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Officials apologized for not properly vetting the hate group’s request for a commemorative flag.
Colorado officials, including the state’s Democratic governor, Jared Polis, who is gay, are countering a claim by Gays Against Groomers, an extremist group, that Polis supports their mission.
The group, known for spreading harmful disinformation about the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender people, falsely claimed on social media that the governor had publicly recognized their work to “protect children” from the so-called “grooming” they accuse LGBTQ+ people of perpetrating.
On Monday evening, Gays Against Groomers posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Gays Against Groomers would like to thank Colorado Governor @jaredpolis for his public recognition for our hard work in protecting children across the state. It means so much to us. We are just getting started!”
Accompanying the post was an image of what appeared to be an official state document bearing the Colorado seal and claiming that Polis had flown a flag over the Capitol in their honor. The document read, “This accompanying Colorado State Flag was flown at the Colorado State Capitol Building on October 1st, 2024, by authorization of Governor Jared Polis in honor of Gays Against Groomers. The people of Colorado present this flag to Gays Against Groomers with thanks and recognition for all their work to protect children.”
Jaimee Michell, the group’s founder, further amplified the false claim by writing, “So amazing. And Governor Polis is a Democrat, no less! To everyone who says we are far right, you are sorely mistaken. Protecting children is not a partisan issue. It is a moral one.”
The claim is entirely false, according to Colorado officials.
The controversy stems from Gays Against Groomers’ use of Colorado’s Ceremonial Flag program. This program allows individuals and organizations to request that flags be flown over the State Capitol. However, the Department of Personnel and Administration, which oversees the program, did not vet the request appropriately.
Within 90 minutes of The Advocate reaching out to the DPA for comment Tuesday morning, the Ceremonial Flag request program webpage was taken down, with a notice saying the form was “temporarily down.”
Shelby Wieman, press secretary for Polis, told The Advocate in a statement: “Hate has no place in Colorado, and Governor Polis denounces hate in all its forms. Governor Polis is striving to build a Colorado For All, where everyone, no matter who you are, who you love, or how you identify, can thrive.” She said that the governor doesn’t endorse any of the groups who request an honorary flag and that he “was not aware of this request, just as he is not involved in the other flag requests that come through the Department of Personnel and Administration.”
Doug Platt, DPA’s communications manager, responded to The Advocate in an email, including a letter from DPA executive director Tony Gherardini, who explained the mistake. The Department of Personnel and Administration charges $26 to $29 for each flag request. Applicants submit a request form and have the opportunity to include a 150-word narrative of their choosing, which is printed on a certificate of authenticity sent with the flag.
“Regrettably, this request was not appropriately vetted by the Department of Personnel & Administration (DPA), and the Governor’s Office was never made aware of this request. Furthermore, the Governor never endorsed this request, cause, or organization, and flying a requested honorific flag at the Capitol does not constitute any formal support from the Governor or his administration.” Platt wrote.
The letter, sent to Colorado General Assembly members, acknowledged the department’s failure to perform sufficient due diligence in processing the request. “We are taking internal steps to ensure that a more thorough vetting occurs going forward,” Gherardini wrote. He also noted that DPA temporarily paused the flag program until the vetting process was strengthened.
“DPA has temporarily halted the flag program and form until changes can be made to the program to keep these instances from happening in the future while ensuring members of the public are able to use the program appropriately,” Platt said.
Gherardini added, “The Department of Personnel & Administration apologizes for this unfortunate misstep and is developing immediate changes to our process to ensure such situations do not happen again.”
LGBTQ+ advocates and organizations denounced the extremist group’s deception. One Colorado, an advocacy organization for LGBTQ+ rights, called the group out in a statement sent to The Advocate.
"One Colorado strongly condemns the deceptive actions of Gays Against Groomers (GAG), who continue to misrepresent themselves as a supportive LGBTQIA+ group. This behavior reveals a profound lack of integrity and undermines the values of honesty and transparency that we uphold," the statement read. "It is crucial to recognize that Gays Against Groomers is an extremist group that seeks to invalidate and erase transgender individuals through harmful tactics. Their statements should not be taken seriously."
One Colorado emphasized that GAG consistently spreads misinformation about gender-expansive people and gender-affirming care, putting youth at risk. "The true threat to children comes from groups that claim to protect them while actively working to dismantle decades of progress achieved by the LGBTQIA+ community," the statement continued.
The organization also highlighted Gov. Polis’s longstanding support for the transgender community, including his issuance of a proclamation for Transgender Day of Visibility in March 2024. “We have reached out to the Governor’s office for clarity on this situation,” One Colorado added.
Gays Against Groomers, founded in 2022, has gained notoriety for promoting dangerous and false reports about the LGBTQ+ community. The group has equated gender-affirming care with pedophilia and repeatedly targeted LGBTQ+ people, including educators, healthcare providers, and drag performers, labeling them “groomers.” Following the 2022 mass shooting at Colorado Springs’ Club Q, Michell claimed such tragedies would continue “until we end this evil agenda” of gender-affirming care.
Both the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center have designated Gays Against Groomers as an extremist group. According to the ADL, GAG spreads “dangerous and misleading narratives” about the LGBTQ+ community and engages in harassment campaigns that fuel real-world violence. The SPLC further notes that GAG’s rhetoric aligns with far-right extremist ideologies and has helped incite violent actions, including attacks on LGBTQ+ spaces and events.
Mardi Moore, executive director of Rocky Mountain Equality, expressed alarm at the group’s actions. In a statement sent to The Advocate, Moore said, “It is dangerous that a hateful organization like Gays Against Groomers was able to game the system to appear credible. The governor’s administration has now released a statement articulating that ‘this request was not appropriately vetted’ and ‘does not constitute any formal support from the governor or his administration.’ This is an opportunity for the governor and all community leaders to denounce Gays Against Groomers and call this organization what it is – a hate group, dangerous to kids and dangerous to the LGBTQ community.”
The Advocate contacted Gays Against Groomers founder Jaimee Michell for comment, but she did not respond.
Christopher Wiggins is a senior national reporter for The Advocate. He has a rich career in storytelling and highlighting underrepresented voices. Growing up in a bilingual household in Germany, his German mother and U.S. Army father exposed him to diverse cultures early on, influencing his appreciation for varied perspectives and communication. His work in Washington, D.C., primarily covers the nexus of public policy, politics, law, and LGBTQ+ issues. Wiggins' reporting focuses on revealing lesser-known stories within the LGBTQ+ community. Key moments in his career include traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris and interviewing her in the West Wing about LGBTQ+ support.
Christopher Wiggins is a senior national reporter for The Advocate. He has a rich career in storytelling and highlighting underrepresented voices. Growing up in a bilingual household in Germany, his German mother and U.S. Army father exposed him to diverse cultures early on, influencing his appreciation for varied perspectives and communication. His work in Washington, D.C., primarily covers the nexus of public policy, politics, law, and LGBTQ+ issues. Wiggins' reporting focuses on revealing lesser-known stories within the LGBTQ+ community. Key moments in his career include traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris and interviewing her in the West Wing about LGBTQ+ support.
