Pride Flag and Its Origins

The pride flag has been the most iconic symbol for the LGBTQIA+ community since 1978.

Marin County Free Library Celebrates alongside the LGBTQIA+ community by sharing a brief history of the rainbow flag. The rainbow flag, a symbol of pride for the community, originated here in the Bay Area, in San Francisco, CA.

Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, requested a symbol that represented the gay community. And that is how the pride flag came to be. Harvey Milk was assassinated a year later, but his legacy lives through his foundation and academy.

The original flag is on display at the GLBT Historical Society Museum & Archives in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood.

The now-iconic Pride flag was created by activist & artist Gilbert Baker, with friends assisting with the dyeing and sewing.

The flags featured eight colored stripes, and Baker assigned symbolic meaning to each:

• PINK – sex
• RED – life
• ORANGE – healing
• YELLOW - the sun
• GREEN – nature
• TURQUOISE - art and magic
• BLUE – serenity
• PURPLE - the spirit

The pink and turquoise stripes were dropped the following year due to cost and display considerations, resulting in the better-known six-color design. The flag has evolved into one of the most iconic symbols in any Pride parade/protest. Many variations of the Pride classic rainbow flag have been made, some as long as a mile.

The flag's colors and layout have also evolved over the years. The LGBTQIA+ pride flag has become a powerful symbol of identity, unity, and visibility.

More flags of inclusivity exist, and they can be learned about through Outright International. It's also worth noting that International Inclusion for LGBTQIA+ communities is Outright International's main mission.

Feel like making a difference in becoming an ally? Explore your options to support the LGBTQIA+ community and gain a broader understanding of how impactful Outright International is. They conduct groundbreaking research and share their findings with any entity worldwide seeking to improve the lives of LGBTQIA+ communities.

Also look at the Progress Flag

Contributed by Silvia Molina