A NEW campaign in the U.S. is pushing to add a black and a brown stripe to the iconic rainbow flag as a way to represent people of colour in the queer community, who often face double discrimination.

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In Philadelphia, this month’s pride flag will feature the new colours after a number of LGBTI groups in the city created the More Color, More Pride campaign.

The new design was unveiled during a flag-raising ceremony where the Office of LGBT Affairs chose people of colour as presenters and performers.

The campaign’s website says: “to fuel this important conversation, we’ve expanded the colours of the flag to include black and brown. It may seem like a small step. But together we can make big strides toward a truly inclusive community.”

In an interview with Philadelphia Gay News the city’s director of LGBT affairs, Amber Hikes, said: “seeing an image like this flag instills so much pride in me as a queer black woman.”

Many took to social media to commend the move in Philadelphia, and extend hopes that the revised flag will take off in other places around the world.

However, others have taken to social media to deride the move and ask why ‘white’ isn’t being incorporated into the new flag.

The rainbow flag was initially designed by the late Gilbert Baker in 1978.

 

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