The Bisexual Pride flag made its debut in 1998
The Bisexual Pride flag with its three stripes of pink, lavender, and blue, was unveiled for the first time on this day in 1998.
The flag was designed by Michael Page from Florida, who is also one of the people behind the establishment of Celebrate Bisexuality Day. The flag made its debut at the first anniversary party of the BiCafe.
“There is no question that bi people have helped foster the gay and lesbian movement we have witnessed since the Stonewall riots of 1969. One problem for bisexuals remains their invisibility. This was also a problem for gays and lesbians prior to 1969 as very few were willing to ‘come out'”, Page wrote in 1998.
They said the motivation to create a specific flag for bisexual people came from discussion with her friends who felt the Pride flag did not fully represent them.
“Based on my own personal experience, the vast majority of bi people I have spoken with, feel no connection to the rainbow flag, the pink triangle, the black triangle, the Lambda symbol or the double-edged hatchet. These symbols are viewed as gay and lesbian icons, which was their initial intent. Search the history of the rainbow flag on the Internet and you will see what I mean.” Page said.
The colours in the design have specific meanings, the pink represents attraction to the same gender, while the blue represents attraction to another gender, the overlapping colour of lavender represents the attraction to multiple genders.
Author Hanif Kureishi was born in 1954
British Pakistani playwright and novelist Hanif Kureishi was born in South London on this day in 1954.
Kureishi, who is bisexual, has written many well know plays and novels. In 1985 he authored the play My Beautiful Launderette which was later turned into a feature film by director Stephen Frears.
He went on to write the screenplay for another Stephen Frears’ film, 1987’s Sammy and Rosie Get Laid. His first book The Buddha of Suburbia was a huge success and was also adapted into a television mini-series with a soundtrack by David Bowie.
The author has gone on to write many novels and plays, several which have been adapted into films, as well as short story collections, essays and several non-fiction works.
