Rockefeller Center is celebrating Pride Month with a display of rainbow flags to show it is “an inclusive and diverse space for all.” But an Instagram post uses an image of Pride flags at Rockefeller Center while falsely claiming it shows the “United Nations replaces all 193 country flags with LGBT flags.” The U.N. never changes its flag display, a spokesperson said.
Many companies and institutions observe Pride Month each June to show support for the LGBTQ+ community. This year, the rainbow displays and expressions of inclusivity have met with backlash from some conservatives.
Target, for example, removed merchandise from its “Pride Collection” following protests and threats from some customers, citing concern for employee safety. Even the popular Cracker Barrel restaurant chain faced a boycott for acknowledging Pride Month.
Social media posts have fanned the flames by spreading misinformation about support for Pride Month. As we wrote, an artist’s animated video showing a rainbow appearing to encircle the Arc de Triomphe in Paris was making the rounds with the false claim that the rainbow was physically attached to the historic monument and “defaced” it.
A June 8 Instagram post misrepresents a different Pride Month display. The text on the post says, “The United Nations replaces all 193 country flags with LGBT flags.” It received more than 115,000 likes.
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