Gilbert Baker, an artist and activist, designed the flag at the request of Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States. Milk wanted a positive symbol that could represent the community at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade.
The Original Design
The very first version of the flag was different from the six-stripe version commonly seen today. It originally featured eight stripes, each assigned a specific meaning by Baker:
- Hot Pink: Sexuality
- Red: Life
- Orange: Healing
- Yellow: Sunlight
- Green: Nature
- Turquoise: Art/Magic
- Indigo: Harmony
- Violet: Spirit
Evolution of the Flag
The design changed shortly after its debut due to practical manufacturing constraints:
- 1978: The pink stripe was removed because hot pink fabric was difficult to source for mass production.
- 1979: The turquoise stripe was removed so the flag could be split into two equal halves to decorate the lamp posts along Market Street in San Francisco. This resulted in the six-stripe rainbow that became the international standard for decades.
Baker refused to trademark the design, calling it a “gift to the world.”
Since then, our community has grown, and so has our visual language. Today, you’ll see dozens of unique flags waving at parades and pinned to lapels—from the Progress Pride flag to specific banners for transgender, bisexual, asexual, and intersex identities.
Why the variety? While the classic six-stripe rainbow remains a powerful universal symbol, the explosion of new designs reflects our evolving commitment to intersectionality. These flags aren’t meant to replace the original; they’re here to ensure that no one—regardless of how they identify—feels like a footnote in our history.
Whether you’re looking for a flag that represents your specific journey or you’re an ally looking to learn the nuances of our community, remember that each color and stripe is a tribute to the diversity that makes us stronger.
The most complete pride flag guide we have found is located at https://www.flagcolorcodes.com/flags/pride You can cross-reference the flags there with the terms in our Glossary to learn more about each identity.