Pride flag evolution
The Original Pride Flag Gilbert Baker, 1978
The first rainbow pride flag was designed by Gilbert Baker, a close friend of Harvey Milk in 1978. It was inspired by Judy Garland’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and consists of eight stripes each pertaining to a different meaning. Pink stood 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 flag first flew during the Gay Freedom Day Parade in San Francisco.
The Traditional Rainbow Pride Flag, 1979
Due to the difficulty in obtaining pink fabric and the odd number of colors during production, both of the pink and turquoise stripes were dropped from the flag. The flags utilization became popular following the assassination of Harvey Milk. The six-color flag is the most common pride flag and symbol used worldwide.
Philadelphia Pride Flag June 8, 2017
In 2017, Philadelphia took a bold step toward LGBTQ representation with the introduction of the Philly Pride flag which included two new stripes of brown and black. The Philadelphia Pride Flag represents LGBTQ people of color, who historically were not always included in aspects of the mainstream gay rights movement.
The Progress Pride Flag Daniel Quasar, 2018
Less than a year after the release of the Philadelphia pride flag, Daniel Quasar introduced a reworked version to be more inclusive. The white, pink, and light blue chevron design on the Progress Pride Flag reflects the colors of the Transgender Flag, while the brown and black stripes represent marginalized people of color. Furthermore, the black stripe was also meant to honor those lost to HIV/AIDS and the stigma surrounding those still living with HIV.
The Intersex Inclusive Progressive Pride Flag Valentino Vecchietti, 2018
In 2021, Vecchietti an intersex activist added the yellow triangle with purple circle into the chevron triangle to represent intersex individuals, community, and rights. The new flag is a reflection on the underrepresentation of intersex under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella and within pride symbolism and imagery.