Who owns the rights to the rainbow colours?
In 1978, Gilbert Baker created an eight striped rainbow flag for the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day celebration. Since then, the Pride flag has evolved many times, from losing its pink stripe because the fabric was too difficult to source in the late ‘70’s (Wareham, 2020) to gaining black and brown stripes to highlight the difficulties faced by LGBTQIA+ people of colour (Post Staff Report, 2017). The now typically six-striped symbol of hope and unity was adopted for a new purpose in 2020 - as a symbol of support for the NHS.
It’s easy to see how this expansion of the rainbow symbol would bring unease to the LGBTQIA+ community. To watch the meaning of Pride’s core symbol being rewritten can spark fear of identity erasure in many, especially given that the LGBTQIA+ community is already vulnerable. After 42 years of the rainbow representing the LGBTQIA+ fight, LGBTQIA+ issues are becoming an afterthought as the symbol’s meaning evolves – causing a ripple of anxiety. An example of the damage this expansion has caused is evident through the use of NHS lanyards. In March 2019, many NHS staff started wearing rainbow lanyards to show solidarity with LGBTQIA+ patients and staff (NHS England, 2019). It helped to create a clear safe space. Now, however, this meaning is not so clear, and instead seems to be showing support for the NHS, thus rendering their original purpose somewhat harder to achieve.
“ It’s easy to see how this expansion of the rainbow symbol would bring unease to the LGBTQIA+ community”
However, a meteorological phenomenon cannot be owned. It was used as a symbol of hope long before 1978. For example, in Ancient Greece, the rainbow was seen as a sign that the messenger Goddess Iris had come down to Earth from Olympus (Coward 2020). Furthermore, the rainbow’s visible-light colour spectrum represents an incredibly powerful symbol of unity. The goal of using this symbol during the coronavirus pandemic is to spread positivity, show support for the NHS, and inspire people for better days to come (Mathers, 2020). This activity opened the door to conversations about the current global pandemic in a way that was accessible to young children as it simultaneously highlights the seriousness of the topic, while bringing hope for tomorrow and allows them to use creativity to explore this turbulent time.
“ The goal of using this symbol during the coronavirus pandemic is to spread positivity.”
It seems, however, that the commercialisation of the rainbow symbol – rather than the amateur artwork – is the most controversial issue within the LGBT+ community. For example, many were left uneasy when Plymouth CityBus temporarily rebranded their Pride bus in support of the NHS instead, including bisexual activist Lois Shearing who has come out against the rebranding arguing: ‘if CityBus had offered free rides to NHS workers or free rides on their rainbow bus during Pride, that would be actual allyship.’ Furthermore, the reassignment of things ‘Pride intended’ is more evident in the retail industry as the cancellation of hundreds of Prides this year has left many companies unable to shift stock. As Ben Hunte (2020) writes, ‘a staff member told BBC News one of Britain's leading High Street retailers had planned to release rainbow merchandise supporting the NHS, featuring ‘a very similar design’ to their recently cancelled Pride campaign.’ This sends the uncomfortable message of profit over pride.
“ We must ensure that the rainbow continues to provide hope for the future”
A symbol as strong and well known as the rainbow has been seen and used by generations and holds different meanings to many across history. Its presence, and the fact that it emerges following rainfall under sunlight – strikes a chord of hope in many. Sending humans across the globe into a brief trance of tranquility. Whether fighting for equality in the LGBT+ community, or as a demonstration of support in today’s coronavirus pandemic, we must ensure that the rainbow continues to provide hope for the future.
Article written by Sarah Broadwell
(She/Her)
Works Cited
Wareham, J. (2020) Why Some LGBT+ People Feel Uneasy At The Sight Of NHS Rainbow Flags. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiewareham/2020/05/06/should-the-lgbt-community-call-out-nhs-appropriation-of-rainbow-flag/#4b11c4a6d544 (Accessed: 30 July 2020).
Post Staff Report (2017) New pride flag divides Philly’s gay community. Available at: https://nypost.com/2017/06/16/new-pride-flag-divides-phillys-gay-community/ (Accessed: 30 July 2020).
National Health Service (2019) NHS is out and proud for Pride. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2019/07/nhs-is-out-and-proud-for-pride/?fbclid=IwAR3YhQpRsnw1gbgokDuhLLYmkOm24zkAeC5km1iKMvNG24DC7onVa6IO1c4 (Accessed: 30 July 2020).
Coward, S. [@sacha_coward] (2020) 37th up: Rainbows in 60 seconds! [Twitter] 21 April. Available at: https://twitter.com/sacha_coward/status/1252551768275324928 (Accessed: 30 July 2020).
Mathers, M. (2020) Coronavirus: Rainbow posters from around the country show how children pay tribute to NHS workers. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/coronavirus-nhs-nightingale-hospital-rainbows-art-drawing-painting-a9452806.html (Accessed: 30 July 2020).
Murray, R. (2020) Why rainbows have appeared in hundreds of windows across Bristol. Available at: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/rainbows-appeared-hundreds-windows-across-4017312 (Accessed: 30 July 2020).
Shearing, L. (2020) It’s vital that we distinguish between rainbows for LGBTQ Pride and for the NHS. Available at: https://metro.co.uk/2020/05/28/vital-distinguish-rainbows-pride-rainbows-nhs-12748576/ (Accessed: 30 July 2020).
Hunte, B. (2020) Coronavirus: ‘I was attacked for hanging my rainbow flag’. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52724818 (Accessed: 30 July 2020).