Mike Pence‘s new D.C. neighbors are giving the notoriously anti-gay president-elect a warm yet subtle welcome, by hanging gay pride flags outside their homes.
According to POLITICO, several houses on Pence’s block in the D.C. neighborhood of Chevy Chase have put up rainbow flags since he moved in. Pence is reportedly living in the neighborhood temporarily until he is sworn in as vice president. After that, he’ll move into the official vice presidential residence on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory.
Pence has a history of advocating positions opposed by the gay community, both nationally and in his home state. As a congressman in 2006, he supported a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union between a man and a woman, saying in a speech that gay marriage would bring about “societal collapse.” He also opposed the repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that prohibited service members from serving openly as gay.
Speaking to local news affiliate WJLA, Ilse Heintzen, one of Pence’s temporary neighbors, said her decision to hang a pride flag was a “respectful message showing, in my case, my disagreement with some of his thinking.”
According to WJLA’s report, there are about six pride flags hanging on the block with more expected to go up in the coming days.
“I have no idea what he will think about, but I hope he will change his mind,” Heintzen said. “This is one way that I can show my disagreement.”
Watch CNN‘s report on the story in the video below:
Featured image via YouTube
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