Let’s Get Into The Rainbow of Pride
One of the most well-known LGBT flags throughout history is the 6-Colour Pride Flag. In this flag, you'll find the colours red, orange, yellow, green, indigo, and violet.
What better way to show your support than to learn the meaning behind the colours of the LGBT flag? Let’s take a look at the history and symbolism of this iconic flag.
A Brief History of The Pride Flag
Pride flags were created in the 1970s by gay activist Gilbert Baker, a friend of Harvey Milk, California's first openly gay public official. There are eight colours Baker used and their corresponding meanings: hot pink for sexuality, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for the sun, green for nature, turquoise for art, indigo for harmony, and violet for spirit.
Why Are There Only Six Colours Now?
A rainbow flag was flown for the first time on June 25, 1978, during the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade. The flags were handmade by Baker and a team of volunteers, and now he wanted to mass-produce them.
Due to production issues, the pink and turquoise stripes were removed and indigo was replaced by basic blue, resulting in the contemporary six-striped flag (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet).
In today's world, this is the most common rainbow flag, with the red stripe on top, as in a natural rainbow. As a result, the colours represented both the diversity and the unity of the LGBTQ community.
The Pride Flag's Colours:
Each colour of the pride flag represents an important value of the LGBTQIA+ community. Here are the meanings of each of the rainbow colours.
Red
The LGBTQ flag we all know and recognise is instantly identifiable thanks to its vibrant red colour, but have you ever wondered what it means?
The red colour symbolises life and is meant to express the love of the community. It’s a simple way to represent LGBTQ voices and their presence in our lives.
In this light, the red colour becomes a powerful statement in an open society that embraces diversity. It’s a reminder that we must continue working together towards healing social inequities, an important aspect of promoting acceptance, respect, inclusion and love for everyone.
Orange
The lgbtq community has a special relationship with the colour orange - it is more than just a bright and warm hue. Orange on the lgbtq flag holds the meaning of healing. It's symbolic of how lgbtq+ individuals overcame adversity through times of unrest - the orange signifies hope that brighter days are to come.
Yellow
The flag's radiant and bright centre is yellow, which represents sunshine. There is a belief that yellow stimulates the mind and stimulates new ideas.
Green
The original pride flag is green, which is a symbol of nature. Green is associated with prosperity and growth, and nature is a healing place.
Indigo
In the original pride flag, the indigo or blue colour represented serenity. Feeling calm and serene is one of the most important things in life. The colour blue is known for its relaxing qualities. Often, blue is used on nighttime consumer products to represent calmness and bedtime.
Violet
The last colour is violet (or purple), which stands for spirit. On its own, purple symbolises pride and is often considered a regal, royal colour. As with blue, purple is considered a calming colour, but unlike blue, purple is associated with spirituality.
Conclusion:
No matter where you come from or who you love – we can all appreciate how far we have come since 1969 when it comes to celebrating equality & diversity in our society today!