A gay couple in the Queen Creek suburb of Phoenix, Arizona has been fighting against homophobic residents vandalizing their Pride flag for weeks. Instead of helping protect them, their homeowner’s association is now ordering that they take it down entirely.
Last December, realtor couple Jared and Tim Deluca put up a rainbow version of the U.S. flag in their own backyard. The yard faces a relatively busy street, and the couple had hoped their flag would serve to make other like-minded community members feel safer in their conservative area.
The couple posted their flag on TikTok to Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” with a cute nodded to being “the problem” to their conservative area:
@jdeluca.realtor Flying a different kind of flag in Queen Creek. For everyone who has felt like they can’t. Let your colors fly! 🏳️🌈 #queencreekaz #lgbt #pride #hometown #riseup #fyp #representationmatters ♬ Anti-Hero (Edit) – Taylor Swift
Their flag received plenty of support from fellow users, especially those familiar with the area.
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“As someone whose relatives live in San Tan and who has spent years in and out of the area – I LOVE THIS SO MUCH,” one commenter wrote. Another wrote, “You go and fly that flag!!! QC loves you.”
Related: Man ordered to take down rainbow lights by HOA won’t be dulling his shine any time soon
As lauded as they were on their page, it was only a couple of weeks before the less tolerant attitudes in their community caught up to them in a big way.
On December 27, the couple found their flag slashed:
@jdeluca.realtor UPDATE: Now we’ve been attacked. #update #hatecrime #lgbt #fyp #viral #queencreekaz #pride #riseup #bethechange #arizonatok #homophobia #wewontbesilenced #youcantstopus ♬ original sound – Jared Deluca | Realtor®
The couple explain that they heard a ripping sound and saw a red truck idling near the entrance to their community, though they didn’t find the perpetrator.
“You can come to our house and try to destroy our property all you want,” Jared says, “But any of you ignorant a**holes in this small-minded, backwards, [bigoted], racist, homophobic, old school-mentality town: you will not quiet us. You will not silence us.”
“And you will not win,” Tim adds.
This was the beginning of a back and forth between the Delucas and their local homophobes, with the couple replacing and bringing their flag back stronger every time it was vandalized.
Related: This litigious Florida father is taking a school district to court because his son saw a Pride flag
Though they’ve found support online from folks both in their area and across the globe, it seems their immediate neighbors won’t be showing their support anytime soon.
This week, they received a letter from their homeowner’s association demanding that they remove the offending flag or else:
@jdeluca.realtor UPDATE: Our HOA is trying to force us to take down our pride flag… What do you think? 🤔🏳️🌈🙄 #fyp #lgbt #prideflag #queencreekaz #community #violation #cantstopwontstop #riseup #speakup #censorship #arizona #bethechange #question #whatdoyouthink ♬ original sound – Jared Deluca | Realtor®
“Our HOA is saying that we must immediately remove our flag — by the way, not gonna happen,” Jared says.
“Try to make me take it down. I will put up a larger pole with a bigger flag and I will fly it so that everyone coming down our street can see it.”
Jared told local news that he intends to see this fight through no matter what.
“I’ve been asked over the past month, ‘Is it worth it?’,” he recalls. “‘If something were to happen to you and your husband, is it worth it?’”
To this, he firmly responds, “It is.”
Chrisk
Fu*k their HOA. Go ahead and try something fools.
Not only that but electrify the pole. That and get some security camera’s around your place.
rand503
Or just grease it with vaseline, and put some stinky cheese in it, like Limburger. They won’t touch it again.
abfab
NO! The cheese and lube might attract more of these maggots.
Fname Optional Lname
Exactly. technology exists – use it! Funny how the HOA doesn’t seem a bit concerned that a crime has been committed. Baffled that people agree to this kind of punishment by moving into places with HOA’s
charette8596
What the hell is wrong with people??? Leave these guys alone and let them live their lives.
abfab
Gay men/couples who move into hoods like these, please take note. Life is short. HOAs are not the place to let your freak flag fly. You knew that when you signed the docs. Too much beurocracy on top of beurocracy. It’s exhausting.
Knock yourselves out dudes, but don’t waste too much time. Life is short. I know we have points to prove. I applaud you and love you.
