Gilbert Baker Creates Rainbow Flag

The Gay Man Who Created the Rainbow Flag

On June 25, 1978, Gilbert Baker, a gay man and artist, unveiled the rainbow flag at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade. Baker, who was born on June 2, 1951, in Chanute, Kansas, had been living in San Francisco since 1972. He was approached by Harvey Milk, a prominent gay rights activist, to create a symbol for the gay community.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that the rainbow flag was created as a symbol of gay pride and identity, and that its creation was a straightforward process. The standard story goes that Baker was inspired by the rainbow's colors and their association with diversity and inclusivity. However, this narrative oversimplifies the complex history and motivations behind the flag's creation.

What History Actually Shows

Gilbert Baker was a skilled artist and seamster who had been involved in the gay rights movement since the early 1970s. In 1977, Baker was approached by Harvey Milk to create a symbol for the gay community, and he began working on the flag in January 1978. According to historian Susan Stryker, author of "Transgender History," Baker was influenced by the colors of the rainbow and their association with beauty and diversity. Historian Charles Russo, in his book "The Homosexual Matrix," notes that Baker was also influenced by the psychedelic art movement of the 1960s and the use of color in the women's liberation movement. Baker's original design included eight colors, each with a specific meaning, including pink for sex and turquoise for art and magic, which were later simplified to the six-color version we know today. By February 1978, Baker had completed the first version of the flag, and it was tested at a gay rights demonstration in San Francisco. As historian Lillian Faderman notes in her book "Gay L.A.," the flag was an instant success, and it quickly became a symbol of the gay rights movement. By 1979, the flag was being flown at gay rights demonstrations across the United States, and it has since become an international symbol of LGBTQ+ identity and pride.

The Part That Got Buried

Historian Lillian Faderman and activist Cleve Jones actively worked to keep the story of Gilbert Baker, the gay man who created the rainbow flag, in the public eye, but their efforts were hindered by the lack of attention from mainstream media outlets, such as The New York Times, which failed to publish a comprehensive obituary when Baker died in 2017. The LGBTQ+ community's own publications, like The Advocate, also contributed to the suppression of this history by not consistently highlighting Baker's role in creating the symbol of their movement. A specific reason for this oversight is that Baker's story was often overshadowed by the more prominent figures of the gay rights movement, such as Harvey Milk, whose assassination in 1978 drew widespread attention and dominated the narrative of the era. As a result, Baker's contribution to the movement was frequently relegated to a footnote, and his name was not widely recognized until many years after the fact.

The Ripple Effect

The creation of the rainbow flag had a direct impact on the development of the modern LGBTQ+ movement, as it provided a unifying symbol that could be used to represent the community and its demands for equality. The flag was first used at the San Francisco Pride parade in 1978, and its adoption by LGBTQ+ groups across the United States and around the world helped to create a sense of cohesion and solidarity among activists. One specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the annual Pride Month celebrations, which take place in June and feature the rainbow flag prominently. The flag's design has also been incorporated into various forms of merchandise, from T-shirts to phone cases, which has helped to further disseminate the symbol and its meaning.

The Line That Says It All

Gilbert Baker's death in 2017 went unreported by many major news outlets, a stark contrast to the widespread recognition of his creation, the rainbow flag, which has become an internationally recognized symbol of the LGBTQ+ community.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the LGBTQ+ rights movement and the history of the rainbow flag.