What is the original Gilbert Baker rainbow pride flag and what does it mean?
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Original Gilbert Baker rainbow pride flag (8 colours)
Gilbert Baker designed the OG rainbow pride flag in 1978.
Before that, the pink triangle was used as a symbol for the gay community, due to its use by the Nazis during WWII to identify and stigmatise gay people. However, by the 1970s (30 years after the war ended), many felt that the pink triangle reminded them of a dark age, and wanted something that could represent the dawn of a new age. Harvey Milk, then city supervisor of San Francisco, challenged Gilbert Baker to create a new flag for the gay community.
Inspired by Judy Garland’s “Over the rainbow”, Baker designed the first rainbow pride flag, which included 8 colours.
Meaning behind the colours:
- Hot pink represents sex
- Red represents life
- Orange represents healing
- Yellow represents sunlight
- Green represents nature
- Turquoise represents magic / art
- Indigo represents serenity
- Violet represents spirit
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