The first bricks at the Stonewall riots were thrown by Marsha P Johnson, a black trans sex worker, and Sylvia Ray Rivera, a Latina trans sex worker. Yet many seem unaware of the multiracial history of the LGBT+ Pride movement. Activists such as Johnson and Rivera are rarely celebrated; instead, we have the racist Grindr bios (“no rice”), the fetishisation of black sexuality and the violence perpetrated within our own community. That’s why it is so important to expand the rainbow flag that symbolises the all-encompassing nature of Pride to include black and brown stripes.

Once images of the inclusive Pride flag spread online it was inevitable that I’d have to read: “Where is the white stripe?” There are ignorant and racist people, no matter what communities you belong to.

Last year Stonewall revealed that 51% of LGBT BAME people reported having experienced racism in the LGBT+ community

The rainbow Pride flag was created in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, with originally eight colours. Its first inception had a pink stripe to symbolise sex, which has now been removed. There have been many iterations since and I’ve noticed very little concern, until the black and brown stripes were added. It’s telling that those who oppose it – and let’s not evade the reality here, they’re mostly white cis gay men – have something to say now that black and brown people have representation. It’s true, the flag wasn’t first designed to represent the colour of people’s skin, but it’s about inclusion and acceptance. Until black and brown people feel comfortable in LGBT+ spaces, the flag isn’t inclusive without those stripes. It’s a sign of solidarity.

Last year Stonewall revealed that 51% of LGBT BAME people reported having experienced racism in the LGBT+ community. But I can say from personal experience that many more incidents will have gone unreported. We don’t think anyone will take us seriously. You’ve almost certainly heard about the two women assaulted on a London bus, but as Chris, one of the women involved, pointed out, have you heard about the black trans women murdered in the US with terrifying frequency? White suffering leads the news – the same is often not true when people of colour suffer. Real change is needed.

The CEO of Manchester Pride, Mark Fletcher, made the decision to adopt the stripes on their official Pride flag for 2019. “Late last year Manchester Pride introduced a new visual identity that encompasses many of the current recognised flags and symbols used by LGBT+ people. This includes an image of a rainbow, representing the colours of the Pride flag, with two colours added to it, black and brown. The use of these colours on the rainbow was a response by the charity to concerning levels of racism and exclusion experienced by black and minority ethnicity (BAME) LGBT+ people in LGBT+ spaces and communities in Greater Manchester.”

Racism is still all too common at Pride events, which is why initiatives such as UK Black Pride have been created to give communities a space to celebrate. People will criticise this – calling us divisive – and maybe we are, but it’s for our own safety. It’s either this or quietly absorbing the racism that wears us down, slowly hurting our physical and mental states.

Racism isn’t just an issue in the LGBT+ community, but we can be at the forefront of challenging it. The inclusion of black and brown stripes on the Pride flag would acknowledge that we have recognised the problem, and are determined to change it. Holding people accountable for their actions and words, whether as an ally or in the community, is vital. As Fletcher says, “I’m not a fan of change for the sake of change. I am, however, a fan of change when it stands to make a difference.”

• Sharan Dhaliwal is editor of Burnt Roti

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