A Los Angeles Times article recently dispelled the popular belief that artist Gilbert Baker was solely responsible for the design of the symbol that came next-the rainbow. Queer iconography once included pink and black triangles-re-appropriated by the LGBT community after the Nazis used them to label gay men and lesbians in concentration camps-and the labrys-a double-headed ax associated with the mythological, matriarchal Amazons. Here are the highlights of what I learned about this colorful, often-changing symbol. 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. Miscellaneous objects from the museum’s collection that feature rainbows, including “That’s So Gay!” trivia game, coasters, and flags promoting marriage equality and immigration equality 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. Apart from failing to recognize the intersectional interests of queer and trans people of color, critics invoked the rainbow flag as something constant and abiding. Many rejected the alteration of such a supposedly sacred symbol. That is what the flag stands for,” she says.In 2017, 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. “I want people to accept us the way we are. (Manoj Verma/HT)Īctivist and Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of Kinnar Akhada, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, has a message for the society. Just as seeing a rainbow in the sky gives you joy, the flag also is a symbol of happiness.” Gurgaon’s first pride parade was a celebration of the LGBT identities. It makes people like me feel like part of a larger community. “The LGBT pride flag symbolises hope and a feeling of co-existence. Read: Silence can be violence: LGBTQ student activistsįor LGBT activist Sonal Giani, the flag is a representation of feelings. It represents the diversity and celebrates the differences we all come with.” He says that the journey has been long and “there was not a single defining moment when the flag became the symbol for representation of the LGBT community.” Rafiul Alom Rahman, LGBT activist and founder of DU Queer Collective, says, “Just like the rainbow is a spectrum of colours, our flag is a spectrum of all sexualities. Read: Rainbow of hope: Will India vote for an LGBT resolution at UN?Īshok Row Kavi, activist and founder of the Humsafar Trust, says, “During the Stonewall Riots in New York, the activists decided on choosing the colours of the rainbow as they could mean to represent all sexualities.” Echoing this sentiment, Harish Iyer, an equal rights activist, says, “I believe that the flag is about all cultures and each colour represents all shades of the human personality.” ‘Acceptance’ is a sentiment that resonates across the community. The flag was first used in 1978 at the San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day Parade.
The design of the flag is credited to Gilbert Baker, who designed it when, in the year 1977. Activists and participants at the recently held Gurgaon’s first pride parade. The original flag had eight stripes, but in its current form, it has six, namely red (life), orange (healing), yellow (sunlight), green (nature), blue (harmony) and violet (spirit). As June - which is celebrated as the LGBT pride month - draws to a close, we speak to some members and activists from the community to understand what the flag represents. If you always wondered what the LGBT rainbow flag meant, here we help you decode it.