Those were phased out in a 1979 modification following the death of San Francisco assemblyman and LGBTQ+ rights activist Harvey Milk. The first flag unveiled 42 years ago had eight stripes, with hot pink representing sex and turquoise for magic. The six stripes in the widely popularized rainbow flag of today each represent an idea that resonates with LGBTQ+ people: red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, blue for peace, and purple for spirit.īut Baker’s flag has changed numerous times throughout the years. The Progress Pride Flag and Philadelphia’s Pride banner made waves at the time, with critics claiming that Gilbert Baker’s 1978 design, which has since been included in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection, didn’t need to be updated. “We still have movement forward to make,” Quasar wrote at the time. In a statement posted to the campaign’s Kickstarter page, Quasar said the goal was to emphasize “what is important in our current community climate,” namely the inclusion of Black, Brown, and trans people long marginalized by the mainstream LGBTQ+ movement.
