There are many gay symbols that have been around for quite sometime . For example the Rainbow Flag was created in 1978 for the San Francisco's Gay Freedom Celebration. It was created by Gilbert Baker. It was not shaped like the rainbow but the colors where lined in a horizontal stripes. The Rainbow Flag was adopted as the flag to represent the diversity and unity of Gays and Lesbians.

Then you have the Pink Triangle. The Pink Triangle Started back when thew Nazi's began to rise in power. At the concentration camps gay men were required to wear the Pink Triangle with one tip pointed down to identify them as gay. Then they would get abused even more. Today the Pink Triangle is used as a gay identification symbol. Also to remind the gay community of the oppression.

Now let me tell you about the Black Triangle. It was used on women who where socially unacceptable, back in the Nazi era also. As time went on lesbians reclaimed the Black Triangle as their symbol of defiance of repression and discrimination. Since the 1940's the Pink and Black Triangles have become the most recognizable and powerful symbols for the gay community and what they had to go through in the Western History.

Another symbol is the Labrys, or double bladed ax. This symbol originated from the Greek goddess Demeter. The associated Rites with the worship of Demeter were believed to have involved some type of lesbian sex. In todays society the Labrys have become the symbol of lesbian and feminist strength and self sufficiency.

In the 1970's the New York Gay Activist Alliance adopted the Lamba as their first gay symbol. The Lamba was secondly adopted by the International Gay Rights Congress in 1974, in Scotland.

There are so many more symbols to talk about; to name a few more you have the Freedom Rings, the Calamus plant, the Ladslove plant,and the color Green. The Freedom Ring was designed by David Spada to symbolize independence and tolerance. The Calamus plant was created by Walt Whitman as a symbol of homoerotic love. The Ladslove plant was used in the 19th century as the symbol of homosexuality. Now the color Green was associated with homosexuality in the Ancient Rome and the 19th century England.

There were also some animals from the 1st century epistle of Barnabus that were supposedly associated with male homosexuality. These animals are the Hare, Hyena, and the Weasel.

Robin Tyler suggested the Phoenix, a mythical bird to be a gay symbol because the bird burned and rose more glorious from its own ashes each five centuries.

The Red Tie was a fashion accessory worn by most gay men to let other men know that they were gay during the early part of the 20th century.

Another fashion accesory worn in the 50's 60's and early 70's was the Pinky Ring. It was belived to have ancient roots and mythical qualities. It was said that the little finger represented spirtitual things.

Last but definitly not least the Rhinoceros was decided to initiate a media campain to cement a symbol for the gay movement. The Boston activist chose the Rhinocers because it was a much misunderstood animal but it is actually quite docile and intelligent.

In conclusion you see that there are many gay symbols. All the signs above have many different meanings. Some symbols have painful memories as the gay community reflects back. Some have a good meaning. But overall the symbols represent happiness in the gay community to let everyone know who we are.

Learn more about this author, Demetria Rollins.
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