Rainbow gay zeichen
How Did the Rainbow Flag Become an LGBTQ+ Symbol?
It’s not uncommon to observe rainbow flags flying outside of homes and bars, pinned to shirts and on the endorse of bumpers—all with the proclamation that #LoveIsLove. But who created the rainbow flag, and why did it change into a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community?
The rainbow flag was created in by artist, designer, Vietnam War veteran and then-drag performer, Gilbert Baker. He was commissioned to build a flag by another gay legend, politician Harvey Milk, for San Francisco’s annual pride parade.
The decision to enlist Baker proved serendipitous, as the concept of a flag to represent the gay and female homosexual community had occurred to him two years earlier. As Baker told the Museum of Up-to-date Art during a interview, he had been inspired by the celebrations marking America’s bicentennial in , noting that the constant show of stars and stripes made him realize the cultural need for a similar rallying subscribe for the same-sex attracted community. And as a struggling queenly performer who was accustomed to creating his own garments, he was well-equipped to sew the soon-
Here’s What the Different LGBTQIA+ Flags Represent
LGBTQIA+
When we reflect of Pride Month, the first image that typically comes to mind is the classic rainbow flag. However, many people don’t realize that along with the Rainbow Pride Flag, there are an array of different identifiers that represent the diverse gay community. While many in the LGBTQIA+ community spot with the all-encompassing rainbow flag, each group has its own flag to represent its unique contributions and stories within the community. Here’s a rundown of the different flags and what they represent.
The Gilbert Baker Pride Flag
The original rainbow pride flag was designed by Gilbert Baker in at the request of Harvey Milk, the first openly queer elected official in California. Gilbert chose the rainbow as it represents a symbol of hope.
Original flag colors and meaning:
Pink: sex; Red: life; Orange: healing; Yellow: sunlight; Green: nature; Turquoise: magic; Blue: harmony; Violet: spirit.
Rainbow Pride Flag
This is the iteration of the Pride Flag that we all know today, use
How the Rainbow Became a Symbol for Pride – and Why it Matters
Every June, the LGBTQ+ community and allies celebrate Pride Month, and, in recent years, we contain seen a substantial increase in companies showing their support by incorporating the rainbow flag as part of their logos and/or products. To those outside of the community this seems prefer a wonderful way to distinguish Pride Month — but many in the LGBTQ+ community touch otherwise. The term “rainbow washing” has become the new label for the seemingly instantaneous and universal change from company colors to rainbow colors on June 1. Rainbow washing is viewed as a performative act of support, rather than as a meaningful or intentional expression of support.
I’d like to accept a moment to explain what the colors on the Celebration flag mean and share a brief history on the evolution of the flag — from where it started to how it is presented today.
A symbol of and for pride
It is common knowledge that the rainbow flag is a symbol of LGBTQ+ Pride. However, it is less commonly known that the colors
In , in response to a slew of racist incidents in the Gayborhood, Philadelphia added black and brown stripes to the traditional six-color LGBT rainbow flag. The backlash was severe. Many rejected the alteration of such a supposedly sacred symbol. Apart from failing to notice the intersectional interests of queer and trans people of color, critics invoked the rainbow flag as something constant and abiding. You can’t just convert it . . . can you? Well, it turns out that the rainbow as a symbol has appeared in many places and in many forms over the past century.
Where did the so-called “pride” flag come from anyway? I went on a research journey to find out, exploring works of fiction, newspaper articles, autobiographies, political parties, rock bands, a certain Technicolor movie, and more. Here are the highlights of what I learned about this colorful, often-changing symbol.
The origin myth
Queer iconography once included pink and ebony triangles—re-appropriated by the LGBT community after the Nazis used them to label gay men and lesbians in concentration camps—and the labrys