What is considered gay colors
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. The backlash was severe. Many rejected the alteration of such a supposedly sacred symbol. Apart from failing to identify the intersectional interests of queer and trans people of color, critics invoked the rainbow flag as something constant and abiding. You can’t just modify 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 dark 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 paired with the mythological, matriarchal Amazons. A Los Angeles Timesa
WCSU Pride Center
People who are genderfluid don’t distinguish with one gender, but rather their gender individuality shifts between male, female, or somewhere else on the spectrum. How often someone’s identity shifts depends on the individual.
The flag was created by JJ Poole in 2012 according to OutRight Action International.
Pink: Represents femininity
White: Represents all genders
Purple: Represents both masculinity and feminity
Black: Represents a lack of gender
Blue: Represents masculinity
In an interview with Majestic Mess Designs, Poole said they created the flag because genderfluidity lacked a symbol and the term “genderqueer” didn’t exactly fit.
“I had been trying to discover an identity that fit me. At the period I knew genderqueer fit me, but it still felt too broad. I found genderfluid to be fitting but was displeased with the lack of symbolic representation,” Poole said. “I wouldn’t call myself an artist, but I’ve dabbled with drawing and bits of Photoshop, so I decided to generate it myself. And I made a couple flags actually, but this one I submitted to a blog on Tumblr about genderfluidity and gender fluid peop
LGBTQIA Resource Center Glossary
GLOSSARY
The terms and definitions below are always evolving, modifying and often mean distinct things to different people. They are provided below as a starting indicate for discussion and sympathy. This Glossary has been collectively built and created by the staff members of the LGBTQIA Resource Center since the preliminary 2000s.
These are not universal definitions. This glossary is provided to help donate others a more thorough but not entirely comprehensive understanding of the significance of these terms. You may even consider asking someone what they denote when they use a term, especially when they use it to narrate their identity. Ultimately it is most important that each individual define themselves for themselves and therefore also define a legal title for themselves.
“If I didn't define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people's fantasies for me and eaten alive.” -Audre Lorde
This glossary contains terms, such as ableism and disability, that may not be considered directly related to identities of sexuality or gender. These terms are vital to acknowledge as part of our mission to challenge all forms of oppress
EIU Center For Gender and Sexual Diversity
Symbols within the GSD Community
Rainbow Flag
The rainbow flag has grow the easily-recognized colors of pride for the gay collective. The rainbow plays a part in many myths and stories related to gender and sexuality issues in Greek, Aboriginal, African, and other cultures. Exploit of the rainbow flag by the gay community began in 1978 when it first appeared in the San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Freedom Afternoon Parade. Borrowing symbolism from the hippie movement and dark civil rights groups, San Francisco musician Gilbert Baker constructed the rainbow flag in response to a need for a symbol that could be used year after year. The flag has six stripes, each color representing a component of the community: red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sun, green for nature, royal azure for harmony, and violet for spirit.
The rainbow flag has inspired a extensive variety of associated symbols and accessories, such as autonomy rings. There are plenty of variations of the flag, including versions with superimposed lambdas, pink triangles, or other symbols. Some recent flags have added a brown and black stripe as a reminder of how important the intersectiona
You might be familiar with the six-colored rainbow flag that is widely used to represent the LGBTQ+ community. But did you realize that this is a relatively unused rendition of the original?
The original flag (shown here) was designed by activist, veteran, drag queen, and artist, Gilbert Baker, and made its debut at the San Francisco Gay and Dyke Freedom Day Pride in 1978. He was inspired by the Rolling Stones song She’s a Rainbow, and the 1960s hippies movement, assigning each tint with a specific meaning:
Pink: Sex (later removed)
Red: Life
Orange: Healing
Yellow: Sunlight
Green: Nature
Turquoise: Magic (later removed)
Indigo: Serenity
Violet: Spirit
The evolution to the six-colored flag used today happened out of practicality.
After the parade in 1978, demand for the Pride Flag increased, but the hot pink fabric was difficult to find in huge quantities. Then, the Paramount Flag Corporation started making a version out of the standard rainbow colors to facilitate meet demand, and a seven-color identity festival flag was the new norm.
A year later, the flag evolved once more…