SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The giant canvas pink triangle that is one of the LGBTQ+ community’s Pride month symbols in San Francisco is bigger than ever this year. Volunteers said they are taking a stand for their rights amid a national pushback from conservative lawmakers.
Hundreds of volunteers installed the triangle made out of cloth and canvas on San Francisco’s Twin Peaks viewpoint, one of the city’s most popular tourist spots, as part of the city’s Pride celebrations.
At nearly an acre in size and visible from up to 20 miles (32 kilometers) away, this year’s triangle is the largest since the annual tradition started in 1995.
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“We’ve had a lot of progress in the last decade: marriage equality and getting rid of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’” said Patrick Carney, co-founder of Friends of the Pink Triangle, the group which organizes the installation each year.
“Since we had so many victories, people are coming out of the woodwork to push us back,” he added.
The pink triangle was used by Nazis during the Holocaust to identify the thousands of gay prisoners who were thrown into concentration camps. Later, gay rights advocates adopted the emblem and turned it into a symbol of love and solidarity.
Organizers said recent legislation that has sought to limit their rights, including Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law banning classroom instruction about sexual orientation, make the pink triangle especially relevant this year.
“Our lives are very under threat right now, particularly Black and brown transgender people,” said volunteer Maureen Futtner. “And I just feel like I need to be active and out and proud.”
The pink triangle will be on display until July 1.
