RIP Gilbert Baker, Gay Betsy Ross
April 1, 2017 2:49 PM   Subscribe

 
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posted by tobascodagama at 2:54 PM on April 1, 2017 [8 favorites]


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posted by languagehat at 3:27 PM on April 1, 2017


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posted by GenjiandProust at 3:27 PM on April 1, 2017


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Why did I initially read that as Ginger Baker?
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 3:28 PM on April 1, 2017


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Thanks for leaving the world more fabulous!
posted by Catblack at 3:39 PM on April 1, 2017 [2 favorites]


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posted by Splunge at 3:40 PM on April 1, 2017


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posted by roomthreeseventeen at 3:55 PM on April 1, 2017


. And ❤️
posted by Annika Cicada at 4:00 PM on April 1, 2017


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posted by oneswellfoop at 4:06 PM on April 1, 2017


What a lovely legacy to leave behind.
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posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 4:20 PM on April 1, 2017 [3 favorites]


🌈.
posted by SyraCarol at 4:23 PM on April 1, 2017


🌈. ❤️
posted by Pendragon at 4:37 PM on April 1, 2017


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posted by dinty_moore at 4:38 PM on April 1, 2017


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posted by haruspicina at 5:31 PM on April 1, 2017


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posted by jim in austin at 5:35 PM on April 1, 2017


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What a wonderfully appropriate creation the rainbow symbol is.

*lowers flag to half-mast*
posted by mightshould at 5:47 PM on April 1, 2017


Great example of leaving the world a more beautiful place than you found it.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 6:41 PM on April 1, 2017 [2 favorites]


Just a terrific symbol I've loved since I saw it. Rest in power.
posted by xingcat at 6:53 PM on April 1, 2017


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posted by treepour at 7:03 PM on April 1, 2017


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posted by PMdixon at 7:13 PM on April 1, 2017


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posted by smangosbubbles at 7:15 PM on April 1, 2017


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posted by threecheesetrees at 7:17 PM on April 1, 2017


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posted by arcticseal at 7:59 PM on April 1, 2017


My friend Gerard shared this on facebook earlier:
Castro District: Strolling along 18th Street near Castro Street this afternoon, I spotted a young man walking his dog and carrying a paper bag from Cliff's Variety filled with small rainbow flags. He was stopping at street trees and light poles to attach a flag wherever a suitable spot presented itself.

I approached and asked him why he was distributing the flags. "In honor of Gilbert Baker," he replied. I thanked him, and he continued down the street. As he walked away, I realized that he certainly was born years after Gilbert and his gang had hoisted the first rainbow flags over United Nations Plaza in 1978.

Your memory is in good hands, Gilbert.
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posted by rtha at 9:05 PM on April 1, 2017 [28 favorites]


God bless him.

I've always been sorry about the hot pink, though.
posted by Orlop at 10:13 PM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


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posted by spinifex23 at 10:53 PM on April 1, 2017


🏳️‍🌈
posted by oceanjesse at 11:08 PM on April 1, 2017


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One of the bright parts of this world is that the LGBTQ community is represented by rainbows. <3
posted by yueliang at 12:25 AM on April 2, 2017 [1 favorite]


oh no. too young.
thank you gilbert.
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posted by soakimbo at 1:53 AM on April 2, 2017


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posted by mkhall at 5:58 AM on April 2, 2017


All this time and I've never known the symbolism behind each colour. Thalia you Gilbert for such a beautiful symbol.
posted by biggreenplant at 7:35 AM on April 2, 2017


❤️
posted by gt2 at 7:55 AM on April 2, 2017


🏳️‍🌈
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:04 AM on April 2, 2017


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posted by pjmoy at 8:52 AM on April 2, 2017


It is difficult to explain how powerful it was as a coming-out 16 year old a long long time ago to discover the rainbow flag. I had shirts, stickers, earrings, necklaces, you name it, with pride colors and flags. I screamed, "I'm gay!" out of car windows with my friends. This was the era of criminalization of my identity and being "loud and proud" was about my evolving understanding of self and of my resistance to the deep fear that the world and US culture soaked me in for simply being myself. Thank you to Gilbert for helping me express my resistance to my internalized queer/trans-phobia and to that of the world in such a colorful and positive fashion. There is no progress or resistance without artists and activists and creators of beauty, light, and color in times of darkness.

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posted by anya32 at 9:39 AM on April 2, 2017 [17 favorites]


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posted by Kattullus at 10:05 AM on April 2, 2017


Thank you, Gilbert, for bringing such light to an often dark, bleak world. We will continue your work. Rest in power.

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posted by Reynard Digitalis at 12:22 PM on April 2, 2017 [1 favorite]


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posted by Willow Jane at 12:42 PM on April 2, 2017


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posted by Bringer Tom at 2:38 PM on April 2, 2017


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posted by Foosnark at 3:53 PM on April 2, 2017


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posted by mistersquid at 8:30 PM on April 2, 2017


I've always admired the rainbow flag because it's so forcefully, inherently inclusive. Obviously it's the symbol of gay pride, but it demands pride and respect for everyone. To a young Catholic cis boy, it put a friendly, non-judgmental, non-sexuallized face on the gay community for me. I didn't understand all the controversy or the more adult nature of what was being argued, but it was always clear that those folks had a spot on their rainbow flag for me and the people I cared about, and even for the folks on the other side saying terrible things about them and their flag.

Those other folks, well, they seemed angry and hateful. Angry like cartoon villains. The X-Men on Saturday and Jesus on Sunday both made it pretty clear which side of the fight to be on.

Like Edwin Markham said.
posted by es_de_bah at 9:15 AM on April 3, 2017 [3 favorites]


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posted by limeonaire at 11:42 AM on April 3, 2017


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