The very first rainbow pride flag was designed and hand made by Baker and a group of volunteers for the 1978 San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade.
He just suddenly thought, 'These things are powerful.' He saw armies marching into war under a flag and he thought: 'We don't just need a new symbol. So, how did we get here with the rainbow pride flag? Its history starts in the 1970s with artist and activist Gilbert Baker.īeal: 'Gilbert had become fascinated with flags in 1976, during the Bicentennial. It is a global symbol.'īut this flag wasn't always so ubiquitous, and its predecessors included a lavender rhinoceros, the Greek letter lambda and the pink triangle - all of which have their own separate meanings and histories, but weren't accepted by the LGBTQ community at large. It's one of the most recognizable symbols in the world, on par with the American flag or the recycling symbol, and especially during Pride Month, it's everywhere.Ĭharley Beal, president of the Gilbert Baker Foundation: 'It is unsurpassed as a global icon in terms of something that stands for hope and diversity, as opposed to a product being sold or a country. You already know what this flag stands for.
