The transgender pride flag on the lawn of the United Parish in Brookline was burned and destroyed on August 25. Local police are investigating the incident as a hate crime.

Senior Pastor Kent French stated that the flag was found damaged at United Parish, near Coolidge Corner, on a building’s front lawn. 

Representatives of the church posted on Facebook that they are determined to overcome the attack, saying it will not dissuade them from displaying inclusive imagery in the future. “The hate and violence shown on our lawn has no place in the kind of world that Jesus imagined and God created. No act of vandalism will deter us from expressing Christ’s love as fully as possible in order to overcome this kind of hatred,” the church said. 

French, during an interview with the Globe, discussed that he was not aware of any act of vandalism like this at the church before.

“We at the United Parish in Brookline believe that all people are made in the image of God and embrace and cherish every person and every kind of family,” the church said. 

He and the entire church community are extremely upset at this act of vandalism and hate.  

The “Transgender Pride Flag” is used as a symbol of transgender pride, diversity and rights. Transgender people have a gender identity or gender expression that differs from the sex that they were assigned at birth.   

Protraying transgender people in mass media helps reflect societal attitudes about transgender identity. Transgender representation in media is vital in order to give visibility to the transgender community.   

Coming out and representing their identity can be difficult for some. Coming out is a process of understanding, accepting, and valuing your sexual orientation and overall identity. It involves both exploring your identity and sharing your identity with others. 

Coming out can be a gradual process or one that is very sudden. 

Often, the first step usually involves coming out to yourself, then a realization the feelings you’ve had for some time make sense if you can define them as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer.Finding the right environment so people can be themselves is very important. 

Although coming out can be difficult, it can also be a very liberating and freeing process. You may feel like you can finally be authentic and true to who you are. 

You may perhaps find a whole community of people like you and feel supported and inspired. Even if it is scary to think about coming out to others, sometimes the reward can be worth the challenge. 

The importance is that It might seem like not a big deal for some, but for many it means way more than just that. Some may feel afraid and not be able to come out and be truly themselves. 

The idea of not being accepted is saddening for many, which is why it is important to represent and show these identities and recognize each other’s beliefs.  

Overall, the church in Brookline plans to represent community acceptance. Since the flag was burned, it has stirred conversation amongst members of the greater Brookline community.