The Original 8 Color Rainbow Flag
The Rainbow Flag was designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978 with 8 stripes. He assigned a specific universal meaning to each color: Sex, Life, Healing, Sunlight, Nature, Magic, Serenity, and Spirit. However, the Rainbow Flag that has been predominantly used throughout history has only 6 colors. This change had nothing to do with the meaning of the flag, but rather arose due to fabric supply and logistical reasons. After the assassination of City Supervisor Harvey Milk in San Francisco on November 27, 1978, the demand for the Rainbow Flag increased sharply. Unfortunately, pink fabric became increasingly scarce. In order to meet the demand, the sale of a version of the flag with only 7 stripes began.
The Origin of the 6 Color Flag
In 1979, circumstances required the flag to be changed again. When hung vertically on the lampposts of Market Street in San Francisco, the middle stripe was obscured by the post itself. The easiest way to fix this was to change the design to an even number of stripes. Therefore, the turquoise stripe was removed, resulting in the 6-stripe version: Life, Healing, Sunlight, Nature, Serenity, and Spirit.
The Rainbow Flag: A Universal Symbol of Pride
The original Rainbow Flag, designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978, was intended as a universal symbol for the entire rainbow community. Rather than representing specific groups, the flag’s eight original colors each symbolized a fundamental aspect of life, making the design inherently inclusive.
The original colors and their meanings:
- Pink: Sex
- Red: Life
- Orange: Healing
- Yellow: Sunlight
- Green: Nature
- Turquoise: Magic
- Indigo: Serenity
- Purple: Spirit
The flag’s profound message was that all people, regardless of identity, share these universal experiences. It was a single, cohesive banner for a diverse community, embodying the idea that “we are all in this together.” The hot pink stripe was quickly dropped due to production difficulties, leading to the more common six-color version we see today.
While newer versions, like the Progress Pride Flag, aim to highlight specific marginalized groups, they do so by adding elements to the original design. Some view these additions as a move away from the original vision of a single, all-encompassing symbol toward a more segmented one.
In 2003, Gilbert Baker was commissioned to create a special flag for the 25th anniversary of the rainbow flag. This new version, called “25 Rainbow Sea to Sea,” brought back the original eight colors. With the help of volunteers, Baker created a massive flag that stretched 2 kilometers across Key West, Florida, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.
The Impact of “Progress Pride Flag” Variations
The increasing number of Pride Flags, which use specific colors and symbols to represent particular identities, marks a departure from the original, universal Rainbow Flag.
While this evolution aims to increase the visibility of marginalized groups, it risks making the symbol less universally recognizable and can create a sense of division.
Critics argue that adding specific stripes creates a hierarchy of identities, which contrasts with the original Rainbow Flag that was designed as an all-encompassing symbol for the entire community.
The choice of a specific Progress Pride Flag always implies a conscious or unconscious hierarchy: Which identities are represented, and which remain invisible?
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