m just enabling it.”

And just like that, symbols of safety and visibility were erased from public spaces.

Cool. Cool cool cool.

Why Pride Matters Now More Than Ever

In this climate of legislative backlash, banning books, censoring identities, and policing bathrooms, Pride isn’t just a party. It’s what it has always been: a protest. It’s resilience. It’s a refusal to disappear, to be legislated out of public view, to apologize for existing.

Especially here. Especially now.

Salt Lake City’s Response: Creative Compliance

In the face of this performative nonsense, Salt Lake City’s Mayor and City Council did what SLC does best: creative compliance with a side of sass.

Because HB77 allows official government flags to be flown, Salt Lake unveiled a new official city flag featuring the rainbow and a sego lily (Utah’s state flower). This way, the city can fly these official flags on city property, and the state can’t do anything about it.

Then they dropped two more: one for trans visibility, and one for Juneteenth.

Totally legal. Totally municipal. Totally stunning.

So naturally, we turned it into merch.

We partnered with Alliance for a Better Utah, one of our favorite progressive powerhouses in the state, to build a merch collection that’s part fashion, part protest, and full petty brilliance.

Yes, you can buy the SLC Pride Flag.
Even better: Profits from every flag go directly to local LGBTQ+ nonprofits, the folks doing the work to support, protect, and empower our community.

Because that’s what this is really about: showing up for queer Utahns when the government refuses to.

Because Pride Was Always Political

Pride is not just about rainbows. It’s about resistance, resilience, and visibility. Especially in a year where politicians at the state and federal level are trying to legislate us out of existence.

So when you fly it, wear it, sticker it on your water bottle, or slap it on your laptop, you're not just making a statement. You're making an impact.

Because these jokers need to be reminded that Pride started as a protest. That the queer community has always been forced to be resilient and we always will be. That joy is a strategy, and celebration is what fuels momentum. So here’s our version of doing just that.

What’s in the Drop?

We split it into five beautiful unapologetically queer collections. Every piece is a response to HB77, to performative politics, to anyone who says our joy is too loud, and to politicians who legislate on fear, not facts.

All these designs are available in flags, shirts, stickers, hats, sweatshirts, totes, mugs. Whatever you could want. If there is something we don’t have that you want, let us know!

New Salt Lake City Flag Designs

For when you want to follow the rules and still cause a scene. This is the heart of the drop: the new official SLC flag, featured on products that do what the legislature really hates: make them look ridiculous.

• This Is (Not) a Pride Flag

  • The original. The blueprint. The petty legend herself. This is not a Pride flag. It’s just a totally normal, legally compliant municipal design featuring rainbow stripes, a sego lily, and absolutely zero political commentary whatsoever. Nothing to see here, folks...except it’s also a giant middle finger to the Utah legislature. Because if the state wants to play stupid games, we’ll play too. We’ll just play it better and smarter.

    

    

• Legislative Trigger Warning

  • WARNING: WILL TRIGGER GOP LEGISLATORS. Because let’s be real: if lawmakers are going to waste time banning flags instead of fixing housing, water, or literally anything else, the least we can do is give them something cute to be mad about. This is petty with a purpose. It’s joyful, it’s legal, and it might give a certain kind of republican elected official a full-body shiver. (You’re welcome.)

    

    

• Good Luck Banning F(l)ags

  • It says flags. Obviously. The “L” is just... transparent. This design exists because we all know this was never about flags. It was never about rainbows. It was always about a continued attempt to silence queer people, erase them, make them feel alone, make them feel hopeless. Because maybe if we “disagree better” with their “lifestyle”, they’ll just go away. That’s what this has always been about, and it will never work. Not ever. In fact, the more you try to push us away, the louder we become. Maybe they can ban our flag, but they’ll never ban us. So, say it without saying it. And say it everywhere.

Out & About in Utah

Coming out stories, but merch. Utah-specific. Weirdly nostalgic. Because queerness isn’t imported, it’s always been here. Especially at youth group.

And the response has already been amazing. We’ve had dozens of people reach out to us to tell us that they actually came out at Lagoon or EFY, that they actually had a gay awakening at The Mayan. We thought we were making these for exactly one person, so we’re glad to hear that there are no unique experiences.

• I Came Out at Lagoon

  • Corn dogs, roller coasters, and the emotional whiplash of growing up queer in Utah.

• I Came Out at The Mayan

  • Cliff divers. Animatronic birds. Dramatic lighting. The perfect setting for a chaotic gay awakening.

    

• I Came Out at a Stake Dance

  • Under a basketball hoop. Church-approved slow jams. Modestly dressed.

    

• I Came Out at EFY

  • You went for spiritual clarity. You left with… a different kind of clarity.

Utah Inside Jokes

Local flavor. Queer twist.

We’ve got green Jello and the gay agenda. We’ve got reimagined pioneer slogans and bisexual polygamists. Because Utah is weird. And beautiful. And queer. And that’s worth celebrating. So why not do some plays on Utah classics?

• Green Jello, Gay Agenda

  • Wholesome. Wiggly. Politically dangerous (apparently). A Utah classic, now served with petty defiance.

• This Is the Place for Pride

  • Sorry Brigham, we’re rewriting the plaque.

• What If the Other Wives Were Bi?

  • Historical fan fiction meets imagination. Confuse a pioneer reenactor today.

• Loud, Proud Utahn

  • This is your state, too. Because being queer in Utah isn’t quiet. It’s courageous.

Red, White, and Rainbow

For too long, conservatives have acted like they own the American flag and with it, the definition of patriotism. But we love this country just as much as they do. Maybe more. Enough to fight for it. Enough to work to make “liberty and justice for all” not just a promise, but a reality. And let’s be clear: Pride is patriotic. So naturally, we created a few designs that reclaim that truth.

• If This Flag Offends You, I’ll Help You Pack

  • Small town Fourth of July meets downtown Pride. We love that for us.

• God Bless Your Homophobic Hearts

  • An eagle. A flag. A combination of your Mormon grandmother and your weird uncle.

Legislative Accountability. Because They Started It.

• Not Today, Trevor Lee

  • The face of HB77 gets his own design. Because we’re still here, still legal, and still better dressed.

• The Anti-Trevor Lee Club

  • The Anti Trevor Lee Club is for everyone who watched HB77 happen and thought, “You know what? No.” Join the club. No dues required.

• This Politician Hates This Sticker

  • Featuring the new city flag + your favorite performatively outraged politicians. Choose from Mike Lee, Spencer Cox, Dan McCay, and Trevor Lee.

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Why You Should Buy This Stuff Right Now

• Because it’s fun, local, and deeply unserious in the most strategic way

• Because joy is resistance

• Because every flag purchase helps fund local LGBTQ+ nonprofits

• Because it’s hilarious

• Because the Utah Pride festival is next weekend and you need to order today in order to get your topical and cute merch in time.

• Because you can’t not own a shirt that says “What if the other wives were bi?”

So fly the flag. Wear the flag. Sticker the flag. Be the flag. Be the reminder that HB77 may have banned a flag, but it couldn’t ban Pride.

Where to Get It

👉 thisisnotaprideflag.com 👈
Click “Shop.” Add to cart. Check out.

And tell the Utah Legislature: we followed your rules. We just made them gay.

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