I recently decided to try to make several queer videos over the course of June 2023. I'm not sure that I'll post the script from each one, but since I did a significant amount of research for this video, I wanted to post my sources and script. Truthfully, after the amount of editing and filming difficulties, I didn't want to write another full article about the pride flag, but I did truthfully enjoy learning about the history and path that was taken to get to today's flag.
You probably recognize the pride flag, but do you know what each color actually means? The pride flag I grew up seeing is a little different than the one we’re using in 2023. Today’s iteration of the pride flag is called the “Progress Pride Flag” recreated in 2018 by artist Daniel Quasar (3) (they/them, xe/xem), but it’s based off of the one made in 1979 by Gilbert Baker with the six rainbow colors. In both flags,
Red means Life
Orange means Healing
Yellow means Sunlight
Green means Nature
Dark Blue means Serenity
and Purple means spirit - none of these colors stand for a sexuality. I had no idea.
But with Quasar’s flag, they wanted further expand on the “More Color, More Pride” flag, unveiled in Philidephia in 2017 by Amber Hikes who said “We actually worked with an ad agency to develop a symbol that really spoke to the experiences of LGBTQ people of colour, that are distinctly different to those of the white LGBTQ people.” according to a Gay Times Article.
Quasar expanded on this flag in particular to include the colors from the trans flag, created by Monica Helms in 1999. Quasar kept Helm’s meanings from her flag with
Light Blue for Boys
Pink for Girls
and White being Non-Binary or anybody who doesn’t feel included in that gender binary.
On the website progress.gay where you can learn all about the current pride flag (recording), the black stripe is also in reference to the Victory over AIDS flag, suggested by Sergeant Leonard Matlovich while the red also represents AIDS awareness and the constant search for a cure.
So the colors of the pride flag can have multiple means, but like Quasar says on their website “art is subjective”. Regardless of what the colors mean, celebrate you as loud and proud as you can year round. Stay safe.
Sources: