In order to produce large quantities of that flag, Baker went to the Paramount Flag Company  in San Francisco. There was then a problem : the “hot pink” Baker used to dye his original flag was no more available. So, he decided to keep only the 7 other colors. In 1978, Mr. Harvey Milk - the first openly gay supervisor in San Francisco - was murdered. In order to honour Mr. Milk, the Gay Pride Parade Committed decided to raise Mr. Baker’s flag colors. However, they suppressed the indigo color, so an even number of colors remained for the parade : three on each side of the street. Quite soon, the six remaining colors were used to create the 6-band Rainbow Flag, which is nowadays officially recognized by the International Congress of Flag Makers. Unfurling the Rainbow Flag After San Francisco used the Rainbow Flag as a symbol of Gay Pride, other cities did the same, as New York City, Amsterdam, Toronto, Montréal, Québec, etc. Almost everywhere in North America the Rainbow Flag can be seen in windows, street lamps, banners, so on, specially when gay pride activities are being held. Yet, such raisings inspire a large sense of pride. It recalls that our gay community should be proud of its diversity. People generally agree to say that the Rainbow Flag was created in San Francisco in 1978 by Mr. Gilbert Baker, a local artist who was asked to draw a community symbol. This was done before the pink triangle became popular as a gay pride symbol. Baker took its inspiration from the “Flag of the Race” a 5-band flag. First, Baker designed a 8-band flag with different colors, meaning, according to him : THE RAINBOW FLAG – SEXUALITY (pink) – LIFE (red) – WELFARE (orange) – SUN (yellow) – NATURE (green) – ART (le blue) – HARMONy (indigo) – SPIRIT (violet) THE LEATHER FLAG Description and symbolism BLUE BLACK BLACK BLUE WHITE BLUE BLACK BLUE BLACK The Leather Flag is made of 9 horizontal bands. Four are black, four are dark blue and one is white, in the following order : black, blue, black, blue, white (the central band), blue, black, blue and black. Near the pole section of the flag, in its upper left corner and reclining to the right at 35o, a red hearth is overlapping the 4 first bands. It seems that Mr. Tony DeBlase created that flag for the first Chicago Mr. Leather Contest, in 1989. This standard belongs now to the leather men and women,  though it is associated mostly to men, those being more numerous and more present. How to understand the Leather Flag colors? BLACK is for the glossy look of leather. It is the color of the night, where leather men usually gather in bars, the blue sky being no more present. You can also use this symbol for the fact you assume your life, your basic choices, your orientation and that you decided to join the leather community. BLUE is for the denim, the kind of clothing leather men prefer to wear. Blue is calm, peaceful. Dark blue is a symbol of seriousness and solemnity,  the companion of black (black denim is also popular among leather men). WHITE is for righteousness and honesty. RED is the symbol of life. It is warm, shining, intense, the color of fire. It inclines to action, is a leader, is encouraging. In particular,  the red hearth represents love, friendship, mutual assistance : often, leather clubs are associations with charity aims.   The Leather Flag as a symbol of rallying.   Leather men easily recognize themselves everywhere in the world. Wearing black leather means to look for contact with other leather men; it means also to look for friendship : they often have lost friends and it is sometime difficult to have their lifestyle being accepted in their own family.  It can be pleasant to develop new links and we know that eroticism related to leather clothes is so excitingly attractive. This flag is a rallying sign. We see it all over wherever a leather community hold an activity : a gay pride, a fund raising, so on… Some will unfurl the Leather Flag as a symbol of freedom to express ourselves where citizens want to reinvent their way of living and to build a society. The leather community is a world of solidarity and is working hard to make mentalities, attitudes and behaviours to evolve. It aims to live in a non violent and without intimidation world. Community action is a part of most of the leather groups aims and the Leather Flag is an inciter symbol to look forward to achieve those aims. That is why Les Cuirassés de Québec are proud to hoist this flag either during its club nites or meetings or to greet all the leather brotherhood, wherever they come from, whatever they belong or not to a club. © 1993 - 2012 Les Cuirassés de Québec inc. All rights reserved. If you experience difficulties, please contact : miyo@videotron.ca.. Webmestre : www.infowebconcept.com