The creation of this first flag was long and time consuming due to every process having to be done by hand, from dyeing the stripes to sewing the stripes together. The creation of this flag was an important opportunity for Gilbert and so he rented out a space and recruited friends and colleagues from the LGBTQ+ community to assist in its creation. A flag really fit that mission, because that’s a way of proclaiming your visibility or saying, ‘This is who I am!’ Baker, 2015
‘Our job as gay people was to come out, to be visible, to live in the truth, as I say, to get out of the lie. So the idea of a rainbow flag was born ??.
This was a light bulb moment for Gilbert as he had been exploring the possibilities of a flag representing the LGBTQ+ community for a couple of years, prior to his conversation with Harvey. Why Gilbert? Well he was also well known for being an artist, designer and drag performer, who made many of his own outfits. Harvey approached his friend and fellow rights activist Gilbert Baker, with the idea of a new symbol for the LGBTQ+ community. The first Pride Flag had how many stripes? Appointed to Cities Board of Permit Appeals, San Francisco.Organiser of Castro Street Fair, San Francisco.Creator/President of Castro Village Association, San Francisco.Production Associate Broadway, New York City.Diving Instructor (Lt Junior Grade) Navy.Harvey wanted something new, that would represent community, love, hope and freedom. ‘Before the pink triangle became a worldwide symbol of gay power and pride, it was intended as a badge of shame’ Mullen (2021). The pink triangle was an important symbol for the LGBTQ+ community, however, at the time it had a dark shadow attached, due to its connections with the war. At the time, the only symbol linked with the LGBTQ+ community was the pink triangle ?. He was a strong rights activist, aiming to make the lives better for the LGBTQ+ community, as well as other minority groups. Harvey Milk was an openly gay individual working in politics in San Francisco during the 1970s. But where did it come from? Was it always seen this way? Was it always as we know it? Where did it begin? We see it as a way of life and celebration. We see them on public buildings, in shop windows, across streets while also being incorporated into clothing, pins, badges, stickers and cakes. Of course, if you followed the movement to get a trans pride flag approved by Unicode, the story of the bisexual pride flag emoji will sound familiar.These days we see rainbow flags flying everywhere. The battle for a trans pride flag emoji shows what it takes to get LGBTQ representation in emojis. But considering petitioners for the emoji has made it clear that a lack of bisexual representation contributes to the mental health problems of this group, it’s possible that Unicode and bisexual activists have a different definition of what “compelling evidence” means. What Unicode does recommend for approval is making group submissions and offering compelling evidence. According to statistics compiled by Unicode, flags are among the least used emojis which may explain Unicode’s unwillingness to concentrate their efforts on this category. Statistical evidence is definitely favored by the organization. The Unicode website states: “The submission and selection process isn't affected by simple suggestions, nor by petitions, nor by letters/tweets from celebrities/government officials.”