03 June 2002 - Monica Helms writes:
In July of 1999, I attended the BiNet USA National meeting in Phoenix and had a chance to talk with the man who created the
Bisexual Pride Flag [Michael Page]. He suggested that the Transgender community also needed a Pride Flag, but my original
concept was too elaborate. He said to keep it simple and pointed out that the fewer stitches you have, the cheaper the flag
would be.
One morning, I woke up and the design hit me. I contacted the same person who makes the Bi Pride Flag and she sent me some
swatches. When I picked out the colors, she made a flag for me, and it is the one I still have. The woman who makes it is named
Barbara and she owns the Freedom Flag and Banner Co. in Miami, FL. Her toll-free number is 888-500-3524. The standard 3 foot
by 5 foot flag cost $15, plus shipping and handling. It is made of non-fading nylon flag material with eyelets at one end. Barbara
can make them any size, with the price going up for larger sizes and down for smaller sizes.
The light blue is the traditional color for baby boys, pink is for girls, and the white in the middle is for those who are transitioning,
those who feel they have a neutral gender or no gender, and those who are Intersexed. The pattern is such that no matter which
way you fly it, it will always be correct. This symbolizes us trying to find correctness in our own lives.
The first time I truly used it was in the Phoenix Pride Parade in April 2000. Since I am a veteran, I carried it up front in the Honor
Guard. Last year, I carried it in the Atlanta Pride Parade, up front in the Color Guard, and I will again this year. It has accompanied
me at Day of Remembrance ceremonies, support group meetings, protest marches, the Martin Luther King Parade here in Atlanta,
Lobbying Days in DC, at Southern Comfort 2000 and 2001, the IFGE Convention 2002, and the Winn-Dixie protests both here and
in Jacksonville. It also appeared in the crowd scene of a made-for-TV Lifetime movie that starred RuPaul and Stockard Channing. I
have begun to see it pop up in many places when I see pictures of transgender people gathering. I wasn't expecting people to take
to it, but they have. I do feel proud to be Transgender when I see it.
(Shamelessly taken from Warrior~Poet resources on Earthlink.net. Credit where credit is due.)
