Original Rainbow flag
The original rainbow flag has 8 stripes. The first hand-dyed rainbow flag, flown at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade on 25 June 1978.
Gilbert Baker, San Francisco, 1978
Colours and hex codes
Tap a code to copy it. Listed from the top stripe down.
| Colour | Meaning | HEX | RGB |
|---|---|---|---|
| hot pink – sex | |||
| red – life | |||
| orange – healing | |||
| yellow – sunlight | |||
| green – nature | |||
| turquoise – magic/art | |||
| indigo – serenity | |||
| violet – spirit |
Related flags
- Rainbow Pride flag
- Philadelphia Pride flag
- Progress Pride flag
- Intersex-Inclusive Progress flag
- Transgender flag
- Bisexual flag
See all of them side by side in the full list of pride flags, or design your own in the pride flag maker.
Original Rainbow flag questions
What do the colours of the Original Rainbow flag mean?
hot pink stands for sex; red stands for life; orange stands for healing; yellow stands for sunlight; green stands for nature; turquoise stands for magic/art; indigo stands for serenity; violet stands for spirit. The first hand-dyed rainbow flag, flown at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade on 25 June 1978.
What are the Original Rainbow flag colour codes?
From top to bottom: hot pink (#FF69B4), red (#E40303), orange (#FF8C00), yellow (#FFED00), green (#008026), turquoise (#4FB9C8), indigo (#24408E), violet (#8A2BE2). These are the values most commonly given by the flag’s designer or community; slightly different shades circulate online.
Who created the Original Rainbow flag?
Gilbert Baker, San Francisco, 1978.
Can I download or edit the Original Rainbow flag?
Yes. Download it above as a 1500 px PNG or a scalable SVG, free for any use. “Customise this flag” opens it in the pride flag maker, where you can change the stripes, add a symbol or combine it with another flag.