You may notice black and brown stripes on pride flags in upcoming months, signifying the inclusion of people of color within the LGBTQ community.
The change took place in June during Pride Month. The new palette is not yet on every rainbow flag, but was notably added to the Philadelphia pride flag and has gradually spread throughout the nation.
The new flag has become a source of controversy. Supporters believe that by adding the stripes, people of color that identify as LGBTQ will feel more included. Critics argue that while equality of race is an important issue, it should not be included on the LGBTQ flag.
SLCC student Maison Evensen says he was unaware of the change to the flag and did not know what the black and brown stripes were supposed to represent. After a brief explanation, he remains unsure about the inclusion of the new colors.
“Race is not associated with what the idea of the flag was based on,” he says.
Kailey Null, another SLCC student, knew about the new colors and that they symbolize extending representation to people of color.
“I am all for the BLM [Black Lives Matter] movement and think the idea of adding the stripes is a great way to recognize people of color,” she says.
Despite feeling positive about the new colors on the rainbow flag, Null still questions the overall effectiveness of the change.
“I think the two movements should be separate, bringing more attention to each individual movement,” she says. “Combining the two distracts the purpose each one brings to the public.”
