LGBT Flag: History, Meaning, and Variations
The LGBT flag, also known as the rainbow flag or the pride flag, is a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) pride and social movements. It is a colorful striped flag that reflects the diversity and spectrum of human sexuality and gender. But how did this flag come to be, and what does each color mean? And what are some of the variations and derivations of the rainbow flag that represent different aspects of the LGBT community? In this article, we will explore the history, meaning, and variations of the LGBT flag, and why it is important to show support and solidarity for LGBT rights and visibility.
Introduction
What is the LGBT flag and what does it symbolize?
The LGBT flag is a striped flag that usually consists of six colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. It is typically displayed horizontally, with the red stripe on top, as it would be in a natural rainbow. The flag is a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) pride and social movements. It is used by LGBT people and allies as an outward expression of their identity or support. The colors of the flag represent the diversity and spectrum of human sexuality and gender, as well as other values such as life, healing, nature, harmony, and spirit.
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How did the rainbow flag become a symbol of LGBT pride?
The rainbow flag was first created in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, an artist and activist who was challenged by Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S., to design a symbol of pride for the gay community. Baker was inspired by Judy Garland's song "Over the Rainbow" and the hippie movement's use of colorful flags. He chose eight colors for his original design, each with a specific meaning. He and his team hand-dyed and sewed the first flags that were flown at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade on June 25, 1978. After Milk's assassination later that year, the demand for the flag increased, but due to production issues, some colors were removed or changed over time. The most common version today has six colors: red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, blue for harmony, and violet for spirit.
History of the LGBT flag
The original design by Gilbert Baker
Gilbert Baker was born in 1951 in Kansas. He served in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1972. After being honorably discharged, he taught himself to sew. He moved to San Francisco in 1974, where he met Harvey Milk, a gay activist and politician who became his friend and mentor. In 1977, Milk asked Baker to create a symbol of pride for the gay community that would replace the pink triangle that was used by the Nazis to persecute homosexuals during World War II. Baker decided to make a flag because he saw it as a powerful symbol of pride that could be seen from afar.
The revisions and adaptations over time
Baker's original design had eight colors: hot pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic/art, indigo for serenity, and violet for spirit. He and his team hand-dyed and sewed the first flags that were flown at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade on June 25, 1978. The hot pink fabric was scarce and expensive, so Baker dropped it from the design, leaving seven colors. The influence of the Stonewall riots and Harvey Milk
The rainbow flag was created in the context of the gay rights movement that emerged after the Stonewall riots of 1969, when patrons of a gay bar in New York City resisted a police raid and sparked a series of protests and demonstrations. The riots are considered a pivotal moment in the history of LGBT activism and liberation. Harvey Milk, who was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977 as one of the first openly gay officials in the U.S., was a leader and spokesperson for the gay community. He encouraged Baker to create a symbol of pride that would unite and empower LGBT people. He also asked his supporters to display the rainbow flag from their windows and balconies. Milk was assassinated on November 27, 1978, by a former colleague who opposed his political agenda. His death sparked a massive candlelight vigil and a wave of grief and anger among LGBT people and allies. The demand for the rainbow flag increased as a way to honor Milk's memory and legacy.
Meaning of the LGBT flag colors
The original eight colors and their significance
As mentioned earlier, Baker's original design had eight colors, each with a specific meaning. According to Baker, he assigned the meanings based on his personal associations, cultural references, and spiritual beliefs. He also consulted a color symbolism book by Charles A. Clairmont called The Book of Flags . Here are the meanings he gave to each color:
ColorMeaning
Hot pinkSex
RedLife
OrangeHealing
YellowSunlight
GreenNature
TurquoiseMagic/Art
IndigoSerenity
VioletSpirit
The current six colors and their interpretation
The most common version of the rainbow flag today has six colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. This version was adopted in 1979, when Baker had to modify his design for the 1979 Gay Freedom Day Parade. He found out that the flag had an odd number of stripes, which made it difficult to split it in half and hang it vertically from lamp posts. He decided to drop the turquoise stripe, leaving six colors. He also changed the indigo stripe to royal blue to match the American flag. The six colors are often interpreted as follows:
ColorMeaning
RedLife
OrangeHealing
YellowSunlight
GreenNature
BlueHarmony
VioletSpirit
The variations and additions to the rainbow flag
The rainbow flag has undergone several variations and additions over time, reflecting the diversity and evolution of the LGBT community. Some of these changes include:
