Good morning! I’m Lacy McKay, and it’s time for the KSJD Outdoor Report.
Did you know the iconic rainbow Pride flag was handmade by a self-taught artist and activist? Gilbert Baker, an openly gay man and Vietnam War veteran, created the first Pride flag in 1978 at the request of Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S. Baker envisioned a symbol that reflected the beauty and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community—a symbol of love and liberation.
The original flag had eight colors, each with its own meaning:
🌸 Hot pink for sex
❤️ Red for life
🧡 Orange for healing
💛 Yellow for sunlight
💚 Green for nature
🩵 Turquoise for magic
💙 Blue for serenity
💜 Violet for spirit
Because of fabric limitations at the time, the design was later simplified to the six-color version recognized today.
Baker believed flags were powerful tools of visibility and change. He called the rainbow flag his gift to the world—and over the decades, it has become a global emblem of pride, protest, and hope. His design has also evolved over time to be more inclusive of identities across the LGBTQ+ spectrum.
That’s the KSJD Outdoor Report for today. By the way, the word for someone who creates flags is vexillographer.
