Not All Rainbows Are the Same: The Difference Between Nature’s Rainbows and the LGBTQIA+ Flag

Not every rainbow is gay – technically. There are stark differences between the colors of the rainbows we see in nature and the ones on the LGBTQIA+ pride flag. While both natural rainbows and the pride flag share a spectrum of colors, their origins, structures, and symbolisms differ notably.

How does a natural rainbow form?

According to the National Weather Service, a natural rainbow is a meteorological occurrence resulting from the refraction, dispersion, and reflection of sunlight in water droplets. A rainbow forms when sunlight passes through raindrops in the air. The light bends as it enters the droplet, bounces off the inside, and bends again as it leaves.

This process spreads the light into different colors and produces the continuous spectrum of light in the sky that we call rainbows. This spectrum displays a gradient of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. However, the appearance of a rainbow depends on specific atmospheric conditions, including sunlight and moisture.

Ultimately, each naturally occurring rainbow is unique. The exact position and intensity of a rainbow depend on the observer’s location, the sun’s angle, and the size of the raindrops. Larger droplets can lead to more vivid colors.

The LGBTQIA+ pride flag has (almost) always had the same colors.

In comparison, the LGBTQIA+ pride flag is a man-made symbol created to represent the LGBTQIA+ community – and the colors stay the same. In 1978, artist Gilbert Baker designed the original Pride Flag for the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day celebration. The OG flag featured eight horizontal stripes, each with a specific meaning.

Hot pink symbolized sexuality, red represented life, and orange stood for healing. Yellow signified sunlight, green represented nature, and turquoise symbolized art and magic. Indigo was associated with serenity and harmony, while violet embodied spirit. However, due to production constraints, the hot pink and turquoise stripes were later removed, resulting in the six-color flag we know today: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.

Since its creation, the Pride Flag has undergone multiple adaptations to be more inclusive. In 2017, Philadelphia introduced a version that included black and brown stripes to recognize LGBTQIA+ people of color. In 2018, Daniel Quasar designed the Progress Pride Flag, adding a chevron with black, brown, pink, light blue, and white stripes to represent Black and brown LGBTQIA+ individuals and the transgender community.

There are various flags to represent LGBTQIA+ individuals.

While the rainbow flag is the most recognized symbol of LGBTQIA+ pride, various communities within the spectrum have adopted their own flags. The bisexual pride flag, created in 1998 by Michael Page, features three horizontal stripes. The thick magenta stripe signifies interest in the same sex. The broad blue stripe represents an attraction to the opposite sex, and a narrower lavender stripe in the center indicates attraction to both sexes.

The transgender flag, designed by Monica Helms in 1999, has five strips. Two light blue stripes represent boys, two pink stripes represent girls, and a central white stripe symbolizes nonbinary folks and those transitioning.

Now that you know the meaning behind the colors of the LGBTQIA+ flag, which one represents you the most? Comment below!

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