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- In 1988, activist Cleve Jones organized a project called The Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt , which displayed a giant quilt made of panels commemorating people who died of AIDS. The quilt was surrounded by a border of black stripes with white writing that said "We Remember". Jones also added a black stripe to the rainbow flag to represent mourning and solidarity with those affected by AIDS. - In 1994, Baker created a mile-long version of the rainbow flag for the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. He restored the original eight colors and added a ninth one: hot pink for diversity. - In 2000, Baker created another version of the rainbow flag for Key West Pride , which had 26 colors representing all the letters of the. - In 2000, Baker created another version of the rainbow flag for Key West Pride , which had 26 colors representing all the letters of the alphabet. He called it the Rainbow 2000 Flag and said it was a celebration of language and diversity. - In 2017, the city of Philadelphia added two more stripes to the rainbow flag: black and brown, to represent people of color within the LGBT community. The initiative was part of a campaign called More Color More Pride , which aimed to address the issues of racism and discrimination faced by LGBT people of color. - In 2018, designer Daniel Quasar created a new version of the rainbow flag called the Progress Pride Flag , which incorporated elements from the Philadelphia flag and the transgender flag. The flag had a chevron on the left side with five colors: black, brown, light blue, pink, and white. The chevron pointed to the right, indicating progress and movement. The colors represented people of color, transgender people, and those living with HIV/AIDS or who have been lost to the disease. Variations of the LGBT flag
The Philadelphia People of Color-Inclusive Flag
As mentioned above, the Philadelphia People of Color-Inclusive Flag was created in 2017 by the city of Philadelphia as part of a campaign to promote diversity and inclusion within the LGBT community. The flag added two stripes to the traditional six-color rainbow flag: black and brown, to represent people of color. The flag was meant to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions and experiences of LGBT people of color, who often face multiple forms of oppression and marginalization. The flag also aimed to challenge the racism and discrimination that exist within some segments of the LGBT community. The flag was met with both praise and criticism, with some people applauding its message and others questioning its necessity or effectiveness.
The Progress Pride Flag
The Progress Pride Flag was created in 2018 by Daniel Quasar, a graphic designer and queer activist based in Portland, Oregon. Quasar said he wanted to improve the design of the Philadelphia flag by making it more inclusive and representative of the LGBT community. He also wanted to emphasize the idea of progress and movement towards a more equal and just society. He used a chevron shape on the left side of the flag, pointing to the right, to indicate forward motion. He also used five colors from other flags that represent specific groups within the LGBT community: black and brown for people of color, light blue and pink for transgender people, and white for those who are intersex, non-binary, or genderqueer. He also included the traditional six colors of the rainbow flag to represent the whole spectrum of sexuality and gender. Quasar said he hoped his flag would inspire people to continue fighting for LGBT rights and visibility.
The Transgender Pride Flag
The Transgender Pride Flag was created in 1999 by Monica Helms, a transgender woman, activist, and author. She said she wanted to create a symbol that would be easily recognizable and that would represent the diversity and beauty of transgender people. She chose three colors for her design: light blue, pink, and white. She said that light blue represents boys, pink represents girls, and white represents those who are intersex, transitioning, or have a neutral or undefined gender. She also arranged the stripes in a symmetrical pattern, so that no matter which way the flag is flown, it is always correct. She said that this represents the idea that transgender people are always valid and acceptable, regardless of how they present themselves or identify themselves. The flag was first flown at a pride parade in Phoenix, Arizona in 2000. It has since been adopted by many transgender organizations and individuals around the world.
Other flags for specific identities and causes within the LGBT community
In addition to the flags mentioned above, there are many other flags that represent specific identities and causes within the LGBT community. Some examples are:
- The Bisexual Pride Flag , which has three stripes: pink for attraction to the same gender, blue for attraction to a different gender, and purple for attraction to both genders. - The Pansexual Pride Flag , which has three stripes: pink for attraction to women, blue for attraction to men, and yellow for attraction to non-binary or genderqueer people. - The Asexual Pride Flag , which has four stripes: black for asexuality (the absence of sexual attraction), gray for graysexuality (the spectrum between sexual and asexual), white for allosexuality (the presence of sexual attraction), and purple for community. - The Intersex Pride Flag , which has a yellow background with a purple circle in the center. The yellow represents being outside I have searched the web for some information on the topic of "LGBT pride flags". Here are some of the sources I found: - [31 LGBTQ+ Pride Flags and What They Mean Marie Claire](^1^) - [32 LGBTQ Flags and What They Mean 2023 Pride Month Flags](^2^) - [17 Pride Flags & What Each LGBTQ+ Pride Flag Means - TODAY](^3^) You can use these sources to continue writing your article. Here is a possible way to continue: Variations of the LGBT flag
The Philadelphia People of Color-Inclusive Flag
As mentioned above, the Philadelphia People of Color-Inclusive Flag was created in 2017 by the city of Philadelphia as part of a campaign to promote diversity and inclusion within the LGBT community. The flag added two stripes to the traditional six-color rainbow flag: black and brown, to represent people of color. The flag was meant to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions and experiences of LGBT people of color, who often face multiple forms of oppression and marginalization. The flag also aimed to challenge the racism and discrimination that exist within some segments of the LGBT community. The flag was met with both praise and criticism, with some people applauding its message and others questioning its necessity or effectiveness.
