The late Gilbert Baker, who co-created the first rainbow flags with his friends Lynn Segerblom and the late James McNamara in 1978, campaigned for 10 years to get the Castro flagpole erected.
He believed that the flag should not be lowered and considered it art. Baker died in 2017, but we'd like to think that he'd support a flag design that expands inclusivity.Racism in the Castro is not new.
Even before the Badlands discrimination case in 2004, our archive reveals reporting on mistreatment of people of color at what were then known as gay bars by requiring multiple IDs, enforcing dress codes, or simply refusing entry.