The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach held a Zoom event on May 20th titled, “Pride Lifeguard Tower Input Session,” to discuss the construction of a new pride lifeguard tower to replace the one that burned in March.
In the Zoom event, all LGBTQ members had a say in which flag was going to be painted on the replacement pride tower, which is going to be rebuilt sometime this month of May 2021.
The pride lifeguard tower represents the LGBTQ community and reminds the city of the solidarity it has with the community.
Jenn, an attendee of the meeting and a new resident in Long beach said, “Biking by that always makes you feel happy and supported, and full of pride, I want everyone in our community to feel that. I think that’s a great way to represent all of us.”
There were brief discussions on which flag should be painted, be it sexual orientation or gender.
Ish Salamanca, director of the LGBTQ Center of Long Beach Health Services said, “We’re getting feedback on Instagram. We’re having a lot of requests for the trans flag, and the non-binary colors to be added.” He later mentioned the A-sexual flag.
“I would like to see the newest design of the pride flag, the Philadelphia flag represented because it has both a traditional pride flag as well as in cooperating the black stripes, and brown stripes. As well as the trans pride flag,” Jen also mentioned.
Salamanca added, “We also have people just looking for the traditional, bringing back what we had before. Keeping the six colors, in that order.”
When the answer is official on which flags will be painted, the center will send photos to the city staff, to let them know of which flag.
Later during the Zoom meeting, attendees contributed ideas of what the design of the lifeguard tower should be.
Cindy Allen, councilwoman of the second district of Long Beach said, “I think about not only the paint, you know we could possibly think about attaching things to the tower. Also a plaque or memorial on the side.”
In terms of adding an object like a flag, for example, the LGBTQ center will ask the city beforehand what’s possible and what’s not for safety precautions.
If the city says yes to hanging flags on the lifeguard tower, the LGBTQ center will be open to changing the flags monthly and for holidays.
While the decision is still being made, the center doesn’t want visitors to climb up the lifeguard tower for photos in case of injuries, and the possibility of damaging the tower.
The Zoom event was interrupted a couple of times by people who joined with bad ill intentions.
The first incident occurred when an individual was shaking their butt in front of the camera while other participants were sharing their input on the replacement lifeguard tower.
The second incident occurred when two attendees interrupted the Zoom meeting with an eight second audio that said explicit terms such as, “the N-word.” The host of the event then rushed to kick them out of the Zoom event.
This unfortunately left the Zoom event to end early from an awkward and uncomfortable silence.
If any member of the LGBTQ community wants to voice their input on which flag to paint the replacement pride lifeguard tower, you’re welcome to comment on one of the Instagram posts made by the LGBTQ Center.
The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach can also be messaged through their email, infocenter@lb.org, where feedback will be acknowledged and considered.