The pink triangle, once used by the Nazis to mark homosexual men in concentration camps, was reclaimed as a symbol of the community’s fight against persecution. The Greek letter lambda had been used since 1970, because it was the ancient symbol of the Sacred Band of Thebes - a legendary group of all-male lovers who were known to fight to the death for one another. Other symbols had been in use for a long time. Baker’s creation was the official symbol of the parade. It was the largest single demonstration for any cause since the Vietnam anti-war protests. He found a new home.Īn estimated 375,000 people joined the 1978 Gay Freedom Day Parade in San Francisco that year. When it came time for him to leave the Army, Baker did not return to Kansas. San Francisco had a thriving culture for Baker and the many other Americans like him to be a part of. It still faced discrimination, but nowhere else in the country gave the LGBTQA+ community as much freedom or possibility for openness. By 1970, San Francisco had become known as "The Gay Capital of America," several gay rights groups had been founded in the city and the community there had an established voting bloc that gave them real political clout.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |