Why is the LGBT flag without blue? Why do sexual minorities use the rainbow flag? How do LGBT people live in Russia?

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. You've probably heard or seen the abbreviation LGBT more than once in magazines and newspapers, but not everyone understood what was hidden behind these four letters (although you guessed it 🙂).

Today I will try to explain in simple words what it is, how this abbreviation stands for, and tell other information on this topic.

What is LGBT and what does it stand for?

Let's figure it out.

According to Wikipedia, LGBT is an acronym used to refer to all sexual minorities: lesbians, gays, bisexuals and.

The designation came from the English language, where LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender. The abbreviation has been used since the 90s of the 20th century to unite all representatives of non-traditional orientation in order to tell the world about its different sides.

The goal of the movement under this name is the fight for the rights of sexual minorities, and the motto “My life - my rules” encourages others to consider gay people as full members of society.

Flag color and other symbols of the LGBT community

Now that you know what LGBT means, it's time to talk about the symbolism of the movement. There are several distinctive signs that help representatives of non-traditional sexual minorities stand out; they are regularly used in gay pride parades and other events.

Among them:

LGBT activists and the fight for equal rights

In principle, this knowledge about LGBT (decoding each letter of the abbreviation and information about symbolism) will be enough for most readers (for general, so to speak, development). But I still briefly propose to talk about the activists of the movement.

The leaders of this movement are seeking recognition of the rights of sexual minorities in each specific country at the legislative level.

Activists, in order to popularize their views, organize gay pride parades, demonstrations, and others in order to win people over to their community.

In addition to stories about LGBT, what it is and what goals it pursues, they try to draw attention to the problems of modern sexual minorities in society.

Priority Goals movement activists:

1. the possibility of representatives of non-traditional orientations for social adaptation;
2. reducing the level of hostility, attacks and insults towards LGBT people;
3. providing timely medical care to transgender people, homosexuals, lesbians;
4. the opportunity to enter into official same-sex marriages and have children;
5. equality in all areas of activity, including when applying for work or studying at a higher educational institution.

In the European Union and the United States, LGBT activists have achieved their goals. Gay pride parades are periodically held in China, Venezuela and even Turkey, where the majority of the population professes Islam.

This is a deplorable situation for gay people and strict Muslim countries like Iran, Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia, where homosexuals are sometimes physically destroyed.

Many celebrities do not hesitate to openly declare their orientation and actively fight for equal rights for members of sexual minorities, setting an example for others.

Here are a few famous personalities who did not hesitate to reveal themselves:

1. Elton John. The singer committed (confessed to homosexuality) back in 1976, when even Western countries were not so loyal to homosexuals. Now Sir Elton John is officially married and has children.
2. Tom Ford. The famous designer admitted to being gay in 1997, later married a man, and since 2012 they have been raising a child together.
3. Thomas Hitzlsperger. In the sports world, people are still afraid to admit their non-traditional sexual orientation, fearing misunderstanding from fans and potential employers. German footballer Thomas Hitzlsperger played for clubs such as Bayern Munich, Aston Villa, Stuttgart, Lazio, Westham, Wolfsburg and Everton, after which he ended his playing career and admitted to homosexuality.

How do LGBT people live in Russia?

In Western countries, children are taught “about this” (what this concept means) from an early age, and explained that such people also have the right to self-expression (which is not bad). Another thing is that lately it has become more like an advertisement such a way of life as more correct (which is absurd).

In Russia, representatives of sexual minorities face not only homophobia (although this does happen), but intolerance on the part of the population and government towards advertising and popularization of deviations. Officially at the legislative level Propaganda prohibited non-traditional sexual relations among persons under 18 years of age.

Gay pride parades, same-sex marriages, direct or indirect support for LGBT people - all this is an unaffordable luxury in Russia. Representatives of sexual minorities most often have to hide their orientation, and there is no opportunity for them to create a family at the official level.

Tolerance, but not the creation of a cult (IMHO)

Now you know more about this topic and which celebrities openly talk about their homosexuality, and how do they relate to sexual minorities in Russia. I’ll dwell a little on the latter.

Now in the United States there is an acute problem (all of their major media outlets write about it) - men. This may seem strange to us from Russia, but for our rights it has distorted the situation so much that men in the United States now find themselves practically powerless and are slowly “degenerating.”

In South Africa, the situation with the struggle of the black population for their rights led to a completely opposite result. Now apartheid there is the opposite - the white population is practically deprived of all rights and is openly discriminated against.

Once you accelerate, it is very difficult to stop and not tip the balance in the other direction.

It will lead to the same sad result aggressive fight for the right to “normality” of the LGBT community. This needs to be understood and taken into account. It’s one thing to cultivate a tolerant attitude in society (it’s not people’s fault that nature has decreed it this way) and another thing to “pump up rights,” as feminists have done for decades in the States.

Therefore, I am impressed by Russia’s balanced approach to this issue. But that doesn't mean you have to agree with me. It is even good when there are many opinions, because this allows you to achieve the most.

Good luck to you! See you soon on the pages of the blog site

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In this article we will try to consider the gay flag in as much detail as possible. What is it usually called? Many people call it a multi-colored panel consisting of a rainbow palette. In general, various variations of the flag are known, but they are all based on a universal change of colors: red gives way to orange, then we see yellow, then green, and purple. As a rule, this combination does not coincide with the generally accepted canons of heraldry.

Rainbow flag

The gay flag is known in various movements and cultures. Today, some of the most popular and familiar versions are: the “Pride Flag” (the emblem of the organization of lesbians and gays), the “Banner of Peace” (the symbol of the peace movement), the flag of the coalition of indigenous peoples of America. The similarity of their design often leads to confusion.

In general, the gay flag is an international emblem of the formation of gays, lesbians, transgender and bisexual people (LGBT community), as well as activists advocating for human rights in relation to them. As a rule, the panel of this product consists of six stripes, the colors of which are placed according to the natural order of the rainbow from top to bottom.

The flag is used in gay pride marches and other public events. Very often it is placed on the buildings of LGBT organizations, “Gay-friendly” establishments, in gay neighborhoods, and so on.

Vocation

The gay flag is meant to represent unity in diversity and the joy and beauty of LGBT communities. It represents the concept of gay pride and publicity. The author of the rainbow cloth is the artist Gilbert Baker. He explains its meaning as follows: “The original idea is called liberation.

In fact, this is a chance to throw off the shackles, going beyond the boundaries created by fear and the desire to conform to standards, the right to declare one's sexuality without shame and fear of retribution from the founders of ethical laws."

Revolution

Every revolution begins with the word “no”: no to violence, no to injustice, no to oppression, no to discrimination, no to slavery, no to living under the yoke of every moment of fear. Yes - love. The flag of the gay movement supported this idea for thirty years.

In general, the rainbow banner lives because it depicts all of us in all our diversity and beauty. It is known that each such attribute is a symbol of an idea. The gay flag (its colors) stands for common sense and decisive action.

Creation

So, we understand what the gay flag looks like. We already know that the rainbow banner was designed by Gilbert Baker specifically for the gay pride parade, which was held in 1978 in San Francisco. At the same time, openly gay Harvey Milk was elected to political office for the first time in California as a member of the city board of supervisors.

During the same period, state conservatives launched a campaign aimed at introducing discriminatory amendments to the law (the “Briggs Proposal”).

Gilbert Baker responded to the call of social activists of the gay movement to create the brightest symbol that would consolidate and personify the LGBT formation. The artist notes: “When I created the flag for the gay movement, there was no other international emblem for us except the pink triangle that the Nazis used to mark gays in concentration camps. Although this pink figure is a powerful symbol, it was still forced upon us.”

It is known that Gilbert Baker and activists decorated and sewed two impressive muslin canvases with their own hands. The flag was first presented on June 25, 1978 during the gay pride parade, which attracted a record 250 thousand participants. This date is now celebrated as Rainbow Banner Day.

Colors

At first the flag was composed of eight stripes. Baker assigned a specific meaning to each color:

• Luscious pink represents sexuality.
• Life is marked in red.
• Health is associated with orange.
• Yellow has always been a sunny color.
• Green represents nature.
• Magic or art is indicated in turquoise.
• Strength of spirit and spiritual origins - indigo.

There are several guesses why in the future the pink and then the turquoise stripe disappeared from the flag. At the same time, blue appeared instead of indigo. They say that after the murder of openly gay politician Harvey Milk, which occurred on November 27, 1978, protests were organized, thanks to which the popularity of the flag increased significantly.

It is known that the modification appeared due to technical and economic problems with gross production. Other sources claim that one of the stores, in order to satisfy the increased demand, began to sell from warehouses surplus flags of the “Rainbow Girls” structure, which did not have a pink stripe.

However, the elimination of the turquoise stripe allegedly occurred in preparation for the 1979 San Francisco Gay Pride Parade. It was then that the designers decided to “split” the flag in order to build a frame for the procession on both sides of the avenue. And for this it had to have an even number of stripes.

These signs, varying in origin and meaning, help LGBT people identify themselves and increase confidence and self-esteem in the face of discrimination and oppression. They demonstrate community unity, openness, pride and shared values. LGBT symbols play an important role in creating visibility for a community that was previously marginalized and invisible. The most famous of them are the rainbow flag and the pink triangle.

Pink triangle– the oldest and one of the most recognizable symbols of the community. It dates back to the times of Nazi Germany, in which homosexual men were prosecuted as criminals. Together with other Holocaust victims, they were sent to concentration camps, where their clothes were marked with a pink triangle. According to various sources, from 5 to 15 thousand homosexual men were imprisoned in concentration camps. Most of them died because they suffered cruel treatment not only from the guards and administration, but also from other prisoners.

In the early 1970s, LGBT organizations in the United States and Germany began a campaign to popularize the pink triangle as a symbol of the movement. It is now used to commemorate a tragic past, demonstrate the struggle for human rights and express hope for a new era of freedom, openness and pride.

Rainbow flag(also known as the Pride Flag, Freedom Flag) is one of the most popular and well-known LGBT symbols. Traditionally, the flag consists of six longitudinal stripes, the colors of which follow the natural order of the rainbow from top to bottom: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. The flag is meant to represent unity in diversity, beauty and joy of the LGBT community. He is the personification of pride and openness.

The rainbow flag was designed by Gilbert Baker specifically for the 1978 San Francisco Gay Pride. This year was historic for the local LGBT community - for the first time in California, openly gay Harvey Milk was elected to political office (as a member of the city board of supervisors).

Bisexual flag. The first bisexual pride flag was designed by Michael Page and first appeared on the 1st anniversary of BiCafe on December 5, 1998. This is a rectangular flag of three horizontal stripes: a wide purple (lilac) stripe at the top, representing the field of attraction for homosexuals; a wide blue stripe at the bottom, representing the opposite field of attraction (heterosexuals), and a lavender stripe (purple) occupying the central part as a fusion of the two areas, which symbolizes attraction to both sexes (bisexuals).

Purple hand- a symbol of protest of the 60s, got its name in San Francisco. A group of homosexuals protesting homophobia stained their hands with ink and left their handprints on houses, vehicles, fences, etc.

The most popular and recognizable transgender symbol represents the signs of the female and male gender combined together - a ring with an upward-pointing arrow, denoting the masculine principle, and a downward-pointing cross, denoting the feminine principle; sometimes this is also accompanied by a combined arrow and cross.