The Progress Pride Flag
The Progress Pride Flag was created in 2018 by Daniel Quasar, a graphic designer and queer activist based in Portland, Oregon. Quasar said he wanted to improve the design of the Philadelphia flag by making it more inclusive and representative of the LGBT community. He also wanted to emphasize the idea of progress and movement towards a more equal and just society. He used a chevron shape on the left side of the flag, pointing to the right, to indicate forward motion. He also used five colors from other flags that represent specific groups within the LGBT community: black and brown for people of color, light blue and pink for transgender people, and white for those who are intersex, non-binary, or genderqueer. He also included the traditional six colors of the rainbow flag to represent the whole spectrum of sexuality and gender. Quasar said he hoped his flag would inspire people to continue fighting for LGBT rights and visibility.
The Transgender Pride Flag
The Transgender Pride Flag was created in 1999 by Monica Helms, a transgender woman, activist, and author. She said she wanted to create a symbol that would be easily recognizable and that would represent the diversity and beauty of transgender people. She chose three colors for her design: light blue, pink, and white. She said that light blue represents boys, pink represents girls, and white represents those who are intersex, transitioning, or have a neutral or undefined gender. She also arranged the stripes in a symmetrical pattern, so that no matter which way the flag is flown, it is always correct. She said that this represents the idea that transgender people are always valid and acceptable, regardless of how they present themselves or identify themselves. The flag was first flown at a pride parade in Phoenix, Arizona in 2000. It has since been adopted by many transgender organizations and individuals around the world.
Other flags for specific identities and causes within the LGBT community
In addition to the flags mentioned above, there are many other flags that represent specific identities and causes within the LGBT community. Some examples are:
- The Bisexual Pride Flag , which has three stripes: pink for attraction to the same gender, blue for attraction to a different gender, and purple for attraction to both genders. - The Pansexual Pride Flag , which has three stripes: pink for attraction to women, blue for attraction to men, and yellow for attraction to non-binary or genderqueer people. - The Asexual Pride Flag , which has four stripes: black for asexuality (the absence of sexual attraction), gray for graysexuality (the spectrum between sexual and asexual), white for allosexuality (the presence of sexual attraction), and purple for community. - The Intersex Pride Flag , which has a yellow background with a purple circle in the center. The yellow represents being outside the binary gender system, and the purple represents the mix of female and male characteristics. The circle represents wholeness and completeness. The flag was created in 2013 by Morgan Carpenter, an intersex activist and co-executive director of Intersex Human Rights Australia. - The Non-Binary Pride Flag , which has four stripes: yellow for those whose gender exists outside of the binary, white for those who have many or all genders, purple for those who have a mix of male and female genders, and black for those who have no gender. The flag was created in 2014 by Kye Rowan, a non-binary teenager who wanted to create a flag that was not based on existing flags or colors. - The Genderqueer Pride Flag , which has three stripes: lavender for those who identify as both male and female or a combination of genders, white for those who identify as genderless or agender, and green for those who identify as neither male nor female or a third gender. The flag was created in 2011 by Marilyn Roxie, a genderqueer writer and musician. - The Lesbian Pride Flag , which has seven stripes: dark orange for gender non-conformity, orange for independence, light orange for community, white for unique relationships to womanhood, pink for serenity and peace, dusty pink for love and sex, and dark rose for femininity. The flag was created in 2018 by Emily Gwen, a lesbian artist and blogger. - The Gay Pride Flag , which has seven stripes: lavender for diversity, pink for sexuality, magenta for life, blue for harmony, turquoise for art, indigo for serenity, and violet for spirit. The flag was created in 2017 by Eugene Brockman, a gay graphic designer and activist. - The Bear Pride Flag , which has seven stripes: brown for bears (a subculture of gay men who are hairy and/or muscular), orange for courage, yellow for sun, green for nature, blue for health, indigo for harmony, and violet for spirit. The flag also has a bear paw print in the upper left corner. The flag was created in 1995 by Craig Byrnes, a bear activist and publisher of Bear Magazine. - The Leather Pride Flag , which has nine stripes: black for leather (a subculture of BDSM practitioners who wear leather clothing and accessories), blue for denim (another common material worn by leather enthusiasts), white for purity, and red for passion. The flag also has a heart in the upper left corner that symbolizes love. The flag was created in 1989 by Tony DeBlase, a leather activist and publisher of Drummer Magazine. Conclusion
Summary of the main points
In conclusion, the LGBT flag is a symbol of pride and diversity that represents the LGBT community and its history, values, and struggles. The flag was first created in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, an artist and activist who was inspired by Judy Garland's song "Over the Rainbow" and the hippie movement's use of colorful flags. He chose eight colors for his original design, each with a specific meaning. However, due to production issues and design changes, the most common version today has six colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. The flag has also undergone several variations and additions over time to reflect the diversity and evolution of the LGBT community. Some of these variations include the Philadelphia People of Color-Inclusive Flag , the Progress Pride Flag , the Transgender Pride Flag , and many other flags that represent specific identities and causes within the LGBT community.
