[note] Gay Pride Month

It's gay pride month here in Michigan (maybe even around the world, but I wouldn't know because I'm not on the right mailing lists), and this flag is one of the only two public displays I've seen. The other, which I'll get a picture of later, is a street-corner utility box painted rainbow with a small white note on each face, politely asking people not to post flyers on it because it is art.

My own feelings on public art aside (or at least parenthetical: I think public art should engage public interaction, and putting signs limiting such response is lame), I give kudos to the one person in Ann Arbor who decided to privately celebrate Gay Pride Month in a publicly visible way.

I'm sad to report that the salon below his window and his landlord do not share my support.

Yesterday I got a knock on my door from someone who works at the "New Age" Salon, a hair salon whose clients are predominately Asian. The woman told me that her customers were complaining about the flag despite her telling them that it was from my apartment. She asked if I would remove the flag. I left it up. The rainbow flag is supposed to be representative of diversity which I thought the Asian people who frequent the New Age Salon would appreciate. But as we know it is usually minorities who are most critical or other minorities so this is not all that surprising.

Today I received an email from my landlord telling me that I had violated a clause on my lease which states that "advertisements, banners,or signs; including political endorsements, are prohibited from being displayed such that they are visible from the exterior of the premises."

I replied to the email telling them that I will remove the flag but I am particularly drawn to this part in the lease, "Some things your landlord writes in the lease or says to you may not be correct representations of you rights ... If you think that a clause in your lease or something your landlord says to you is unfair, you may contact your lawyer."

(link to grooveadam's post)

He's contacted the university's legal services.

Around the corner is the Ann Arbor-infamous NYPD Pizza, a common stopping point for many (especially the queer boys on Friday night) between the bars and home, that found itself under attack first from queers for homophobic statements allegedly made by an employee, and then from one uber-religious guy (link to copy of his letter) for putting up a rainbow sticker to apologize.

What is it about this corner? It's like the Gettysburg of gay rights.