47 years — and some clashes — later, Pride flag seems to be gaining more Island allies
More businesses, groups standing up for inclusivity and queer rights, Pride P.E.I. says
Forty-seven years after the rainbow Pride flag was first raised, Pride P.E.I. says the symbol still holds deep meaning as a sign of progress and a reminder that more work remains for true inclusion.
The first rainbow Pride flag was raised on June 25, 1978, by artist, queer activist and drag queen Gilbert Baker. Along with some friends, Baker hoisted two monumental flags above San Francisco's United Nations Plaza.
Cameron Cassidy, the executive director of Pride P.E.I., said the symbol hasn't always been embraced on Prince Edward Island in the decades since then.
"I think it can feel a little discouraging to community when things like that do happen," Cassidy told CBC's Island Morning.
Nearly a decade ago, for example, the town of Montague rejected a request to fly the Pride flag, and there have been incidents where Pride flags were vandalized.
However, Cassidy sees these challenges as opportunities to spark conversations and remind people that while the flag itself may occasionally be damaged or rejected, it cannot erase the existence of 2SLGBTQ+ people.
"One thing I always like to remind myself and remind everyone that I talk to is that queer people have existed everywhere forever. There has never been a moment in life — or an area of the world — where queer people don't exist."
Despite such setbacks, Cassidy has noticed more and more allied businesses and organizations on the Island displaying the flag now.
"That's so meaningful, allies who are ready to step up and to say, 'I see this happening, and I'm not OK with it.' That just builds more space for people to be authentically themselves."
Understanding the Pride flag
Cassidy noted that the original Pride flag actually had eight colours, each representing different aspects of the LGBTQ+ community.
Hot pink represented sex, red symbolized life, orange signified healing, yellow stood for sunlight, green represented nature, turquoise was associated with art, indigo symbolized serenity, and violet represented spirit.
Hot pink and turquoise were later dropped from the flag due to manufacturing difficulties, she said.
In 2018, artist Daniel Quasar introduced the Progress Pride flag.
"That's when we saw the addition of the brown and black stripes that are representative of the hard work that the Brown and Black community members and BIPOC community members have put into the movement, and the trans colours as well," Cassidy said.
In 2021, activist Valentino Vecchietti redesigned the flag, introducing a yellow triangle with a purple circle to represent the intersex community.
Cassidy said the evolution of the flag is a way to honour the history of the Pride movement, which began more than 50 years ago with the Stonewall Riots in New York City, a pivotal point in the LGBT rights movement.
"That was driven by Black, trans women, and so to have those identities represented so clearly on our flag is incredibly important," she said. "It's incredibly important for folks to also understand what all of those stripes mean and how they can be supportive of the breadth of the community."
She added that the fact the original designer of the flag never filed for trademark or copyright protection means that communities are free to use and add to it.
"It's about saying, 'Let's open up our arms and welcome people who identify with lots of different intersections of the community and with lots of different identities.'"
Still more work to do
Despite the progress made on P.E.I., Cassidy emphasized that much work remains.
"There are still people in rural spaces who might not be feeling confident and comfortable coming out and being present or are fearing for what might happen if they do," she said.
"P.E.I. needs to do some work and really show up in those rural spaces in particular, and say, 'Hey, we're here.'"
Events like the P.E.I. Pride Festival continue to play a vital role in the community.
This year's festival, from July 25 to Aug. 3, will feature nearly 50 events, including the Pride Parade on July 26.
Cassidy encouraged Islanders to attend key events, including:
- a partnership with BIPOC USHR for the "Let's Kiki" event, which is a space for the BIPOC queer community;
- the Rainbow Road party; and
- a collaboration with the Native Council of P.E.I. for a Two-Spirit drag extravaganza.
With files from Island Morning