For the second year in a row, an Idaho radio station is flipping some anti-LGBTQ listeners the bird over its Pride Month logo.
On June 1, classic rock station 96.9 The Eagle KKGL replaced their usual logo on Facebook with an LGBTQ Pride-themed version featuring a Progress Pride flag overlaid with their signature bald eagle.
Related: Baseball players remove Pride logos from uniforms because “we believe in Jesus”
Plenty of fans cheered the Pride post. But within days, the station’s Facebook account was also inundated with hateful messages. In response, KKGL announced they would keep the queer version of their logo up through the month of July.
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“Week 1 & you just bought yourself another month of keeping the flag up,” the station wrote in a June 3 post along with screenshots of the anti-gay messages and memes it had received.
“I will not support any business that is in favor of unholy acts!” one listener wrote. “Being gay or supporting it is the devil work [sic]!”
“I reported this sin. You have no right to be gay. God didn’t give you that right,” wrote another.
“Read the bible,” another said.
“Oh so woke,” read another comment.
“Flag stays up for another month, deal with it,” the station wrote in a July 1 post. “If we lose fans that’s fine. If we keep getting harassed, then it will go another month. Plus, Freddie Mercury rules.”
This isn’t the first time The Eagle, which is owned by Cumulus Media, has extended Pride Month in the face of bigotry. As many fans on Facebook pointed out, last year’s Pride logo was met with so many hateful comments, the station kept it up through August.
Fans even greeted this year’s Pride logo with gleeful anticipation of the unhinged comments to come, and The Eagle’s characteristically cavalier responses.
“I can’t wait to see your replies to the haters like last year, I live for it,” one fan commented.
“Has it been a year already? My how time flys by,” wrote another. “Imma go get some popcorn, y’all start rounding up the sensitive heteros, I’ll get some burn ointment for the comment section tomorrow.”
“Literally the reason I followed last year,” read another comment. “Can’t wait for the bigots to get up in arms again, it’s hilarious!”
True to their word, KKGL seems ready to keep the Pride logo up as long as the hate keeps pouring in. On Wednesday, the station posted more screenshots of messages, including two accusing them of supporting “pediphelia” and abuse. In response, they simply posted: “Looks like you get another month.”
