Will County officials raise rainbow flag for Pride month

joliet — County and state officials marked the beginning of Pride Month Wednesday by hoisting a rainbow flag in front of the Will County Office Building in downtown Joliet.

The Will County Pride Coalition asked county officials if they’d be willing to fly the flag for Pride Month, which is meant to celebrate and recognize LGBTQ people and the history of their struggle for equal rights.

Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, the Will County executive, said she supports the idea of raising the flag at the county office building for the first time.

“When I ran [for office], we talked about diversity. We talked about inclusion,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “I think it’s important that people know that in Will County, at the county executive’s office, that you are welcome.”

Bertino-Tarrant said flying the Pride flag was not intended to be controversial and that as the county executive, she is legally responsible for the county building, including its flags.

She also pointed to the County Board’s actions on inclusivity with the formation of a Diversity and Inclusion Committee in 2020. At the board’s last meeting, it also approved a proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month.

Several elected county and state Democratic officials were in attendance for the flag raising.

Jes McIlvain, the chair of the Will County Pride Coalition, said she felt it was important for county and other local governments to recognize its LGBTQ residents. She added such a move was needed as a slew of new state laws have been passed in the U.S. targeting LGBTQ people, especially transgender individuals.

“It makes you feel safer,” McIlvain said. “It makes you know that there are people in positions of power who respect you and affirm you and are going to take that hard stance, that they’re not going to waive on their position of your existence.”