‘A Rainbow Flag would be our modern alternative to the pink triangle (the symbol for the gay movement up until the 70s). It was also found in Chinese, Egyptian and Native American history. In the Book of Genesis, it appeared as proof of a covenant between God and all living creatures. ‘The rainbow came from earliest recorded history as a symbol of hope. ‘…a Rainbow Flag was a conscious choice, natural and necessary. This was our new revolution: a tribal, individualistic, and collective vision. ‘As a community, both local and international, gay people were in the midst of an upheaval, a battle for equal rights, a shift in status where we were now demanding power, taking it. Recalling the moment he came up with the idea of a rainbow flag, Gilbert explains in his book Stitching A Rainbow: The colours of the flag each had a meaning assigned by Gilbert: Originally designed by American artist and gay rights activist Gilbert Baker in 1978, the rainbow flag was originally made up of eight stripes.
Artist Gilbert Baker with the original 8 stripe rainbow flag.
