Studio 360

Overview of the eight flag design finalists.

• The United States of America does not have a monopoly on homosexuality– how narrowminded and inconsiderate! Eliminate 2 designs. (Pink Stars and Stripes & Winning Listener.)

• The rainbow motif is both trite and ugly in design (only rainbows in nature are aesthetically pleasing). Eliminate 4 more. (Circle Flag, Rings Flag, Squares Flag, Stripes Flag.)

We are now left with two choices, both in the pink and magenta family. They each have their good points, but neither fully succeeds:

• Star Flag: I appreciate that the star is reminiscent of of a compass rose, signifying direction and purpose. But it is also far too similar to the Islamic star on the Malaysian flag (not that there's anything inherently wrong with Islam). The four hued quadrants represent, I assume, the Gee, the El, the Bee and the Tee. Admirable, but formulaic and staid.

•Triangle Heart Flag: Does not read well as a heart, which is fine because a traditional rounded heart would be too cloying in the context of a flag design. Adrift from the heart motif, one is left to wonder what exactly the gnomic symbol represents. Vee for victory? The "traditional" pink triangle inverted and suffering incursion? An open book such as those representing libraries? Worst of all, it can easily be seen in more than one way as representing female genitalia (anatomically as O'Keefian labia and symbolically as a triangular patch). This is terrible not because of femininity or sexuality but because it is exclusionary to the males in the GLBT "community."

In short, I feel that all of the designs are deeply unsatisfying and/or flawed. I only wish that I had known about the contest earlier because it's only fair that I should offer a design of my own if I'm going to be so critical of the designs that people took time and effort to produce.

Any good flag should have 2 attributes: it should be easy for anyone to make at home, and it should look recognizable when it's hanging on a flag pole and it's not windy.

In attempting to appeal to many groups of gay people, Mr. Randall has offended me considerably. I'm not so happy, as another minority group--specifically african-american--with his suggestion of using the confederate flag as part of the gay flag symbolism. I would like to know why he thinks it's okay for the symbol of gay pride/culture should also be superimposed on an image of hate such as the confederate flag.

If anything, the gay community has been arguing for civil rights for decades, they should understand that symbols of hate, oppression and slavery for my people are full of meaning and completely unacceptable. There have been tensions between black people and the homosexual community for many years. I am not homophobic but many in my community are and this type of thing is not helping, to put it mildly.

There's nothing wrong with the first, original flag from the 70s. Let it be! People have had their BLOOD spilt over that flag. Show some respect.

Plus it's a clean graphic design and uniquely recognizable and everything you would want in a flag.

thanks much for allowing me to express my opinions on your show ... damn that's a catchy tune! i enjoyed the program, keep up the righteous work.

I personally do not care for any of the designs submitted.

I like the original gay flag...for me that will always be the one and only gay flag! I guess I better go out and get a good new one now before thay change it and the old flags become collectors items.

I loved the segment on redesigning the Gay Pride flag. I've read all the comments, and I do agree that something so powerful and vital should not be subject to a frivolous redesign, especially from outside the community, but the process itself, and its results, I thought were of great value. If I were gay I would immediately be adopting a few of these to go with the 30-year-old Rainbow Flag that I would have on my front porch. Bravo to S360 and to all those who commented against the project as well. Very civil!

All the new designs, except the last one, are boringly nothing new. And we don't need new. However, I loved the last suggestion because it is but a variation of one of the already existing variations of the flag. The flag I hang out is the basic gay flag but with the blue patch with stars in the upper left corner. The similar design suggested here is exactly that, except all the stars are missing except for the ones representing the six states that offer full equality for us. How intriguing! How creative, and thought provoking! Imagine the joy of watching that blue patch fill in over the coming years!

Don't change the flag for no good reason. But let's see more of the existing variation that already exists—minus the stars of states that deny us full equality.

See this version of the flag (but with all the stars) here:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gettysburgflag.com/images/RainbowOGflag.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.gettysburgflag.com/LGBT_Flags.php&usg=__Two4HTXFcJ5cJSQrkdZ1A5Wzru8=&h=184&w=307&sz=10&hl=en&start=140&sig2=Z81fNm4Zngu32lA97Tcr6w&tbnid=avRLyskkxyQuPM:&tbnh=70&tbnw=117&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgay%2Bflag%2Bstars%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D120&ei=DwNISsz-A5OGmAfL-NCDBA

Do not forget our history...remember why?

The triangle is imperative and I am appalled how many young people are not aware that homosexuals were a very large segment of those given over to The Holocaust. They wore the shaming pink triangle for their "sins."

The rainbow is known to all. Mute the rainbow as fading past on to different kinds of colors, because muting is happening because of acceptance. Gay people are disappearing into the mainstream.

Place the triangle with muted rainbow in one corner however it works for designers with a good eye, as a reminder that it is the corner stone that built what we have now.

I'm looking within....I'm 58...and "coming out is in its 34th years With 26 years of HIV/AIDS."

Living is possible. Life is not if we do not stop exploiting differences when the commonalities of the heart are the same for all, and all is each and every individual.

