The original 8-striped version, designed by Gilbert Baker, first flies in the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade. July 1 A gay protest rally is held in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada, in response to a visit by Anita Bryant. Public Domainįor decades, the 6-stripe flag stood as the symbol of the Gay Rights movement. There were legal battles fought for the right to freely display that flag in public places. It has also been used as a sign of protest against various governments and their anti-LGBTQ+ policies. Philadelphia adopted a revised flag in 2017 that has since caught on at a larger scale. The new 8-stripe Pride flag includes a black stripe and brown stripe at the top. The new colors are meant to represent people of color who are often ignored in the larger LGBTQ+ community.
There was push back from some people saying that the new flag was divisive and unnecessary yet it continues to spread in popularity, especially among people of color. LGBTQ+ people of color are disproportionately affected by issues such as HIV and AIDS rates, deadly violence, and homelessness. The two stripes were added to bring attention to these issues and was hailed by many LGBTQ+ activists of color.
