When a homeowners’ association warned a gay couple not to fly their Pride flag from their porch, they simply went bigger and better.
Memo Fachino and his husband Lance Mier were told last month that they were no longer allowed to display the rainbow flag outside their Wisconsin home, despite it flying there since 2016.
“Due to some neighbours flying BLM flags, Thin Blue Line flags, and other opinion flags, our HOA decided last month that we’re only allowed to fly the USA flag, and nothing else,” Fachino said in a now-viral Reddit post.
The day after the decision was made a neighbour reported the couple for violating the rules. But with Pride month around the corner, they were reluctant to take the flag down.
“We believe it’s important to express ourselves, and to have visible representation,” Fachino said.
They decided to think outside the box and soon found a clever workaround that allowed them to abide by the rules while supporting Pride.
“Looking through our new rules, we noticed that removable lights are permitted without restriction so… we bought six coloured flood lights, and we washed our house in Pride colours,” he said.
The result was incredible. “A little less subtle than our simple flag,” Fachino admitted, but “a lot more fun for anyone complaining about the flag itself and what it represents.”
A photo of the glowing rainbow house was posted to the “Malicious Compliance,” subreddit, which celebrates people “conforming to the letter, but not the spirit, of a request”.
Within 48 hours it had gone viral with more than 80,000 upvotes and hundreds of Reddit awards.
But just in case it causes any bad blood in the neighbourhood, Fachino was keen to clarify that they didn’t take the HOA rule personally.
“We’re not trying to stick it to anyone,” he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We don’t feel targeted or attacked in our community. It was just a fun way for us to show our individuality and support in a way that didn’t break any HOA rules.”