And don't disparage the younger folks; youth is the time to explore boundaries, have fun, "seem" frivolous, but it is really nothing more than taking a deep breath before one takes out into a more constraining life of obligations. We all did it; they get to, too.

Younger people: enjoy the thrill and exuberance you get to enjoy and please don't "dis" guys like me; skinny bald, "troll," etc. To do so is to elide the contents of a complete and truly unique library. I have earned my age.

And when I am gone, no words, just a picture of how I feel I will have had a rich life: a beautiful smile filled with tears.

I wish that for you and hope I can be around - but I will not be, to hear you say disparagingly, "those damn young guys are jerks." lol (Love Only Love)

To so many best friends I will never meet, young and old: another time, okay?

Overall View: I could never imagine that gay men and women would be duking the flag issue out in mainstream press. Now! There's something to think about.

redesigning flags ! whatever next - the Dollar bill?

http://www.DollarRedesign.com

I enjoyed listening to the program and the insights which were expressed to explain each submission. I usually abhor national flags because they are used as an easy expression of patriotic fervor and a way of dividing people. We need more "flags without borders."

On the other hand, our flag has become a vital sign which identifies our community.

Does anyone have any idea how to put this effort into reality? The process might get us thinking and talking to each other as well as our straight friends.

I'm NOT part of the community but I do live in a large LGBT community in Jackson Heights and we have an LGBT community in my school. I thought the Circle Rainbow tasteful since the circle has a double attribute:

[a] eternity [b] universality. Lastly, the White field: purity, integrity, neutrality. To: Erika P./ NJ. although I don't entirely agree with you, I respect your criticism.

You're correct when you say the US does NOT have a monopoly on homosexuality, however, the US has historically been viewed by the world as the last bastion of hope to divorce ourselves from the past and to evolve into something greater than what was. That includes the breaking of certain social taboos like homosexuality. And to be outed as something to be confronted as a social normal "reality" and NOT be inextricably linked as a mental illness or illegal deviant behaviour like pediaphilia. Like it is in almost ALL countries. In the Mid-East and parts of Islamic Asia, outed Homosexuals are executed in the most publicly humiliating ways. Their families having disowned them attend their executions jeering with the crowds. sometimes its the families who've handed them over to authorities. Just because we don't hear or see this does NOT mean it doesn't happen. India only 1 week ago has openly had dialogue and acknowledged their LGBT communities in Calcutta, who were once considered "untouchables" up until that moment. Education Education Education. This is what will save all of us. This is a valuable lesson and tools the world has learned from the US and is now equipping themselves with.

The rainbow flag is a strong symbol. Changing it would confuse the message which has been so hard to get across anyway. Specialising in corporate identity issues, it is more important to use the existing symbol but fill it with action and messages - that is communicating the message behind the symbol.

There is also a practical thing: production and reproduction of 'difficult' coulours and designs makes it messy. The original pride flag had 8 colours - these were changed to 6 because of that (I believe). Personally I think - but I am in a different part of the world - that there should be a strong unified GLTB leadership and that our flag should be listed as an official symbol. These are just a couple of thoughts.

Nevertheless, I think the initiative to do something with the pride flag is great, let's keep the discussion going, so we won't forget the message behind it. Thanks a lot for bringing this up.

It's a moderately interesting idea to redesign a contemporary gay pride flag... but these designs are like corporate logos. They're slick, and they ring hollow. I like the old flag, a grassroots symbol that carries actual history and meaning, even if it's not aesthetically hip. Also, I agree that simply making various other flags pink (oh, sorry: "shock" -- whatever) is ineffective at best and harmful at worst. The pink Confederate flag doesn't read as transgressive -- to me, it says, "I'm gay and racist!" Best to back slowly away from that one.

I don't feel that any of these are more successful than the existing flag. I do like the idea of "shock" magenta variations on existing flags to represent individuals in various cultures, but this doesn't represent the movement as a whole.

The rainbow ring on white is nice on a computer screen, but impractical as a flag. You would need to print every color of the rainbow accurately in the center of both sides of the fabric. With the white flag on a flag pole the ink would probably not read at all as anything other than a dark ring on white.

I'm Behind the 1st commenter minus her feelings on the rainbow - Erica P

Esp. with associating the American flag to represent a global culture. That said, an idea of mine is the mercator projection silhouette with the rainbow instead of black.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/lomeranger/gayflag-ripple.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/lomeranger/gayflag.jpg

Whatever happened to the most obvious double mars & double venus? The triangle represented persecution - That seems to be a counterproductive way to identify a group of humanity.

In jest I think of a simple outline of the human figure with lots of sparkle and color which brings me to think - what makes gay (man & woman)? Besides the obvious, a gay person is typically a more humane person than a straight one. Perhaps that is from empathy from persecution. Oh, I don't know. Rainbow flag will do just fine...

Uncanny resemblence to our logo element; used since 2005.

The Consortium of LGBT Voluntary and Community Organisations. http://www.lgbtconsortium.org.uk/