In August, the Netherlands covered itself in the colors of the rainbow.
From the 31st of July to the 8th of August, in Amsterdam, there were several events in commemoration of the International LGBT+ Pride Day. Pride Amsterdam is described as a festival to celebrate the freedom to be who you are and love whoever you want.
In times of great scientific advances, society is still immersed in issues such as prejudice against the sexual orientation of citizens. In this sense, the LGBT+ Movement fights for very important issues of society.
The LGBT+ Movement is represented by the rainbow flag, being one of the most recognizable symbols around the world. In addition to representing LGBT+ culture and rights, the rainbow flag also represents peace, being used in World War II as a symbol of hope for a new era.
Do you know how the rainbow flag became the symbol of the LGBT+ movement?
Continue reading this article to find out.
Who created the rainbow flag for the LGBT+ movement
A flag is a visual symbol representing a country and its people. The rainbow-colored flag appeared in 1978, created by the American artist Gilbert Baker. In the 1970s, in San Francisco, California (United States of America), the homosexual movement increased its expression and activists wanted a symbol that conveyed this enthusiasm. Harvey Milk (the first elected homosexual politician in the United States of America) challenged friend and artist Gilbert Baker to create this symbol.
Baker originally created the eight-color flag and it was first displayed in 1978 on San Francisco Gay Freedom Day. Each of the colors represented a different aspect of humanity. It is speculated that the artist was inspired by the song “Over the Rainbow” and the hippie movement, in which the rainbow was a symbol of peace and harmony, to create the symbol. Thirty volunteers participated in the production of the first flags, dyeing them by hand and sewing the first two flags for the parade.
The LGBT+ flag and its colors
Currently the rainbow flag is made up of six horizontal lines of six different colors. Although it resembles the natural phenomenon of the rainbow, colors have another meaning.
The meanings of the colors of the flag are: life (red); cure (orange); yellow sun); green nature); harmony (light blue) and spirit (lilac). The different meanings attributed to the colors of the flag are intended to define culture, interests and the entire LGBT+ movement. The original version of the symbol had eight colors (in addition to those mentioned, there was also pink and dark blue (indigo) representing, respectively, sexuality and art).
Inclusion and Respect
The creator of the flag, Gilbert Baker, in an interview with the Museum of Modern Art in New York explained that the choice of a flag as a symbol for the movement was intentional. He said, "I decided that we had to have a flag, that a flag would fit us into a symbol, that we are people, a tribe." The artist said that he wanted to convey the idea of diversity and inclusion, using colors as a representation of human diversity. The rainbow was chosen and styled for this symbol because it is "something of nature to represent that our sexuality is a human right".
The diversity represented on the flag is also found in the LGBT+ acronym, which has as its main objective to promote cultural diversity based on sexual and gender identity. The acronym LGBT+ is used to refer to anyone who does not fit as heterosexual or cisgender.
Even with all the visibility in the world, the LGBT+ movement still faces obstacles in front of governments and civil society to guarantee the most basic rights for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgenders. Among the rights is respect. Respect is one of the most important values of human beings and has great importance in social interaction. It is a feeling that causes a person to treat another with deep zeal, consideration, attention, affection, appreciation or courtesy.
The date of June 28th is considered the International LGBT+ Pride Day being celebrated in several countries with festivals and parades. It is celebrated in honor of one of the most defining episodes in the gay community's struggle for its rights: the Stonewall Inn Rebellion of 1969. The uprising lasted 6 days and marked the LBGT+ community's revolt against a series of raids, arrests and reprisals from New York police to homosexuals.
Beyond the rainbow
Most people are aware that the rainbow flag serves as an "umbrella" symbol for the entire LGBT+ movement. What many don't know is that there are pride flags for countless sexual and gender orientations, identities and other subcultures. And since the beginning of the movement, there is the flag of supporters - all heterosexuals and/or cisgender people who believe in the right to be sexual age, diversity and support the LGBT+ movement.
In 2015, the Museum of Modern Art in New York acquired the original flag, used on Gay Freedom Day in San Francisco in 1978, for its collection of works, calling it "a mighty landmark design".
An interesting curiosity: Baker did not register her work, as it was done with the help of other people. From the beginning, the flag belonged to the LGBT+ community :)