LGBTQ celebrities divided on Stars and Stripes in new documentary 'Reclaim the Flag'

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LGBTQ celebrities gave mixed reactions to the American flag in a trailer for the upcoming documentary “Reclaim the Flag” on Tuesday.

The trailer opened with a voice-over asking interview subjects what the American flag symbolizes to them.

“Depending on how the United States feels about you will depend on how you feel about the flag,” actress and writer Lena Waithe answered.

Others were more cynical, saying the flag represented “trauma” and that they were “not welcome here.”

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Pride flag

Some LGBTQ documentary subjects described the flag as traumatic. (iStock)

“If I’m on Grindr and I see an American flag emoji in somebody’s bio, I think that is a Republican,” content creator Matt Bernstein joked.

The plot description on YouTube said that the American flag had begun to symbolize fear for citizens whose rights were in an “uncertain flux.” 

The 30-minute short will aim to answer whether the flag could be reclaimed and how LGBTQ people can do it.

Despite some concerns that their community is under attack by people who wield the American flag, other documentary subjects were more optimistic about what the flag could mean to the LGBTQ community.

“The American flag is not their flag. We should be proud of the American flag. We’re Americans,” Interview magazine editor-in-chief Mel Ottenberg said.

The documentary will feature approximately 50 LGBTQ community members, ranging from content creators and writers to political figures such as former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. 

It is set to premiere on the documentary’s YouTube channel on July 17.

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crowd waving American flags

The “Reclaim the Flag” documentary will air on YouTube on July 17. (iStock)

In a comment to Variety, designer Alexis Bittar, who helped produce the short, described the significance of the documentary in helping shape a path for LGBTQ people to reclaim the flag again.

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“Over the past decade, the American flag has increasingly become a symbol of division. I wanted to make a documentary about reclaiming it for all Americans — by bringing together 50 leaders from the LGBTQ+ community to share their reflections and hopes,” Bittar said. “Speaking with a historically marginalized group offered a powerful lens for shaping a blueprint toward actionable steps to reclaim the flag.”