--- title: Gay Marriage: These Are the 141 Words That Just Changed History description: And get ready for them to be quoted in every wedding this summer canonical: https://time.com/3937619/scotus-gay-marriage-ruling/ author: Lisa Grunwald article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-06-26T15:48:10.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:38:16.757Z article:section: Ideas og:title: These Are the 141 Words That Just Changed History og:description: And get ready for them to be quoted in every wedding this summer og:url: https://time.com/3937619/scotus-gay-marriage-ruling/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: These Are the 141 Words That Just Changed History twitter:description: And get ready for them to be quoted in every wedding this summer twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production video:duration: 01:31 video:published: 2015-06-24 section: history topics: rainbow flag, LGBT symbolism, San Francisco gay rights, Gilbert Baker, Harvey Milk, Pride parades, flag design, color meanings genre: explainer, documentary tones: informative, celebratory, reflective emotions: pride (medium), hope (low), nostalgia (low) sentiment: positive audience: LGBT community members, history enthusiasts, general viewers, students people: Gilbert Baker, Harvey Milk organizations: San Francisco Gay and Pride Parade, U.S. Army products: rainbow flag transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable --- # These Are the 141 Words That Just Changed History > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=029d9ea9-4afb-404c-a8c4-3afb3ac4a90c&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: This is The History of the Rainbow Flag [Watch (HLS stream): This is The History of the Rainbow Flag](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/bnTiT5cr.m3u8) (1:31)  _Published 2015-06-24. How the rainbow flag became an icon of LGBT rights_ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video traces the history of the rainbow flag as a symbol of the LGBT community, beginning with its origins in San Francisco. It credits Gilbert Baker, who moved to the city as an Army draftee, became involved with Harvey Milk and the gay rights movement, and was commissioned by the San Francisco Gay and Pride Parade to design a lasting symbol. The video explains what each color of the original flag represents and how the flag later changed to six stripes. ## Key points - The rainbow flag is a worldwide symbol of the LGBT community, and its birthplace is San Francisco. (00:04) - Gilbert Baker created the rainbow flag, and he moved to San Francisco as an Army draftee in 1970. (00:12) - In San Francisco, Baker became acquainted with Harvey Milk and the gay rights movement. (00:18) - After sewing many banners for gay events and marches, Baker was commissioned by the San Francisco Gay and Pride Parade to design a symbol. (00:26) - Baker said the rainbow fit people because all of the colors represent the range of sexualities, genders, races and ages. (00:44) - Each color represents something: pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature. (00:54) - Turquoise, indigo and violet also carried meanings, including art, harmony and the human spirit. (01:04) - The flag later evolved to six stripes, with turquoise swapped for blue and pink and indigo removed. (01:12) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:26] Origins of the rainbow flag in San Francisco. The video introduces the flag's San Francisco birthplace and Gilbert Baker's background, including his connection to Harvey Milk. - [00:26 to 00:54] Baker's design and the rainbow as a metaphor. Baker is commissioned to create a symbol and explains why the rainbow reflects the community's diversity. - [00:54 to 01:31] Color meanings and later changes. The video explains what each color represents and how the flag was modified into its six-stripe form. ## Key quotes - [00:44] Gilbert Baker: "So that really fit us as a people because we are all of the colors." - [00:50] Gilbert Baker: "Our sexuality is all of the colors, where all the genders, races and ages." ## Questions this video answers - Where was the rainbow flag born? [00:04] - Who created the rainbow flag? [00:12] - What does each color of the rainbow flag represent? [00:54] - How did the rainbow flag change over time? [01:12] - Why did the rainbow become a symbol for the LGBT community? [00:44] by [Lisa Grunwald](https://time.com/author/lisa-grunwald/) ## Lisa Grunwald Jun 26, 2015 3:48 PM UTC by [Lisa Grunwald](https://time.com/author/lisa-grunwald/) ## Lisa Grunwald Jun 26, 2015 3:48 PM UTC With his historic swing vote in the landmark case _Obergefell v. Hodges_, Justice Anthony Kennedy changed the map, the finances, the dignity, the hopes, and the laws of a nation. But with these words from his decision, he also gave the American people a definition of love and marriage that will endure, no matter what political storms it also brings.  ### See Scenes of Celebration After Supreme Court Gay Marriage Ruling  Supporters of same-sex marriage celebrate outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, on June 26, 2015. Jacquelyn Martin—AP  Supporters of same-sex marriage celebrate outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, on June 26, 2015. Mladen Antonov—AFP/Getty Images  Gay rights supporters celebrate after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. Constitution provides same-sex couples the right to marry, outside the Supreme Court building in Washington, June 26, 2015. Jim Bourg—Reuters  Supporters of same-sex marriage celebrate outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, on June 26, 2015. Jim Lo Scalzo—EPA  John Becker, right, hugs his friend and fellow LGBT advocate Paul Guequierre, outside the Supreme Court in Washington on June 26, 2015. Jacquelyn Martin—AP  Supporters of same-sex marriage celebrate outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, on June 26, 2015. Jim Bourg—Reuters  Supporters of same-sex marriage celebrate outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, on June 26, 2015. Mladen Antonov—AFP/Getty Images  Supporters of same-sex marriage celebrate outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, on June 26, 2015. Manuel Balce Ceneta—AP ## Transcript [00:00] [ MUSIC ] [00:04] The rainbow flag is a worldwide symbol of the LGBT [00:08] community, but it's birthplace is in San Francisco and [00:12] it's creation is thanks to a man named Gilbert Baker. [00:15] Baker moved to San Francisco as an Army draftee in [00:18] 1970. It was there that he became acquainted with [00:21] Harvey Milk and they gay rights movement. Gay rights [00:23] now. [00:26] After sewing many banners for gay events and [00:29] marches, the San Francisco Gay and **** Pride Parade [00:32] commissioned him to design a symbol that could be [00:34] used for years to come. And this is what Baker came [00:37] up with the original rainbow flag. The rainbow is a [00:41] beautiful part of nature. All of the colors and even the [00:44] colors you can't see. So that really fit us as a people [00:48] because we are all of the colors. Our sexuality is all of [00:50] the colors, where all the genders, races and ages. [00:54] Each color represents something different Pink for sex, [00:59] red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, [01:04] green for nature, turquoise for art, indigo for [01:08] harmony, and violet for the human spirit. The flag [01:12] later evolved to have six stripes. Turquoise was [01:15] swapped for blue and pink and indigo were taken out. [01:19] And decades later, the flag can still be seen linked [01:22] proudly from nearly every pride parade and march [01:25] around the world. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3937619/scotus-gay-marriage-ruling/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3937619/scotus-gay-marriage-ruling/"},"headline":"These Are the 141 Words That Just Changed History","datePublished":"2015-06-26T15:48:10.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:38:16.757Z","description":"And get ready for them to be quoted in every wedding this summer","url":"https://time.com/3937619/scotus-gay-marriage-ruling/","keywords":["politics"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Lisa Grunwald","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/lisa-grunwald/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/politics/","name":"politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3937619/scotus-gay-marriage-ruling/","name":"These Are the 141 Words That Just Changed History"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"This is The History of the Rainbow Flag","description":"How the rainbow flag became an icon of LGBT rights","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/bnTiT5cr/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-06-24T22:02:03.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/bnTiT5cr.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3937619/scotus-gay-marriage-ruling/","duration":"PT1M31S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3937619/scotus-gay-marriage-ruling/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```