“We still have movement forward to make,” Quasar wrote at the time. “There still is work to be done. I wanted to highlight that.”
The Progress Pride Flag and Philadelphia’s Pride banner made waves at the time, with critics claiming that Gilbert Baker’s 1978 design, which has since been included in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection, didn’t need to be updated. The six stripes in the widely popularized rainbow flag of today each represent an idea that resonates with LGBTQ+ people: red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, blue for peace, and purple for spirit.
But Baker’s flag has changed numerous times throughout the years. The first flag unveiled 42 years ago had eight stripes, with hot pink representing sex and turquoise for magic. Those were phased out in a 1979 modification following the death of San Francisco assemblyman and LGBTQ+ rights activist Harvey Milk.
In an email to them., Quasar clarified that the Progress Pride Flag “was not meant as a replacement” for Baker’s iconic designs, but was intended “as a supplement to the many flags our community uses to represent us.”
“The inclusion of the additional stripes means placing emphasis on voices that need to be heard, especially now even more so than two years ago when I originally made the flag,” Quasar said. “Our world is so charged right now and the voices who have been screaming for years are getting louder and louder. We cannot ignore that and must make space for them to be heard. The flag was my way of saying we as a community need to step back and listen.”
But while Quasar said the goal wasn’t to create the only symbol of LGBTQ+ Pride used by an incredibly diverse community, the artist recognized that the Progress Pride Flag “really taken a life of its own, resonated with so many people, and created a lot of amazing discussion.”
“If those who appreciate the flag want to call to have it be used in place of the traditional flag, I am in full support of them,” Quasar said. “Regardless of my original intention, it is all on how people want to use it and spread its message. That is most important to me. We have a strong history within the queer community and ingrained in that are symbols that have changed and evolved with the ways our culture speaks for itself.”
Anyone who would like to purchase the Progress Pride Flag can visit Quasar’s website, although flags are currently on backorder.
Get the best of what’s queer. Sign up for our weekly newsletter here.
