In September 2016, a protest was held in Philadelphia’s “Gayborhood,” an area of the city in which there are several prominent gay bars, regarding the allegedly discriminatory treatment of minorities at several establishments.
Shortly after the protest, a video was released in which one can hear Darryl DePiano, owner of ICandy, using a racial slur. DePiano apologized, but the video, as well as the general fervor over racism in the Gayborhood, led to “Philadelphia’s Commission on Human Relations … requiring owners and staff at 11 LGBTQ bars and clubs to undergo training in the city’s anti-discrimination laws and implicit bias,” according to LGBTQ Nation.
Fast-forward to June 8, 2017: the LGBT community in Philadelphia raised the first “inclusive” Pride flag, which includes black and brown stripes:
The 10-stripe flag is reportedly the first Pride flag flying over a U.S. city to recognize queer people of color. The flag was designed in conjunction with the city’s Office of LGBT affairs and is part of the larger #MoreColorsMorePride campaign. It’s also part of the city’s ongoing effort to address concerns about racism in Philly’s gayborhood. …
According to the #MoreColorMorePride campaign: “It may seem like a small step. But together we can make big strides toward a truly inclusive community.” LGBTQ Nation adds that while the themes of Gilbert Baker’s original Pride flag design “can apply to anyone, it’s no secret that people of color have not always felt welcome in the LGBTQ community.”
The new Pride flag shows that virtue signaling isn’t just an inside-out game. Even within the progressive block, groups feel the need to display their righteousness before their brothers and sisters, while accomplishing very little in a practical sense.
Even more fascinating, however, is the exclusionary design of the new flag. The original Pride flag is a rainbow, with each stripe representing a different theme. The flag was meant to represent the LGBT community as a whole; it was meant to be inclusive. Now, with the addition of stripes representing specific sets of individuals within the LGBT body, the flag has become emblematic of division and specificity.
The Pride flag once represented unity, solidarity, and homogeny. Now, it represents a tiered system. Like the rest of the progressive movement, the LGBT community is fracturing.