Thank you to Nike for sponsoring this blog post and for their support of the LGBTQIA+ community!
Summer has arrived, and Pride month along with it!
Every year, Pride serves both as a time for celebration and as a reminder of where we as a community have come from. Pride is both a time for expressing your truest colors and a time for reflection, so we wanted to take this blog post as an opportunity to talk about the rainbow – a symbol of joy, freedom, truth, and Pride.
The Pride flag that we all know and love today was designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978 to represent the LGBTQIA+ community and the diversity within it. The colors not only represent the diversity within our community, but they correlate to specific pillars of the queer liberation movement of the late 20thcentury.
Nike’s BeTrue line takes Gilbert Baker’s iconic rainbow flag and amplifies the positive message of movement for LGBTQ+ equality and pride. The sneakers pay homage to the incredible origins of the queer liberation movement and remind us both of how far we have come, and how far we have to go. We love the design of the entire line, and we especially love Gilbert Baker’s signature on the side of the shoe. Nike’s BeTrue line embodies the spirit of Pride and inspires us to do the same!
These colors and their attached meanings hold a great deal of significance to our community, and to us as individuals. Here are our thoughts and associations with each pillar of the Pride flag.
The Colors
Pink = Sex
Sex is a fundamental aspect of our relationship. It is a means not only of physical connection, but emotional connection as well. Sexual attraction is the foundation upon which we built a partnership.
Red = Life
Life and vitality are essential to… well, life! Our vitality and ultimate aliveness are dependent on our ability to live our truth. Our freedom to exist and love as LGBTQ+ individuals allows us to truly live.
Orange = Healing
Healing is as fundamental as life. Like many members of the LGBTQ+ community, we both have had wounds from experiences related to our identities that required healing. We heal ourselves to thrive!
Yellow = Sunlight
Sunlight is symbolically joy. Ariana always says that I (Hannah) remind her of sunshine because of my relentless optimism and to quote her, my “golden hair”. Expressing happiness in ourselves is the ultimate statement of Pride!
Green = Nature
Our association with nature is a funny one. We always say that our relationship feels so natural and so regular, that we sometimes forget that our relationship is outside of societal norms. LGBTQ+ relationships are just as natural as the grass growing or the trees stretching towards the sun!
Blue = Magic/Art
Love is always magic, and for us our love feels even more magical because of the peace and blessings we experience together. This pillar is very true to our life, because we try to translate the magic of love into our photography every day. For that reason, this pillar is probably our favorite!
Indigo = Serenity
Speaking of peace, serenity is definitely a natural extension of magic. Our relationship dynamic definitely fosters serenity. When you live your truth, serenity is a natural extension of honesty and acceptance. Serenity is something that we wish for every single person in the LGBTQ+ community!
Purple = Spirit
Spirit is something that the LGBTQ+ community has in droves. Every time we go to Pride events or to the parade itself, the spirit of our community and of Pride is so strong! Spirit is the backbone of Pride.
In the comments, tell us which pillar resonates the most with you, and why that color/meaning stands out to you.
This Pride season, we will be trying our hardest to embody these pillars and to celebrate the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community just as our flag does. Check out Nike’s BeTrue line and remember to be truly authentically you this Pride!
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