THE GLOBAL MAJORITY'S PRIDE FLAG
Designed in 2023, The Global Majority’s Pride Flag represents a new future, in which Black and Brown folk (and other folk of color), who identify as LGBTQIA+, same gender loving and gender nonconforming, etc. — or whom happen to exist outside of heteronormative expectations — can manifest a lived experience that transcends societal standards, which have largely been influenced by white supremacist ideology. Hence, our flag is intended to be a protest piece, symbolic of our collective liberation; and was designed to remind us that we get to be here, too, without permission nor compromise.
The Global Majority’s Pride Flag is made up of six earth tone stripes: black, dark brown, brown, beige, olive and maroon; colors reflecting the hues and textures of our humanity and align with core values that, within the context of community, inspires harmony and balance: black is love, dark brown is empathy, brown is compassion, beige is honor, olive is dignity and maroon is respect. “Through the practice and embodiment of love, empathy and compassion, towards ourselves and each other, we honor our humanity and the humanity of others, leading us to treat ourselves and each other with the dignity and respect we’re deserving of; and, through this way of being, we actively work towards our individual and collective liberation, healing and self-actualization.”
Historically, the LGBTQIA+ community has often been associated with being inclusive, open and accepting of diverse backgrounds and identities. In 1978, the first interpretation of the Pride Flag was revealed as “the rainbow flag,” which became a powerful, international symbol of said inclusivity. Since then, the Pride Flag has evolved and transformed into various iterations of itself, in order to celebrate the unique and nuanced lived experiences of the many backgrounds and identities that represent the LGBTQIA+ community.
One of those evolutions took place in 2017, as part of the More Color More Pride initiative, when a black and brown stripe was added onto “the rainbow flag,” as a way of celebrating the contributions of Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ folk, who have also contributed to the struggle for gay liberation and the forward movement and progress of the community. The addition of the black and brown stripe was also in direct response to the fact that Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ folk (and other LGBTQIA+ folk of color) have often felt alienated, excluded or pushed out from the larger LGBTQIA+ community, as a result of the racial prejudices of our White LGBTQIA+ counterparts.
Consequently, the black and brown stripes revealed some harsh truths about the LGBTQIA+ community and exposed the mythology of it being inclusive, open and accepting of diverse backgrounds and identities. For many Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ folk (and other LGBTQIA+ folk of color), this revelation was nothing new, as many of us have been forced to endure racial discrimination from our White LGBTQIA+ counterparts. This was further highlighted, when the additional black and brown stripes received criticism and backlash, mostly from White LGBTQIA+ folk, who saw this symbolic move as divisive.
In the United States of America, racism, as a function of white supremacy, has always been a point of contention; and the LGBTQIA+ community is no exception to that, as it represents a microcosm of American society. This is why The Global Majority’s Pride Flag was designed. Because Black and Brown folk (and other folk of color), across communities, have always been forced to ask for permission — and to compromise so much of who we are — merely to be included in spaces that never fully welcomed us. Pointing this out is not intended to diminish the importance of creating inclusive spaces, but to bring awareness to how these spaces, once they become antagonistic or hostile towards us, can adversely impact our mental health and overall well-being. This impact, unfortunately, is oftentimes overlooked, in order to maintain the facade of unity and to keep the status quo intact, regardless of the harms it continues to cause.
The Global Majority’s Pride Flag, as a protest piece, is intended to break through the facade of unity and disrupt the status quo, particularly in the LGBTQIA+ community, by symbolizing what it looks like to take up space, on our own terms, and to fully center and celebrate Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ folk (and other LGBTQIA+ folk of color), who get to be here, too, without permission nor compromise. It was purposely designed to wholeheartedly reject the values, customs and norms of white supremacy, while acknowledging and validating Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ folk (and other LGBTQIA+ folk of color), who have, for generations, contributed to our respective communities, in and outside of the LGBTQIA+ community, despite the odds that seem stacked against us. Thus, our flag is a testament, through time and distance, of the courage, grit and tenacity that Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ folk (and other LGBTQIA+ folk of color) have shown, in the face of all types of adversities, while never backing down from staying true to who we are.
