‘It does send a message’: Residents turn up heat on Palatine to raise Pride flag

Residents continued to press Palatine village council members this week to approve flying the Pride Flag at village hall during June, which is Pride Month.

But other residents at Monday’s village council meeting also spoke out against flying the flag.

Palatine Mayor Jim Schwantz has stated his opposition to flying the flag, stating the village is not interested in getting involved in a political fight.

“We need to show others that Palatine is a community that supports all of its residents and is a safe place to live,” said Paul Dombrowski, a retired teacher in Palatine Township Elementary School District 15 who has been living with his husband in Palatine for 28 years.

He said the number of homeless youth identifying as LGBTQ+ is on the rise.

“If that Pride flag helps one of those people, it’s a success,” he said. “Hanging a Pride flag isn’t going to change the world or prevent nonbinary kids from facing violence in schools, but it does send a message to your neighborhood that transphobia and homophobia are not welcome in our community.”

Other supporters agreed.

“To a young LGBTQ+ child or teenager, especially one struggling to feel accepted, it can be a visible reminder that their town sees them, values them and believes they deserve to exist safely and openly in their community,” said Kylie Fischbach, the founder of Wanderlust Archers, a Palatine business she called the only female-owned archery range in Illinois.

Resident Tom Wood suggested that if the village did not wish to fly the Pride flag, “Why should we have anything but the American flag and the state flag?”

As a tongue-in-cheek suggestion to make a point, he asked for an amendment to remove the POW/MIA flag from village hall.

Other residents spoke against flying the Pride flag, arguing the village should remain nonpartisan and limit displays to government flags such as the U.S. and state flags.

“I’m sick and tired of the gaslighting that’s going on and the false tears that are being spent on (LGBTQ),” Frank Skorski said. “Why should Pride have one month when our veterans get one day, when our presidents get one day?”

Another resident, David Prichard, applauded the village council’s position.

“That’s what we’re proud of, to keep the village nonpartisan,” he said.