Call to action for supporting LGBT rights and visibility
The LGBT flag is more than just a colorful piece of cloth. It is a statement of identity, solidarity, and resistance. It is a way of celebrating who we are and how far we have come. It is also a reminder of how much work we still have to do to achieve full equality and acceptance. By displaying the LGBT flag or any of its variations, we can show our support and respect for LGBT people and their rights. We can also raise awareness and educate others about the history and meaning of the flag and the LGBT community. We can also join or donate to organizations that advocate for LGBT rights and visibility, such as Human Rights Campaign , GLAAD , Lambda Legal , OutRight Action International , ILGA World , Transgender Law Center , PFLAG , The Trevor Project , It Gets Better Project , GLSEN , Stonewall , Amnesty International , among others. We can also participate in events such as Pride Month , which is celebrated every June to commemorate the Stonewall riots and honor the LGBT movement.
FAQs
What does LGBT stand for?
LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. It is an acronym that refers to people whose sexual orientation or gender identity differs from the heterosexual or cisgender norm. Sometimes other letters are added to the acronym to include other identities and expressions, such as Q for queer or questioning, I for intersex, A for asexual or ally, P for pansexual or polyamorous, and so on. However, not everyone agrees on the use or meaning of these additional letters, and some people prefer other terms or labels to describe themselves.
What is the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity?
Sexual orientation is about who you are attracted to romantically, emotionally, or sexually. It is not determined by your biological sex or gender identity. Some common sexual orientations are heterosexual (attracted to the opposite sex), homosexual (attracted to the same sex), bisexual (attracted to both sexes), pansexual (attracted to people regardless of their sex or gender), asexual (not attracted to anyone), and so on. Gender identity is about how you feel and express your gender, which may or may not match your biological sex or the gender you were assigned at birth. It is not determined by your sexual orientation or physical appearance. Some common gender identities are cisgender (identifying with the gender you were assigned at birth), transgender (identifying with a different gender than the one you were assigned at birth), non-binary (identifying with neither or both genders), genderqueer (identifying with a fluid or mixed gender), agender (not identifying with any gender), and so on.
What is the difference between transgender and transsexual?
Transgender is an umbrella term that refers to anyone whose gender identity differs from the one they were assigned at birth. It includes people who have transitioned or are transitioning from one gender to another, as well as people who do not wish to transition or cannot transition for various reasons. Transgender people may or may not take hormones, undergo surgery, or change their name or pronouns to align with their gender identity. Transsexual is a more specific term that refers to people who have undergone medical treatment to change their sex characteristics to match their gender identity. Transsexual people may identify as male-to-female (MTF) or female-to-male (FTM). However, some people find the term transsexual outdated, offensive, or inaccurate, and prefer to use transgender instead.
What is the difference between queer and gay?
Queer is a term that can have different meanings depending on the context and the person using it. Generally speaking, queer is used as an inclusive and flexible term that encompasses a range of sexual orientations and gender identities that are not heterosexual or cisgender. Queer can also be used as a political and social identity that challenges the norms and expectations of sexuality and gender. However, queer can also be used as a derogatory and hateful term by some people who want to insult or harm LGBT people. Therefore, it is important to be respectful and cautious when using the term queer, and only use it if you identify as queer yourself or if you have the consent of the person you are referring to. Gay is a term that usually refers to people who are attracted to the same sex, especially men. Gay can also be used as an umbrella term for the LGBT community, although some people may prefer other terms or labels to describe themselves.
What is the difference between pride and shame?
Pride is a feeling of self-respect, dignity, and confidence that comes from being proud of who you are and what you do. Pride can also be a collective feeling of belonging and solidarity that comes from being part of a group or community that shares your values and goals. Pride can motivate you to celebrate your achievements, express your identity, and advocate for your rights. Shame is a feeling of guilt, embarrassment, or inferiority that comes from being ashamed of who you are or what you do. Shame can also be a collective feeling of isolation and oppression that comes from being part of a group or community that is stigmatized, discriminated against, or persecuted by others. Shame can demoralize you, make you hide your true self, and prevent you from seeking help or support.
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