COMPANY LAUNCHES SA GAY FLAG
A Cape Town based company has produced a South African version of the LGBT flag. But what’s the point and do we really need one?
P2-ink, consisting of Creative Director Eugene (Huge) Brockman and CEO Henry Bantjez, launched their flag at the recent MCQP party at the Cape Town Stadium.
The design incorporates the rainbow flag, created by San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker in 1978, with the “Y” element of the South African national flag.
“The SA LGBT flag can be a powerful tool to highlight the uniqueness and value of South Africa’s LGBT community,” said the duo via e-mail.
“Also, recent developments in Africa and South Africa have made it clear that we face very different issues from our gay brothers and lesbian sisters abroad, and this flag is a vehicle to raise those issues under one banner.
“The SA LGBT flag aims to stand for the rights of our community who face serious issues such as corrective rape, the myth of ‘the Un-Africanness of Homosexuality’ and a degradation in human rights,” said P2-ink.
They added that bars and restaurants in De Waterkant, Cape Town’s Gay village, are already flying the SA LGBT flag and that it will be a prominent feature of Cape Town Pride, for which Bantjez is marketing manager, at the end of February next year.
P2-ink has also partnered with a leading gay accommodation company to launch a campaign to distribute the flag to gay hotels, guest houses, B&B, bars and restaurants in an effort to consolidate the gay hospitality industry in South Africa.
“Cape Town Tourism has completely embraced the SA LGBT flag and we are working in conjunction with them and IGLTA to make Cape Town even more fabulous for LGBT travellers.”
The duo noted that the flag design is trademarked by P2-ink, which means that its use by anyone else must be approved by the company.
Flags can be bought from the P2-ink website for between R25 and R84 and will also be available through gay establishments in Cape Town.
“We have worked hard to be able to provide the flag at almost half of what was charged on the street for flags during the FIFA World Cup,” P2-ink said.
What do you think of the design? Do we need a South African LGBT flag? Tell us what you think below.
Nope. I think the idea is stunning!
However, failure lies in the excecution.
It’s boring, and not at all unique or original in its design.
I think we do… Spells out the uniqueness of the only free country in Africa. A hallmark of some sort.
Yeah baby!!. @Tim – You said it! Saw the flag hanging at Crew and some other joints. Nice
It’s about time!. I am really glad that someone took the initiative to do this. I have seen the gay version of the British and Australian flags, which they use at their pride/mardi gras events.
However, I do agree that this flag design is really boring and unoriginal. Surely some graphic designers could come up with something much better than this. This design looks like it was done by a school kid and probably took all of 2 minutes to do.
But I will still be proud of it.
Proud. @Gary Agreed, Gary – I am also going to be (already) proud of it.xxx
Something’s amiss here. There are 3 things in this story that don’t sit well with me:
1) This design leave’s me stone cold. It’s unimaginative. I’ve more than 12 years graphic design experience. I’m the creative director of a small advertising firm. I could never pass this design for publication, let alone go the expense of trade marking it before serious evaluation.
2) A private company has ‘trademarked’ a public devise (although my understanding of the process means that it may well have been applied for, with approval from CIPRO pending) whose essential structure (the rainbow bars) is used throughout the world by innumerable LGBTI community members to express their pride and solidarity. If it were to be commercialised, why not by a public benefit organisation where the proceeds would go directly to essential projects? Both Joburg and Cape Town Prides are public benefit companies, wherein individuals cannot personally gain. They came about after years of debate, argument and reflection, as necessary custodians of our common communal pride.
3) The reported broad-based buy-in by Cape Town tourism companies leaves me uneasy. I’ve personally been involved in promoting gay tourism in SA for 15 years and been to 12 tourism Indabas. When a tourism business has wanted to show solidarity with or promote their business at gay travellers, the colour scheme of the rainbow flag has either been literally transposed in varying degrees within their marketing material or creatively applied as such. The fact that a private company is now obliging businesses to pay for exclusive use of that visual devise if they want to continue accessing the pink market implies an unpleasant turn of events.
There are a number of suppliers locally and overseas who provide pride merchandise to the public. I’ve never come across a situation like this.
A South African version of the flag would be welcome if it is well designed, generally approved of and for public, not private benefit. Ultimately, when one considers photos of pride events the world over, it is that Gilbert Baker flag the flies proudly in the sky.
On a personal note, I deem my sexuality universal and this transcends my nationality. I’m proud to share within a global heritage a universally powerful symbol.
Let the debate continue…
Absolutely. I absolutely agree with your statements.
Also being from the publishing/marketing industry, I must say I was a little shocked at the lack of creativity. It’s boring, and looks amateur.
It’s even more shocking that someone would then go out and claim rights to this.
Frankly, I’m more than shocked, I’m somewhat offended.
Our gay community has become selfish, and lost our “unity”
All the above, but I still think the original idea of a “uniquely South Africa Gay Flag” is a brilliant cocept.
FANTASTIC!. Great idea!! We are so diverse, often bitchy (see some comments…) and often doscouaging – let us just embrace this (and for once stand together)
Jxxxx
@Terry. Excellent comments. I agree 100% with you. Let’s embrace this! See you at Pride….
Fabulous in concept. I think it’s a great idea but not well executed. I’m not crazy about the design, I’d rather go for the traditional gay flag, but it’s just my opinion.
I think something nice would start with the flag.
FAB!. Ag please man! I think the design rock. I mean what do you guys want them to put on there.
It has to relate to the south African flag.
Or shall we just stick Mandela and Evita Bezuidenhout’s face on there?
Or the big 5 and a pink loerie?
Also what’s so wrong with a company running a logo, all the best logo’s and copy rights are managed by companies…
AND I agree we have to wake up! Our own ambassador in the UNITED NATIONS voted that it is OK to massacre, execute and have genocide for HOMOSEXUALITY!
So my gay brothers and sisters, we either stick together on this continent or we are TOAST!
For that reason I will go buy a flag from these guys as they have good intentions. Let’s give them a chance. I think we do need some platform as GLBT South Africans.
FAB!. Typical! We have to bitch and go-on without even seeing what they can do.
I think the design is cool and represents the South Africa.
WHAT DO YOU GUYS WANT?
The smiling faces of Mandela, Evita Bezuidenhout, Julius Malema and Eugene Terreblance floating over it?
OR
The BIG 5 with a PINK LOERIE as the 6th GAY Animal?
Seriaaaas!
ALSO, they raise a valid point. If we don’t stick together on this continent we will be TOAST. Our marriage certificates can turn into warrants for arrest.
Our own ambassador in United Nations voted that it’s OK to massacre, execute and have genocide on grounds of homosexuality. SO WAKE UP PEOPLE!
Not to mention our lesbians burnt to a crisp or beaten beyond recognition after being raped.
We need something like this! SEE THE GOOD FOR ONCE!
Nice. