COLORADO SPRINGS — During pride month, it is not uncommon to see the rainbow flag being proudly displayed as a symbol for the LGBT+ rights movement, but how did that flag become a symbol of pride?
June has long been recognized as LGBTQ pride month, in honor of the Stonewall Riots, which took place in New York City in June 1969. The artist Gilbert Baker, an openly gay man, designed the first rainbow flag. Baker was urged by Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S., to create a symbol of pride for the gay community. Baker decided to make that symbol a flag because he saw flags as the most powerful symbol of pride.
The very first rainbow pride flag was designed and hand-made by Baker and a group of volunteers in 1978 for the Gay Freedom Day Parade in San Francisco. It wasn't until 1994 that the rainbow flag was truly established as the symbol of pride.
Now the rainbow flag is an international symbol and can be seen flying proudly across the globe.
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