This is something that I have wondered about recently. Why is the symbol for our community a rainbow? Does anyone know how that started? I guess we are thought of as a festive bunch, so being colorful might be thought of, at least that is my guess. But does anyone know the real reason for how that started?
I'm as oblivious as you, I don't even like rainbows...I don't like the idea that we have a symbol/flag because it's like we're from another country or planet. I personally think it alienates us more.
It means diversity, and how cisgendered straights and LGBTs need to stick together. Every color in a rainbow is different, right? Well, sometimes people are different, like they're gay. The colors are together in a rainbow because it shows how we need to stick together and that differences don't matter. ^^
Gees, I don't know.... it's just like the word gay. In the old days it used to describe a mood of a person. say this person is gay was meant this person is in a friendly festive kind of mood. when the word was used to describe sexuality, I don't know. The same as the flag. But i think CrystalRaindrop has a point. the different colors represents the different sexualities out there
I always thought it was to represent the broad spectrum of sexuality and diversity of society in general. I also always made the connection with Wizard of Oz, but that might just be me .
The original gay-pride flag was hand-dyed by Gilbert Baker. It flew in the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade on June 25, 1978. It has been suggested that Baker was inspired by Judy Garland's singing "Over the Rainbow". The flag consisted of eight stripes; Baker assigned specific meaning to each of the colours: hot pink: sexuality red: life orange: healing yellow: sunlight green: nature turquoise: magic/art indigo/blue: serenity/harmony violet: spirit From wikipedia
The rainbow flag actually has a long history and they gay community isn't the first community to use it. We just simply really made it our own and one point. You can read the summary of things on wikipedia if you are interested CrystalRaindrop is correct though. The flag is suppoused to represent the unison of different "colors" in life. Each color has its own meaning as well (one of the reasons why we wear purple for Spirit Day) I used to really despise it before and while I was coming out, but now I really like it a lot due to its history and the hope it represents to a lot of people. And yes, you are right. It does set us apart a bit, but that's part of the point. The main idea was to give gay people some sort of identity. Something that a lot of us might take for granted, but back then being gay wasn't something that was very palpable. The flag, like any other flag, gives people that sense of community.
I've always just thought it was because of the stereotype that all gay guys are really "happy" and feminine. So the word "gay" and rainbows are just associated with them. I guess that's about what society thinks the reason is to...
My curiosity always gets the better of me, but that makes sense. All different but being united. And a rainbow is arched, so it might be a way of saying not straight at the same time. Interesting stuff