Move on and find a hood that would love to have you.
still_onthemark
You’d think a place called Queen Creek would love to have them!
TruthBeKnown
@abfab That’s pretty short-sighted. If we gays had followed such advice, we’d all still be living only in gay ghettos in San Francisco, LA and NYC. Thank goodness we queers have pushed out and now live everywhere in this nation, pushing back on bigotry and prejudice. These two men are following in the footsteps of our brave gay forerunners. The fight they take on today means fewer fights tomorrow’s gays will have to face.
abfab
Hello Truth.
I love gay ghettos. ”Pushing out” to live in redneck right wing hillbilly counties with more uptight rules and regulations sounds like a drag. Let’s be real. Go there. Report back. Good luck.
And…pick your battles wisely. Some you will win, yes. But the monthly meetings at your Gated Community Club House to get a few silly rules changed, have yourself a ball.
And can we have an entire THREAD devoted to FLAGS? The need for them. I mean really. Wave that flag! Americans do love their flags. Sad.
TruthBeKnown
@abfab I’m glad our gay forerunners had more bravery and foresight than you seem to have. Their fights won you the rights & privileges you take for granted today. They are the ones to be remembered and honored.
abfab
How dare you! I do not take my rights for granted. First I’m short sighted and then I take my privileges and rights for granted? You’ve got a lot of nerve. We’re past flags. Defend the HOA all you want. Be a Stepford Wife.
TruthBeKnown
@abfab Excuse me, but are you having a stroke? Are you so confused you don’t know what you’re saying? I’ve literally said we have to push back & fight the bigotry & prejudice in society and in the HOA, and you accuse me of SUPPORTING the HOA and being a Stepford wife? See a medical professional immediately: you’re brain isn’t right. We’re done here: I cannot have a discussion with someone so mentally handicapped.
abfab
Well, I’m not done but I will take your word as Truth that you are.
I’m sorry. This sentence was not meant for you, I know you don’t support the HOAs. I don’t either. It was my mistake for including that when I pounced on you.
But please, save the mentally handicapped remarks and the need for therapy or getting back on your meds blah blah blah. That retort is old and lame and does not apply.
abfab
Truth dear,
If and when you come to know and love someone who has had a STROKE, you will no longer throw that word around so flippantly. By then, and I hope you never have to experience someone who has suffered a STROKE and survived, you will have broadened your vocabulary and your debating skills. Hopefully.
abfab
May I ask what your monthly dues are that you agreed to to live in this hell hole?
v6origal97
My neighborhood explicitly bans all signs and any flag other than the US flag. They may have inadvertently agreed to a particular policy when they moved into the neighborhood. Hopefully, that’s not the case. I hope they triumph. HOAs can be so petty.
seadrian
The Supreme Court ruled that HOAs can’t ban anything protected by the First Amendment, including political signs and gay pride flags. Either their HOA is ignorant of their power or they’re just trying to bully these guys.
TruthBeKnown
@seadrian You are incorrect. With the sole exception of the Stars & Stripes, Federal Law allows an HOA to ban any other flag unless a state law prohibits otherwise. Some states prevent HOAs from banning certain other types of flags, such as Native American flags, state flags, or official U.S. military flags. Arizona state of course has no protections for a Gay Pride flag.
abfab
And don’t you even DARE try to paint your house purple or lavendar or pink or tutti fruttie or ROYGBIV!
And I dare you new queens to hang your panties on a clothes line or plant tomtoes in your front gardens. You think they stop with FLAGS?
And try starting a poppy field or a prarie landscape! They will call The National Guard.
Get real, men.
Neoprene
HOA rules are often very restrictive. I own a rental condo and my tenants are Canadian. They put up a Canadian flag a few days before Canada Day (July 1) a year ago and within 24 hours they got “the letter” and I got it sent in an email.
When I finally read the condo rules about flags it said standard U.S. flags only within a window of time for Memorial Day, July 4th, Veterans Day and one other that I can’t remember, maybe Presidents day.
I don’t think this guy stated what the rules for his neighborhood were in his video. He won’t win if he violated the rules. HOA nazis are ruthless.
DCFarmboy
“HOA nazis are ruthless.”
