From rainbow to progress: the evolution of LGBTQ+ Pride flags
By Zoë Schulz
The rainbow flag, a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride and visibility has a rich history that spans over four decades. Its origins trace back to the 1970s, a pivotal time in the gay rights movement when activists were seeking a unifying symbol to represent their struggle for equality and acceptance. The creation of the rainbow flag marked a significant moment in this journey, embodying hope, diversity, and the spectrum of human experience.
The original rainbow flag
The rainbow flag was first conceived by Gilbert Baker, an artist and gay rights activist, in 1978. Baker was inspired to create a symbol of pride for the gay community following a suggestion by Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States, who urged his friends and supporters to create a symbol of pride for the community. Baker, recognizing the need for a new emblem that could signify the diversity and unity of the LGBTQ+ community, saw the rainbow as a natural fit for this purpose.
Source: Canva
The original flag designed by Baker featured eight colors, each with its own meaning: 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. The first flags were hand-dyed and stitched by Baker and a group of volunteers in the attic of the Gay Community Center in San Francisco. They debuted the flag at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade on June 25, 1978.
Following its initial introduction, the rainbow flag rapidly gained popularity as a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride and identity. However, the flag underwent some changes due to production issues and the availability of fabric colors. The hot pink stripe was removed due to fabric unavailability, and following the assassination of Harvey Milk, the demand for the rainbow flag significantly increased. To meet this demand and simplify production, the flag was modified to consist of six stripes, with the removal of the turquoise stripe, resulting in the contemporary version of the flag: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.
The significance of the rainbow flag lies not only in its representation of the LGBTQ+ community but also in its embodiment of pride, resistance, and the fight for equality. Over the years, it has been adopted globally as a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride, visible at Pride parades, protests, and in the windows of supportive businesses and homes. The flag announces a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies, serving as a beacon of hope and a reminder of the ongoing struggle for rights and recognition.
A myriad of new LGBTQ+ flags bloom
Over time, the success of the rainbow flag led to inspiring other variations to celebrate communities within the LGBTQ+ spectrum. For example, activist Monica Helms created the blue, white and pink transgender flag in 1999. The original flag made its first appearance in 2000 at the Phoenix, Arizona Pride Parade. The flag has served as a symbol for the trans community ever since, and that original flag can be found on displace at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
On top of creating the transgender flag, Helm was known for her advocacy for the trans community and, in particular, trans veterans. She served in the US Navy herself and founded the Transgender American Veterans Association in 2003. In her autobiography, More Than Just a Flag, she writes about how she knew she was a girl at only five years old but was unable to express this because of the transphobia all around her in society. She hid who she was for four decades, finally living truly as herself at age forty-eight.
“In 1999, I was having dinner with Michael Page, who created the bisexual pride flag, and he said, ‘You know, the trans community could use a flag,’ and so I said, ‘Well, okay,’” Monica shared with Floxhealth.
“So, about two weeks later, I woke up one morning, and the idea hit me. I got up and drew [the flag] out on a piece of paper. A week later, I had the first transgender flag, and I took it everywhere. The first place I took it was the Phoenix Pride in 2000, and people were asking, ‘What is that?’ So I told them what the colors meant. Light blue is a traditional color for baby boys. Pink is the traditional color for baby girls. And then white is for all people who are transitioning or non-binary, [those who] have nothing to do with the binary system.”
Source: Canva
Just as the bisexual flag inspired Helm, her design inspired others within the LGBTQ+ community to design symbolic flags to represent and create visibility for those who too often felt invisible. There are now twenty-three different Pride flags that have emerged to represent different identities within the LGBTQ+ community, including ones to represent the non-binary, pansexual, asexual, intersex communities and more.
These variations highlight the diversity within the community and the importance of recognizing and celebrating each unique identity. “Having a wide range of flags helps those groups feel more seen and offers them a simple visual way to identify themselves to others if or when they want to,” Jo Eckler, PsyD, a clinical psychologist based in Texas, told Health.
The Progress Flag is born
In recent years, the rainbow flag has been updated and reimagined to further reflect the diversity and inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community. Forty years after Baker’s first design, non-binary American artist and designer Daniel Quasar designed the Progress Pride Flag. The flag is important for many reasons, as it acknowledges and addresses the intersecting identities and experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, particularly those of marginalized groups such as LGBTQ+ people of color and the transgender community.
By incorporating the colors black and brown into the traditional rainbow flag and the colors pink, light blue, and white from the transgender Pride flag, the Progress Pride Flag visually represents those most marginalized in the LGBTQ+ community.
Source: Canva
The Progress Pride Flag serves as a visual reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality and acceptance faced by LGBTQ+ individuals worldwide. It symbolizes progress and resilience, recognizing the achievements made in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights while acknowledging that there is still work to be done to achieve full equality for all members of the community.
On top of this, it’s important because it promotes visibility and representation for marginalized LGBTQ+ communities, fostering a sense of belonging and solidarity within the broader LGBTQ+ movement. By centering the experiences of those who have historically been marginalized or overlooked, the flag reinforces the importance of intersectionality in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and social justice.
"This new design forces the viewer to reflect on their own feelings towards the original Pride flag and its meaning, as well as the differing opinions on who that flag really represents, while also bringing into clear focus the current needs within our community,” Quasar shared with the V&A. “The arrow points to the right to show forward movement […] and illustrates that progress still needs to be made.”
In Pride Month 2018, Quasar shared their design on social media, and within a day, it went viral. A Kickstarter campaign came next, raising over $25,000 towards merchandise. The design was released under a Creative Commons license, meaning others can legally copy, distribute and use it non-commercially.
Building on this, in 2021, Valentino Vecchietti, from Intersex Equality Rights, adapted the Pride Progress flag design to incorporate the intersex flag, creating this Intersex-Inclusive Pride flag. This added the intersex flag, which was designed by Morgan Carpenter in 2013, and shared the design freely for anyone to use.
Source: Canva
An ever-changing symbol of Pride
It is unlikely that, back in the 70s, Baker could have envisioned just how ever-changing his original Pride symbol would become. It has been a tool to bring attention to the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community across the world. From a time when LGBTQ+ people mainly lived in the shadows of society – invisible to the general public – it was a simple way for queer people to stand up as visible.
Over the decades, it has also become a symbol of allyship; whether it is worn as a badge by a local politician, hung up in a café, or proudly displayed in the workplace, the visibility of LGBTQ+ flags is a sign that queer people are welcome and accepted.
The history of the rainbow flag is a testament to the resilience, solidarity, and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. From its inception by Gilbert Baker to its current iterations, the flag continues to evolve, just like the community it represents. It symbolises hope, a reminder of the battles fought and won, and the ongoing struggle for equality and acceptance in societies worldwide.
Find out more about LGBTQ+ history and unique perspectives in our upcoming WorkPride event! Returning this year on the 17-21 June, the event has over 200 international speakers across more than 50 sessions. WorkPride offers the opportunity to share best practices and gain the tools to help create safe and inclusive workplaces for a more harmonious environment where LGBTQ+ professionals can flourish and progress up the career ladder. What’s more it’s free for professionals, graduates, inclusive employers, allies and anyone who believes in workplace equality.
