The Rainbow Flag: From Radical Roots to Corporate Co-option

The Rainbow Pride Flag. You’ve seen it. You’ve probably worn it. Maybe you’ve even cried under it. But how well do you really know the story behind those six little stripes that now blanket every storefront from June 1 to 30?

Spoiler: It didn’t start with six stripes. And it definitely didn’t start as a marketing tool.

A Flag Was Born (But It Looked Very Different)

Back in 1978, Gilbert Baker—an openly gay artist, drag queen, and activist—designed the original Rainbow Flag. Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S., had challenged him to create a symbol for the community. Baker took inspiration from the rainbow as a natural symbol of diversity and beauty.

The first version? It had eight stripes. Each one had meaning:

• Hot Pink: Sex
• Red: Life
• Orange: Healing
• Yellow: Sunlight
• Green: Nature
• Turquoise: Magic/Art
• Indigo: Serenity
• Violet: Spirit

It was bold. Vibrant. Intentional. And absolutely unfit for mass production.

Cutting It Down to Size

After the first public debut at the 1978 San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade, the flag had to be reproduced—fast. But hot pink fabric was basically impossible to source. So, it was cut. Down to seven.

Later, turquoise and indigo were merged into one royal blue stripe. Why? To make the flag symmetrical when hung on lampposts.

So yeah, practicality won over meaning. What was once deeply symbolic became something that looked good in a vertical banner.

The Six-Stripe Standard

Today, the six-stripe version—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet—is the most recognized Pride flag in the world. It’s the version you’ll see on shirts, in windows, and yes, in our shop. Our Rainbow Pride pins follow this six-stripe design because it’s become a universal shorthand for LGBTQ+ identity.

But we don’t forget where it came from.

We honor Gilbert Baker’s original eight-stripe vision by educating about the history, the changes, and the people who were left out of the mainstream narrative. Our six-stripe pins are a way to show visibility—but also spark conversations about what’s missing, who’s still fighting, and why representation should never be static.

From Protest Symbol to Profit Center

Now, the Rainbow Flag is everywhere. But let’s be real: visibility isn’t the same as liberation. Rainbow capitalism is alive and well. Corporations slap on a rainbow every June while donating to anti-LGBTQ+ politicians or ignoring real advocacy work.

Meanwhile, the people who need the most support—trans folks, especially Black trans women, queer youth of color, disabled queer folks—are often the ones least represented under this symbol.

Why Our Rainbow Pins Aren’t Just Merch

We’re not here to slap rainbows on things and call it allyship. Our six-stripe Rainbow Pride pin is a nod to visibility, but it’s grounded in truth. We’re transparent about its history, intentional about who we support, and clear that a pin alone won’t change the world—but it can show you’re paying attention.

And while we don’t attach a percentage to a single cause, we support grassroots organizations year-round like:

• Zebra Coalition — supporting LGBTQ+ youth facing homelessness, bullying, and abuse.
• Belong: Fox Valley — building inclusive spaces in Fox Valley Area - Illinois.

Wear It Loud, But Know the Story

The rainbow flag wasn’t born to decorate cubicles during Pride Month. It was created as a radical declaration of presence. Of survival. Of power.

So wear it. Love it. But don’t forget what it cost to get here. And don’t let the story end with six neat little stripes.