Jun 11, 2025
Radical stickers seen around Boise, Idaho
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Radical stickers seen around Boise, Idaho
Delicious compliance.
Last year, just to be jerks, the Lege passed a bill aimed at forcing the city of Boise to stop flying the Pride flag outside City Hall, where it has flown for a decade, just a few blocks down the street from the state Capitol.
The 2025 law forbade any flags on public property other than the flags for US America, Idaho, cities and tribes, military services, and a few other official flags of “a governmental entity.” The bill’s Republican sponsor insisted that this wasn’t culture war, heavens no, it was about promoting unity, and America, and “stuff that we can all agree on.”
The Boise City Council promptly turned right around and passed a resolution adopting the Pride flag as one of three official City of Boise flags, and ran the rainbow colors up the flagpole again. Hooray!
Unwilling to accept such rampant disrespect to their edict, Republicans in the Lege this year passed a whole new flag law, this one adding a new rule saying that only official city or county flags “designated prior to 2023” will be allowed.
[...]
Just to be a real prick about it, Gov. Brad Little signed the bill on March 31, the Trans Day of Visibility. Little also signed another far worse bill criminalizing trans people who use bathrooms or locker rooms that match their gender identity, not only in schools and public buildings, but also in “public accommodations,” like private businesses. First offense is a misdemeanor, with up to a year in prison, and a second offense would be a felony, with up to five years in prison. The Idaho affiliate of Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates called it “the most extreme anti-transgender bathroom ban in the nation.”
In response to the two new laws, Boise Mayor Lauren McLean ordered the Pride flag lowered outside City Hall, but also presided over a special session of the City Council to honor the Trans Day of Visibility. Choking back tears, McLean said to the Council and an audience of about 60 Boiseans, “Many people in this state and around this country are seeking to divide us. They’re seeking to divide us by targeting the most vulnerable among us. I want the people in this room to know that I see you. We see you. You are wanted, important, and unique members of our community.”
That night, City Hall was lit in the colors of the transgender flag.
Council voted 5-1 to approve a resolution designating the Boise City Flag, the Pride flag and the white organ donor flag as official city fl
The Boise City Hall has been flying the Pride flag continuously for ten years.
This year, the Idaho state legislature took aim at the practice by passing House Bill 96, which states that local governments and schools can only display "official" flags.
Refusing to back down, the Boise City Council has now adopted the pride flag, along with the organ donor flag, as official flags of the city of Boise.
(Also to note, when first asked to remove the flag, Boise Mayor McLean responded with a strongly-worded letter, which is also worth a read! If anyone has a link that's not Twitter, I welcome it.)
Geothermal heat can warm whole downtowns. Boise, Idaho runs the largest municipally operated geothermal network in the U.S., sending ~177°F natural hot water through 20+ miles of pipes to heat over six million square feet of buildings; the system even melts snow on sidewalks.
E Warm Springs Avenue, Boise, Idaho.
Boise Cascade Leisure Lodge 1971. - source Bring a Trailer.
Some photos from this years Boise Pride Parade 🏳️🌈
Who's excited about my big fall book tour? I'm heading out I-70 on my fall trip to the Missouri Ozarks, and I'll be holding book signing events at bookstores, libraries, and other venues along the way (and one in Anacortes, WA, once I'm back home in the PNW.) I'd love the chance to meet more folks while I'm on the road, and chat with you about why being an everyday naturalist is so great! It'll be a great opportunity to pick up a signed copy of The Everyday Naturalist, and support local bookstores, too.
You can find more information at http://theeverydaynaturalist.com/2025-book-tour/ - I've also put the dates and locations under this convenient cut: