This was a practice popularized by author Oscar Wilde who was openly gay and would proudly wear a green carnation in public events. That’s why Victorian men at the time would pin a green carnation on their lapels to indicate their identity. Green was a common color to refer to homosexuals, back in 19th-century England. To increase visibility for each sub-sector and sub-culture, different flags have been designed such as the bisexual flag, a lipstick lesbian flag, a pansexual flag, and many other LGBTQ flags. Even the longer version, ‘LGBTQIA+’ is not fully representative of the diversity within the community. Note that the term ‘LGBTQ’ is a blanket name for the entire community and does not represent each part of the gender spectrum. Strewn across flags, banners, and pins, the rainbow symbolizes the diversity of gays and lesbians around the world.įirst designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978, the original version of the LGBTQ rainbow had eight colors representing different things that are necessary for liberation.įrom the original eight-color version, the LGBTQ Pride Flag has evolved to take on several different versions and iterations.
The most recognizable symbol that represents the LGBTQ community today is the rainbow.
