Rainbow flag blows in Lienz: A sign of diversity and respect!

Rainbow flag blows in Lienz: A sign of diversity and respect!

Lienz, Österreich - In Lienz, the district administration ensures respect and diversity with a colorful sign: the rainbow flag blows in front of the building and thus emphasizes the important topics of the LGBTQIA+community in June. The Pride-Month is an occasion that is celebrated annually in the sign of the various identities and sexual orientations. As the dolomitenstadt is raised by the end of June to set a sign of equality and visibility queer.

The rainbow flag, a symbol of hope and protest, was designed in 1978 by the US artist Gilbert Baker. Originally intended for the Gay Freedom Day, she quickly developed into a globally recognized sign for the LGBTQIA+rights. In Pride-Month, people from all over the world gather to celebrate diversity and draw attention to grievances. The first gay Freedom Day took place in 1970 and the parade attracted more and more participants and spectators over the years. The different colors of the flag have profound meanings: red stands for life, orange for healing, yellow for sun, green for nature, blue for harmony and violet for mind.

The importance of the rainbow flag

The flag not only represents the diversity in sexuality, but also symbolizes the fight against discrimination and injustice. An important chapter in the history of the search took place in the 1970s when San Francisco became a center of the homosexual movement. At that time there was a wave of discrimination, led by personalities like Anita Bryant. The origin flag even had eight colors before it was reduced to the six known today.

Despite the positive developments, such as marriage for everyone in some countries, the situation remains tense for queer people. An analysis shows that almost 1,500 hate -motivated crimes against queer people were recorded in Germany in 2023, a worrying increase of over 50 percent compared to the previous year. Queer people, especially trans* people, are often victims of violence and discrimination. Even in many countries, homosexuality is still punishable, which underlines the urgent need for visibility and solidarity. The rainbow flag is not only used for celebration, but also as a symbol of support for the persecuted LGBTQIA+community worldwide.

District captain Bettina Heinricher emphasizes that the flag in Lienz transports an important message: respect, diversity and human rights are indispensable. The visibility of this flag remains crucial to put the challenges with which queer people are confronted in the light and to shape a better future. This message has prevailed internationally over the years and the rainbow flag is now a transnational symbol for the rights of the LGBTQIA+community, which is also very well received in politics and business.