The Museum first displayed local activist Bruce Lang's Pride Flag collection in 2019 to celebrate Pride Month and continued to do so for several years.
This year, we expanded upon that vision by creating and installing a deconstructed Progress Pride Flag made from over 200 individually hand-decorated ribbons and other found materials.
Each ribbon is as unique as the person who decorated it, amplifying unity through individuality and highlighting the diverse perspectives of local queer folks of all ages.
Reimagining the pride flag in this deconstructed manner illustrates the openness, diversity, fluidity, and interconnectivity of the queer community. Just as the fabric bunches, flows, intersects, and overlaps, queerness is fluid — unbound by any particular shape or form.
Simultaneously, subtle nods to disco culture and floral symbolism reflect the historical legacy of queerness. The installation features moments of specificity and ambiguity, as well as individuality and community – resulting in a spectacular structure that proudly takes up space in a place that historically upheld heteronormativity.
We began collecting the ribbons at Pridefest 2024 and continued to do so throughout the year at various outreach events.
We’ll be at Pridefest again this year on Saturday, July 26, 2025 from 4 to 8 p.m. with another interactive activity to collect current sentiments regarding the concept of pride. Plus, Pridefest goers can view the Rotunda Installation! It will be up through the end of July.
Thank you to the countless community members and allies who contributed to this project, especially museum intern AJ Westley and Hope Church and Prairie Pride Coalition members.
In collaboration with these community partners and volunteers, we are also revisiting the McLean County LGBTQ+ Oral History Project to diversify the stories held within the Museum’s Library & Archives. Do you have a story to share? Click here to learn how.
Would you be interested in volunteering to strengthen the LGBTQ+ Oral History Project? Click here to submit a volunteer application.
To learn more about the Progress Pride Flag, please click here.
Questions? Comments? Concerns? Please contact Director of Communications Micaela Harris by clicking here.