Many people mistakenly believe that the rainbow flag is nothing more than a symbol of homosexuality. However, this is not entirely true, as I recently became convinced of.
The rainbow flag today is a symbol of the great diversity of people, cultures, religions and universal tolerance for each other. Moreover, the rainbow plays the role of one of the important symbols in world religions. For example, in the Bible it symbolizes the union between God and man, and also means transformation, different states of consciousness, the meeting of Heaven with Earth, a bridge between the world and paradise. And Arab Druze (one of the branches of Ismailism) consider the rainbow flag a symbol of their community.

During the Peasants' War in Germany (1524-1525), the German reformer Thomas Münzer chose the rainbow as a symbol of the Eternal Divine Union, and in April 1525 a long, approximately 13-meter white flag was made, on which a rainbow was placed and a quote from the Bible: “Verbum domini maneat in eternum”, which translated into Russian means “The Word of God is eternal.” The peasant uprising was suppressed, the cunning German was executed by cutting off his head, and the situation of the peasants themselves only worsened, as the embittered nobles tightened the screws on them even more and with particular zeal began to impose taxes on the villagers.

Since 1961, the rainbow flag has been used as the flag of the international peace movement "Bandiera della Pace". The author of the flag was the Italian pacifist Aldo Capitini. The peculiarity of this flag is that the color stripes are in reverse order, i.e. from purple to red, and also on the flag there is an inscription in Italian “PACE”, or in other languages ​​- “Peace”, “Paix”, “Shalom”, “Peace”, etc. The flag was first used at a peace demonstration on September 24, 1961, and in 2003, during the Iraq War, many Italians came out in support of the Iraqi civilian population and followed the call “Pace da tutti i balconi” (“Peace from all balconies” ), hung flags on their balconies and walls of their houses.

The Jewish Autonomous Region, in which only 1.2% of Jews live, has a flag that is a white cloth, on the horizontal axis of which there is a colored stripe symbolizing a rainbow.

There are other rainbow flags. For example, among the Incas.

The thing that gets me the most, of course, is the pixelated flag of the Aymara Indians. If you look closely, you will notice that it is essentially a modification of the banner of the Inca Empire, the people of which these Indians belong to.

Or this flag. An unknowing person might think that this is a symbol of gay Britain, but this is not so. This is the flag of Batasuna, a separatist Basque National Socialist party active in Spain and France and banned due to its links to the terrorist group ETA.

Well, now about pederasts. The rainbow became a global banner for gays and lesbians in the 70s, when artist Gilbert Baker, borrowing the rainbow from hippies, proposed it as a symbol of the gay pride parade, which was organized in San Francisco in 1979. According to the artist's plan, the flag should have eight stripes to demonstrate the diversity of this movement. Each stripe symbolized one of the components of the ideology of the gay movement: hot pink - sexuality, red - life, orange - health, yellow - sun, green - nature, turquoise - art, indigo - harmony, purple - fortitude and spirituality. However, due to imperfect printing technologies, pink and turquoise had to be abandoned and removed from the flag, and indigo replaced with blue. Thus, the flag became six-stripe, and homosexuals lost their sexuality and were left without art. :)

Indeed, few people have noticed that the rainbow flag of the LGBT community (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) does not have blue.

Unlike a natural phenomenon (or, in scientific terms, the spectrum of refraction of a light beam), instead of seven colorful colors, there are only six on the LGBT flag.

The author of this flag is a little-known character named Gilbert Baker, who created this symbolism by order before a large parade for the freedom of gay rights in San Francisco in 1978.

Now it is difficult to say what logic Baker followed when sewing the colored stripes for the flag. It is likely that the story about banal savings on material, due to which the number of colors in the rainbow has been reduced, is true.

As we see, while communism was being built in the USSR and Christians were being repressed, in the West representatives of non-traditional sexual orientation were already defending their rights to the fullest. Thirty years later, this wave has reached us, judging by the recent frequency of statements regarding sexual rights. And so far we hear only isolated remarks about tolerance and freedom of choice of sexual self-identification, but we can be sure that this propaganda will have the widest distribution.

