A true flag is not something you can really design. A true flag is torn from the soul of the people. A flag is something that everyone owns, and that's why they work. The Rainbow Flag is like other flags in that sense: it belongs to the people.

The quote “A true flag is not something you can really design. A true flag is torn from the soul of the people. A flag is something that everyone owns, and that's why they work. The Rainbow Flag is like other flags in that sense: it belongs to the people.” comes from Gilbert Baker, the American artist, activist, and designer of the iconic Rainbow Flag. In this statement, Baker explains that a flag is not merely a visual design but a powerful symbol that emerges from the shared spirit, struggles, and identity of a community. His words stress that a flag’s strength lies in its collective ownership, not in its artistic creation alone.

The meaning of the quote is rooted in the idea of collective identity. Baker emphasizes that a true flag is not imposed by a single person but is embraced and given life by the people it represents. By describing the Rainbow Flag as “torn from the soul of the people,” he highlights how it reflects the lived history, pain, pride, and hope of the LGBTQ+ community. This universality makes it powerful—because everyone who identifies with it feels that they, too, own a piece of it.

The origin of this perspective comes from Baker’s role in creating the Rainbow Flag in 1978 for San Francisco’s Gay Freedom Day Parade (later known as Pride). Inspired by the need for a unifying symbol, he designed the multicolored flag to represent diversity, inclusion, and the beauty of the LGBTQ+ community. However, Baker himself often said that he did not “own” the flag—it became meaningful only because the community adopted it, waved it, and infused it with struggle and pride. His reflection here captures his belief that symbols gain true power only through collective embrace.

Ultimately, Baker’s words remind us that a flag is more than cloth and color—it is a living expression of identity. The Rainbow Flag, like national or cultural flags, works because it embodies the shared soul of the people who carry it. His quote underscores the democratic nature of symbols: they endure not because they are designed, but because they are claimed, loved, and lived by those they represent.