LGBTQ Pride Flag Bans by State 2026

Multiple US states have passed laws prohibiting the display of “gay pride” flags supporting the LGBTQ+ community on and inside public buildings, such as government offices and public schools.

The first state to institute a ban on the often rainbow-themed LGBTQ+ flags was Utah, whose ban went into effect on May 07, 2025. Utah’s law also banned the display of other “unsanctioned”, or non-governmental flags, such as flags that endorse a political candidate.

Idaho followed shortly thereafter with a law restricting non-governmental flags in schools. A second law banning unsanctioned flags in government buildings was signed into law on April 03, 2025.

Additional states where LGBTQ+ Pride flag bans have been considered or are in consideration include (but are not limited to) Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Statewide flag bans may not be the final word on the subject, however, as some cities are circumventing the laws by adopting official flags very similar to those under the ban. For example, Utah’s capital, Salt Lake City, officially adopted three additional city flags a few days before the statewide ban went into effect. These flags, which then joined the city’s existing Sego Flag as official flags of the city government, are tweaked versions of the Progress Pride flag (renamed the Sego Belonging Flag), the Trans Pride flag (renamed the Sego Visibility Flag), and the Juneteenth flag (renamed the Sego Celebration Flag), each of which had been modified with an addition of a Sego Lily, the Utah state flower. Boise, Idaho took the same approach, adopting both the Progress Pride flag and a flag promoting organ donation as city flags.