Conservatives Are Enraged by a Pride Flag Concept That No One Wants or Uses

Conservatives have erupted over a version of the Progress Pride banner that incorporates a red umbrella representing sex workers. They appear to assume that the design was authorized and voted on by the LGBTQ+ community’s “governing authority.”

The original rainbow flag has been changed and lifted so many times recently that the mistake is understandable; even some LGBTQ+ community members have fallen for it.

However, the inclusion of an umbrella is not a new revelation. The design is two years old and was previously used by Chaya Raichik of the virulently anti-LGBTQ+ Twitter account “Libs of TikTok” to portray gay people as sexual predators. It’s phony rightwing fury about a flag design that no one uses or supports.

That didn’t stop some hilarious replies from MAGA supporters who were certain the community had held a meeting.

“Who is the governing authority that owns & makes changes to this flag?” asked one user.

Stop being outraged by the red umbrella pride flag. It's completely manufactured right-wing outrage. The design is 2 years old (at least). No major LGBT+ groups/organizations are adopting it, no reputable news sources are reporting on it. It's complete astroturfing. [1/3]

— FluffyCloudTemple (@FluffyTemple) December 22, 2022

A red umbrella was added to the gay alphabet flag to include sex workers. pic.twitter.com/h1qfYXOe0q

— Allison (@TheOGAllison) December 20, 2022

who is the governing authority that owns & makes changes to this flag?

— Imran Hasan (@CuriousHasan) December 20, 2022

When are they going to add the one for Anglers and Hunters? I prefer a camo color, please.

— mvpluis03 (@mvpluis03) December 20, 2022

When are they going to add the one for Anglers and Hunters? I prefer a camo color, please.

— mvpluis03 (@mvpluis03) December 20, 2022

They added a Red Umbrella to the gay pride flag for all the Sex Workers..
Love isn't really love if it's got a dollar sign behind it..
The new Oh! So! Brave!!
————– Hookersexuals!!!! pic.twitter.com/3UdiDOP4vz

— PharoahLyfe (@XxEmpireNeroxX) December 21, 2022

Wait… “disabled” and “sex worker” are now “queer communities”? 🤔

— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) December 21, 2022

Creepy af. pic.twitter.com/MPZCUKihOP

— Jason Jones (@jonesville) December 20, 2022

From a prior branch,
as THIS is where it got to now.
To counter marginalisation within the “we are equal within the rainbow” idea when put in practice.

Those still marginalised in queer communities had to be more visible. Change stops when we arrive at treating each other right. pic.twitter.com/PQMYWa6nrk

— Jason Domino [SFW account] (@TheJasonDomino) December 19, 2022

Rotate it 90° and now it's an eye of providence, step pyramid, maltese cross, and six pilars. 6 right angles, six sections of Maltese cross, Six pillars. 666. Somebody really put some thought into this design. pic.twitter.com/0K2TVJpaVE

— Buck Roberts (@BuckRoberts11) December 20, 2022

A red umbrella was added to the gay alphabet flag to include sex workers. pic.twitter.com/h1qfYXOe0q

— Allison (@TheOGAllison) December 20, 2022

The Progress Pride banner is an upgrade of Gilbert Baker’s original and famous rainbow Pride flag. While well-intentioned, it has been controversial, both because of the inclusion of other colors intended to identify specific people within the community and because the designer, Daniel Quasar, has held copyright over the design and charges for its usage.

It has five new colors in the shape of an arrow or a chevron pointing right. Black, brown, light blue, pink, and white are the colors. Quasar’s design is a reimagining of a pride flag introduced by the city of Philadelphia in June 2017 that includes black and brown stripes in addition to the conventional six rainbow colors. The black and brown hues signify LGBTQ+ persons of color who are marginalized, those living with AIDS/HIV, and those who died as a result of AIDS/HIV consequences.

To reflect the transgender population, Quasar also used light blue, pink, and white. The colors may be found on Monica Helms’ 1999 transgender pride flag. Intersex Equality Rights UK developed a version of Quasar’s Progress Pride banner that integrates the intersex flag by placing the intersex flag’s golden yellow backdrop and purple circle in a triangle inside the five-striped chevron.

Other versions of the revised flag have come and gone, with some embracing them and others outright rejecting them, but one has remained. Gilbert Baker, an artist, created the first pride flag in 1978. It was designed in response to a request by then-San Francisco City Supervisor Harvey Milk to produce something that might serve as a symbol of pride for the LGBTQ+ community. Baker’s flag is made up of eight colors that represent:

• Hot pink represents sex.
• Red represents life.
• Orange: Healing
• Yellow represents sunlight.
• Green represents nature.
• Turquoise represents magic and art.
• Indigo represents harmony.
• Violet represents the spirit.

To be clear, none of the flags are the “official” Pride flag. There isn’t one; people just fly the flag or flags that speak to them the most.