Prior to its appropriation by the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered) community, the rainbow flag or ‘freedom flag’ has long symbolized diversity, inclusiveness, hope and yearning. The symbolic meaning of the rainbow is rooted in the Bible, when God purportedly used a rainbow to send Noah the message that he did not intend to flood the earth again. The LGBT community appropriated the rainbow flag in the late 1970s, when artist Gilbert Baker created a hand-dyed rainbow flag (consisting of seven stripes), which was flown in the Gay Freedom Day Parade on June 25, 1978.

Shortly thereafter, the demand for the flag increased sharply in the aftermath of the November 27, 1978 assassination of openly gay San Francisco City Supervisor/activist Harvey Milk. In an effort to demonstrate the strength and unity of the gay community after this tragedy, the 1979 Pride Parade Committee officially made Baker’s flag a symbol of the Gay Right’s movement. The Committee also elected to eliminate the indigo stripe, so that they could evenly divide the colors along the parade route (three colors were flown on the opposite side of the street). Soon thereafter, the flag was officially switched to the six-stripe version, and has remained unchanged since. The gay pride flag has been officially recognized by the International Congress of Flag Makers, and is now a ubiquitous symbol of gay pride worldwide. In 1994, a mile-ling rainbow flag was created for the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots held in New York City, and was subsequently divided into sections and flown at gay rights events around the world.

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