The Symbolism Behind the Triangle

Toni Genalo

We have all seen the triangle used to represent the Gay & Lesbian community. And many transgendered groups, even ours, uses the triangle to signify our differently gendered existence.

I’ve never known what it meant. The multi-colored rainbow made sense to me because I could see the need for acceptance, no matter what "color" one is in the rainbow. I also thought that maybe when a GLBT person gets to the end of that rainbow, after living a life of exclusion, hostility, distrust and/or discrimination, I was sure that they deserved that mythical Pot of Gold.

When I thought about the triangle I guess the only thing I could come up with was 1 gender for each point of the triangle…male, female and other. But that seemed ridiculous to me…other is a very vast category and encompasses too many different people.

Well, I found out the meaning of the pink triangle and it struck me so deeply that I wanted to share it with you.

I hope you find it enlightening, and when you end your day today that you say a prayer, not only for all GLBT folks, but also for all those who first wore the symbol and suffered more greatly than any of us today.

The origin of the pink triangle is rooted in oppression.

In Nazi Germany, homosexuals were among those arrested and placed in concentration camps. Not because they were Jewish, or defied Hitler, just because they were gay or lesbian. They were targeted for extermination, and 250,000 of them died a horrible death in the camps. Just as the Jews were forced to wear a yellow Star of David, gay prisoners were forced to wear pink triangles, so they could be easily recognizable. Today the pink triangle serves as a symbol of pride and hope for the GLBT community, but it has a secondary purpose; it is a reminder of the struggle and the suffering of our brothers and sisters who were shunned, tortured and killed.