One Flag, Many Ideologies: Where Does the Average Citizen Stand?

A new video circulating on TikTok has gone viral in a matter of hours—not for its creativity, but for what many Americans see as an ideological overreach bordering on indoctrination. In it, an LGBTQ+ activist enthusiastically explains the latest “evolution” of the Pride flag. Far from being just a symbol of diversity, this new version has become a mishmash of identities, colors, and meanings, prompting serious concerns among parents, educators, and citizens alike: How far will this agenda go?

With carefully crafted phrases like “the original six colors of the rainbow to represent people of color,” and the addition of symbols such as “feathers” to represent so-called indigenous “Two-Spirit” individuals, the video reflects a new wave of ideological expansion into spaces where neutrality should be the standard: schools, public institutions, and media platforms.

This isn’t new. Over the years, various iterations of the flag have added stripes, colors, and now even triangles and circles. However, this latest redesign—which includes a yellow triangle with a purple circle for intersex individuals and two feathers representing the merging of male and female identities in indigenous worldviews—has been described by critics as “the new totem of the secular religion of identity.”

Diversity or Confusion? Experts and Parents Weigh In
For many parents, this constant symbolic transformation has stopped being a tool for visibility and turned into a form of imposition. Jennifer Carlson, a mother of two in a public school in Iowa, voiced her frustration: “My kids don’t even understand what each color or symbol means anymore. It used to be about respect, but now it’s like a competition to see who can add more things to a flag that doesn’t represent everyone—just the loudest few on social media.”

Dr. Steven Aldridge, a sociologist and cultural politics expert at Hillsdale College, noted, “The problem isn’t inclusion per se, it’s how this narrative displaces and silences other voices. The average citizen—who may not identify with any of these categories—starts feeling like their identity not only doesn’t matter, but is guilty by omission.”

Conservatives have long warned that the LGBTQ+ movement has evolved from a civil rights cause—once supported across party lines—into a cultural machine aiming to dictate how Americans should think, speak, and even feel.

Trump and the Defense of Common Sense
President Donald Trump, now once again leading the country, has been a constant voice against what he calls “radical indoctrination in schools” and “the erosion of traditional values.” His administration has advocated for removing ideological content from school curricula, protecting the free speech of those who dissent from progressive narratives, and defending the family structure as the cornerstone of society.

During his 2024 campaign, Trump told a crowd in Georgia, “We’re not going to let a handful of confused activists dictate how we educate our kids. We’re going back to basics: reading, writing, arithmetic… not manufactured gender identities.”

This new LGBTQ+ flag seems to confirm what millions of voters feared: the ideology isn’t stopping, and each new added symbol is further proof that the goal isn’t just to be seen—it’s to dominate.

Symbolic Imposition in Public Spaces
The use of this flag—already adopted by some school districts, museums, and even government agencies—raises legitimate concerns about the use of public resources to promote a worldview not shared by all. Why is a flag that represents a specific ideological group being flown in schools attended by children from families with traditional religious values? Why are public employees being forced to attend “sensitivity trainings” to learn what every stripe and feather means?

The American flag—symbol of unity, freedom, and sovereignty—is increasingly being replaced by flags that divide, fragment, and label. As Republican Senator Tom Cotton recently said in an interview, “This new flag doesn’t aim to represent—it aims to replace. To replace the American identity with a mosaic of micro-identities imposed from the top down.”

Silencing Dissent and the Role of the Media
It’s impossible to ignore the role progressive media have played in promoting these narratives. CNN, The New York Times, and other liberal outlets have praised the new flag as “a sign of progress.” Yet they rarely mention how these so-called signs of progress exclude those who simply want to live their lives without adopting a label.

Worse still, many users who criticized the video on social media were censored, labeled “intolerant,” or even suspended. It’s a disturbing trend: freedom of speech, enshrined in the First Amendment, seems only to apply to those aligned with gender ideology.

It’s Not Just a Flag.
What began as a legitimate symbol of civil rights has become a tool of division and imposition. The newest version of the LGBTQ+ flag reflects not only an increasingly complex ideology but also a clear intent: to reshape American culture from its symbols to its institutions.

At a time when the nation needs unity, hard work, and common sense, gestures like these only generate polarization. The Trump administration has made it clear it will not yield to those seeking to rewrite reality under layers of colors and labels.

And so, the question that remains for every citizen is simple: How much longer will we allow a few to redesign a country that belongs to all?