The Lord calls us to love people, but to hate sin. In LGBT issues, it is quite difficult to maintain this balance, but maintaining neutrality, as it may seem to many of us, is not an option. One way or another, we are all involved in this propaganda. Either we fight it with “spiritual weapons” - love, blessings and prayers, or we support it. LGBT people are already present in your homes, at least in the form of harmless rainbow emoticons on iPhones, mobile applications and social networks. Notice how many colors are in your emoji rainbow? And on which rainbow is the cutest unicorn from the Facebook emoji collection sitting?

Not paying attention to these “little things” means promoting the spread. By introducing such attributes into everyday life, we help society get used to these phenomena. And once society gets used to it, it recognizes it as normal. Do we want such a perspective for the world in which our children will grow up and serve God?

Flag - origins and symbolism

There are many theories about why the rainbow became a symbol of the gay movement. Here is the most beautiful of them. The so-called “Stonewall riots” - riots and clashes with police in the New York gay bar Stonewall, considered the beginning of the organized struggle of homosexuals for their rights - occurred at the end of June 1969. On June 22 of the same year, the famous Hollywood actress and singer Judy Garland, best known for her role as the girl Dorothy in the film “The Wizard of Oz” and the song from this film “Over the Rainbow,” died. Garland was one of the first “icons” of the gay movement, the “Elvis of homosexuals,” and many who gathered at the Stonewall bar on the night of June 28 came straight from the funeral of their favorite artist.

Another theory is that Baker borrowed his idea from the so-called “race flags” - five horizontal stripes (red, white, brown, yellow and black) that were popular in the 60s during anti-war demonstrations on university campuses. This flag was popular among hippies, one of whose heroes was the famous poet and pioneer of the gay movement Allen Ginsberg. Under the influence of Ginsberg, Baker decided to use just such an idea.

Be that as it may, Baker’s flag already consisted of eight horizontal stripes, and each color, according to the author’s idea, was a symbol of one or another important component of human existence:

Pink - sexuality;

Red - life;

Orange - healing;

Yellow - Sun;

Green - nature;

Turquoise - art;

Dark blue - harmony;

Purple is the human spirit.

Subsequently, however, he explained his choice much more simply: “We needed something beautiful, something of ours. The rainbow is great because it reflects our diversity in terms of race, gender, age and so on.”

Modifications, Variations and Acceptance

Thirty volunteers helped Baker hand-dye and sew the first two rainbow flags used by activists for the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade on June 25, 1978.

Everyone liked the flag, but attempts to put its production on an industrial basis encountered unexpected difficulties. The pink color Baker selected turned out to be very rare and expensive, and had to be abandoned.

The next modification occurred in 1979. During the next parade, flags were hung vertically from lampposts on San Francisco's main street, Market Street. However, the central stripe was almost completely hidden behind the pillar itself. To prevent this from happening, the number of stripes had to become even, and since then the flag has six of them - red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.

At the height of the AIDS epidemic, activists came up with another variation of the flag - with a black stripe pasted on it. Shortly before his death from AIDS in 1988, nationally known Vietnam War veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and gay activist Leonard Maltovich proposed that the black stripes should be removed and burned when medicine was able to defeat the disease.

In 1994, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, Baker was commissioned to create the world's largest rainbow flag. He received a similar order in 2003, this time to celebrate the quarter-century anniversary of the flag itself. A banner 10 meters wide and two kilometers long decorated the gay pride parade in Key West, Florida. It was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest flag. After the parade, the flag was cut into pieces and sent to gay communities around the world.

In 2004, a group of Australian LGBT activists took a boat to the uninhabited Coral Sea Islands Territory, declared it independent from Australia, proclaimed the islands the Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands, and the rainbow flag as the official flag of the new state.

Here is a simple tip on how to remember which colors and in what order are located in a real, God-given rainbow: Every Hunter Wants to Know Where the Pheasant Sits (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet).

Now you can definitely tell the difference between a true rainbow and a pride flag. Just remember that Jesus died for every person, and every member of the LGBT community is the same beloved creation of our common Father.