What Is the Meaning of the Rainbow Flag?

The colors of the rainbow have graced flags for centuries.

Since biblical times, the rainbow has been a symbol fraught with meaning. It can indicate God's covenant with Noah to never again flood the Earth or can mean the world's cultural diversity, peace, equality, or gay pride. The rainbow flag has been adopted by many as their own.

Wiphala Flag

In 1653, Bernabe Cobo documented the rainbow as the sign of the Incas. In the 20th century, the rainbow flag has been displayed in Peru and Bolivia as a symbol of Incan heritage.

Peasant Flag

Under a rainbow flag, apocalyptic visionary Thomas Muentzer led German peasants in an uprising against landowners and aristocracy in the 16th century. Muentzer and his rainbow flag with a peasant's boot on it later became Marxist symbols.

Peace Flag

In 2003, to protest the looming war in Iraq, Italians began displaying from their balconies rainbow flags with the word "pace" ( (pronounced pa-chay) on them, Italian for "peace." The "peace from every balcony" movement soon spread through Europe.

Diversity Flag

The Unitarian Universalist religion and other organizations use a rainbow flag to celebrate diversity. According to the First Parish of Watertown, Mass., "The rainbow has traditionally been a symbol of inclusion for people of all ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds."

LGBT Flag

Since the 1970s, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender community has rallied around the rainbow flag as a symbol of pride. The flag is a fixed and instantly recognized symbol at Gay Pride parades throughout the world.

References

• PBS---Frontline
• BBC
• Wiphala

Resources

• Britannica Online
• Wicked Local Watertown