I’m sure there are some examples, but having served on a HOA board, I disagree. I had a total open door policy and was willing to talk to any member about any issue of concern. And I encouraged them to attend the monthly meetings which included a time for homeowner input. I always listened respectfully and would move to eliminate restrictive rules that most homeowners no longer wanted.
What pissed me off was people who violated the rules but never spoke to any board member or attended a meeting. They were quick to litigate and quick to criticize.
kthcst
i just cant understand why people just cant MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS…..we live in a thickly settled neighborhood, and we dont care WHAT are neighbors do or post in or around their yard….as long as it doesnt interfere with anyone elses property… WE ARE ALL WITH YOU GUYS….DONT STOP FIGHTING
DCFarmboy
Yes, but they knowingly bought a home in a HOA that does have rules. You want your freedom? Don’t buy in a HOA.
I’ve served on my HOA board and I will tell you the rule breakers are also those who most often call out others for rule breaking.
mastik8
HOAs. Oy. I agree with them in spirit and believe that the policy is misguided but they didn’t have to buy there and when they bought there they had to agree to the existing rules. Read the fine print before buying in an HOA.
DCFarmboy
I’m getting tired of these clickbait stories. Every few months its either the Pride flag to outrage the left or the USMC flag to outrage the right.
Here is the deal — you paid extra to live in your precious elitist gated community with its HOA. Follow the rules you agreed to that say no flags. Don’t get hissy and all social justice warrior. You are not Rosa Parks, you are a jerk.
If you think a HOA policy is misguided, go to the monthly meeting and make you case. If that doesn’t work, elect new people to the board who agree with you.
Bromancer7
Or, here’s an idea, stop letting peanut-brained jackasses running HOAs control what you can and can’t do with the property you own.
The problem with every post you’ve made here is the idea that people that run HOAs are open to changing the rules or can be reasoned with. They aren’t and can’t. Or that they can easily be voted out. Also can’t. HOAs are nothing other than grown up versions of Mean Girls — small ignorant people who think they’re hot shit hell bent on making everyone they don’t like miserable. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
still_onthemark
@Bromancer: I sympathize, but Queerty describes them as a “realtor couple.” If they both work in real estate they probably know how to shake up an HOA or even get elected to it.
On the other hand, any realtor who’s dumb enough to buy into an HOA place… that’s pretty dumb.
Rocinante
We’ll I guess I’d have a motion camera around it; I’d cover it in hidden treble fishing hooks attached to 100 pound braid tied to the pole. Then I might hit ‘em with a few rounds of birdshot; hopefully killing them.
GentlemanCaller
Unpopular opinion: If you voluntarily go buy a home in a community with an HOA, you are per se bound by the rules of that HOA. You may not like the rules, but you don’t get to ignore the rules, no matter how righteous your cause may be. If the HOA here has a no-flags rule, or a US-flag-only rule (both of which are common HOA rules), then that includes Pride flags, trump flags, and Dallas Cowboys flags alike. Want to do what you want with your property and fly any flag your heart desires? Don’t live in an HOA. I live in an HOA-ed community, and we deal with nonsense like this all the time: people who think the rules that are designed to create the look and atmosphere that attracted them to the community and keep their home values higher apply to other people, not to them. Just stop it. Or move.
dbmcvey
No. You have every right to fight it.
Rikki Roze
Right on jared and Tim. You are so brave. Thank you for standing up to the bigots in Phoenix. So many people in Arizona need to be re-educated. Sue the HOA if necessary. You’ll get a lot of support both legal and financial.
James
I suppport the gay flag.
abfab
I miss the days when all we had was the little Lambda bumpersticker.
JRamonMc
Since these right wing nut jobs want open carry so badly, get yourself a gun for protection and show them your not afraid to use it.
Fahd
More power to them; I think a lot of people would be intimidated. And HOAs are a scourge, especially if they’ve got the wrong people in leadership positions (usual case).
There should be a gay equivalent of the JDL to “help out” in a case like this.
Terrycloth
Never know how low they will go. .HOA can deny what happens..it coukd be relentless..broken house windows…come home to who knows what…why not move sell the place ask around you’ll find a gay friendly neighborhood and leave this stepford village behind you