Gilbert Baker!!!
- jessetorres358
- Jul 23
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 30
The Designer of the Pride Flag
Many of you might not be familiar with Gilbert Baker, so let me share the story of this remarkable man who championed LGBTQ rights in California during the early 1970s.
The legacy
Gilbert Baker (June 2, 1951 – March 31, 2017) was an American artist, designer, activist, and vexillographer renowned for designing the rainbow flag.
Baker was born on June 2, 1951, in Chanute, Kansas. He was raised in Parsons, Kansas, where his grandmother ran a women's clothing store. His father worked as a judge, and his mother was a teacher. He was baptized in the Methodist faith.
He served as a medic in San Francisco at the onset of the gay rights movement, living openly as a gay man. Following his honorable discharge from the military, he became involved in the initial efforts to legalize marijuana. During this period, he met and befriended Harvey Milk.
In 1978, Baker, along with a group, initially designed the Rainbow Flag. He chose not to trademark it, considering it a symbol meant for the LGBT community. In 1979, Baker started working at Paramount Flag Company in San Francisco, which was then situated on the southwest corner of Polk Street and Post Street in the Polk Gulch area.
In 1994, Baker relocated to New York City, where he resided for the remainder of his life. During this time, he persisted in his creative endeavors and activism. That same year, he crafted the world's largest flag (at that time) to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots.
In 2003, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Rainbow Flag, Baker crafted a flag that extended from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean in Key West. Following this event, he distributed pieces of the flag to over 100 cities worldwide. Because of his role in creating the rainbow flag, Baker frequently adopted the drag queen name "Busty Ross," a nod to Betsy Ross.
Baker passed away peacefully in his sleep at home on March 31, 2017, at the age of 65, in New York City. The New York City medical examiner's office identified the cause of death as hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Following Baker's passing, California state senator Scott Wiener remarked that Baker "helped define the modern LGBT movement."
In June 2019, Baker was among the first fifty American "pioneers, trailblazers, and heroes" inducted into the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor at the Stonewall National Monument (SNM).
The SNM is the first national monument in the U.S. dedicated to LGBTQ rights and history, and the unveiling of the Wall at the Stonewall Inn coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.
In conclusion
As we progress into future generations, we anticipate encountering more hate and judgmental attitudes. This will never cease, but all we can do is persevere and continue fighting for future generations to have the freedom to marry and love whomever they choose.
In the words of "Harvey Milk" Come out and just live your truth. But come out.
Story By Britney J Torres
Great Story