Original gay flag meaning

History of the Rainbow Flag

The history of the rainbow flag is a wealthy, fascinating, and very recent one!

Artist and activist Gilbert Baker is credited with creating the first pride flag, meant to represent the gay community. He was approached by Harvey Milk, the first openly lgbtq+ person elected to public office in California, in to create a symbol of pride for the community. “Flags are about proclaiming power” Baker said.

Baker was inspired by the United States flag, with its series of stacked lines, and also by Pop Art of the hour. Several communities at the time had reclaimed the Pink Triangle as a symbol of lgbtq+ power. The Pink Triangle was used in Nazis concentration camps to recognize men imprisoned for their homosexuality. Despite the Pink Triangle’s prevalence, Baker argued that there was a need for a new symbol “We needed something beautiful. Something from us.”

The flag was first flown in San Francisco’s Joined Nation’s Plaza in June of Some historians have argued that the thought of the rainbow flag came about because of the rainbow’s link to actress Judy Garland

LGBTQ+ Pride Flags

In the LGBTQ+ community, we signify our pride with flags. With many diverse identities in the people, there comes many diverse flags to know. We have collected all of the flags and a guide to learn about all of the other colors of our community’s rainbow. We know that this may not be all of the flags that represent our society, but we will update the page as novel flags become popular!

Explore the flag collection below! Observe a flag's name by hovering or clicking on the flag.

Umbrella Flags

  • Gilbert Baker Pride Flag

  • Traditional Pride Flag

  • Philadelphia Pride Flag

  • Progress Pride Flag

  • Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag

  • Queer Pride Flag

The original Pride Flag was created in after activist Harvey Milk asked artist Gilbert Baker to design a symbol of gay pride. Each paint represents a different part of the LGBTQ+ community: hot pink represents sex, red symbolizes life, orange stands for healing, yellow equals sunlight, green stands for nature, turquoise symbolizes magic and art,

Here’s What the Different LGBTQIA+ Flags Represent

LGBTQIA+

When we ponder of Pride Month, the first image that typically comes to mind is the classic rainbow flag. However, many people don’t realize that along with the Rainbow Pride Flag, there are an array of different identifiers that represent the diverse gay community. While many in the LGBTQIA+ community name with the all-encompassing rainbow flag, each group has its own flag to represent its unique contributions and stories within the community. Here’s a rundown of the different flags and what they represent.


The Gilbert Baker Pride Flag

The original rainbow pride flag was designed by Gilbert Baker in at the request of Harvey Milk, the first openly lgbtq+ elected official in California. Gilbert chose the rainbow as it represents a symbol of hope. 

Original flag colors and meaning: 

Pink: sex; Red: life; Orange: healing; Yellow: sunlight; Green: nature; Turquoise: magic; Blue: harmony; Violet: spirit.

Rainbow Pride Flag 

This is the iteration of the Pride Flag that we all know today, use

The History of the Pride Flag

With its bright colours and significant meaning, the Rainbow Flag is a symbol recognised all over the world to symbolize the LGBTQ+ communities. It’s a symbol of hope, unity and empowerment to allow love to be love regardless of gender, ethnicity or labels. But where did this renowned flag approach from? And how was the design chosen? 

The original Pride Flag originates from San Francisco Activist Gilbert Baker, who desired to create an emblem of celebration for the gay community. In the Rainbow Flag was created, as Baker recognised that a flag is one of the most significant aspects of culture, and wanted his creation to be a unified symbol of gratification for all those who identify within these communities. 

In England, homosexuality was decriminalised in , with Scotland following in , and Northern Ireland by Before this time, it was illegal to engage in ‘private lesbian acts’, and those caught or believed to be engaging in same-sex relationships could face imprisonment, public shame and a life-long criminal records. Society was homophobic, with th