One Woman vs The World: The LGBTQ+ Rainbow Flag Origin Story Part 3 (Season 3; Ep 3)

2024 is the year for women who have been pushed aside. Did you know that a woman was the catalyst behind creating the LGBTQ+ Rainbow Flag? No? Well, here we go, go go. 

Many enduring symbols that establish an instant understanding and define a diverse community are intrinsically linked with controversy, confusion, and ill-informed backstories dictated by vested interests and those who tell the story loudest. The LGBTQ+ Rainbow Flag is no different. 

While it was the work of many, the people who deserve credit the most have been minimized, if not erased. A woman named Faerie Argyle Rainbow (as per her driver’s license!) was one of the main movers. During this time, she was a member of the Angels of Light, a free-theater performance troupe whose members were forced to reject credit for their work. She proposed the idea for the Rainbow Flag, was the original dyer, and managed the whole kit and caboodle. After the 1978 flag’s debut, she moved to Japan. When she returned, the flag was everywhere (as it should have been), but the damage was done. There is more than enough credit to go around. We celebrate and respect everyone who played a role. 

This three-part oral history series features Faerie Argyle Rainbow, as well as John Serrian, Paul Langlotz, Lee Mentley, Adrian Brooks, Dan Nicoletta, Randy Alfred, and Bethany the Princess of Argyle.