Every year during summer, lesbian (女同), gay (男同), bisexual (双性恋), and transgender (变性人) people all across the world particpate in street marches to celebrate their culture and pride. If you have ever had the experience of watching a pride parade, the colourful flags waved by the marching crowds would definitely catch your attention. These flags do have a name, they are known as the rainbow flag.
The rainbow flag is a symbol of the LGBT pride and social movements and more importantly a symbol of diversity. It was originally designed by an American artist and gay rights activist named Gilbert Baker for his community in the1970s.
As the name suggests, the choice and order of colours follows the colour spectrum of a real rainbow. The flag has six horizontal stripes which are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet from the top to the bottom (only one colour, indigo, is missing). At pride parades, you can find these colours not only on the flags, but also on balloons, people’s hair and T-shirts. By wearing these colours, people show their support of a diverse and inclusive society. So wear one today to show your support!
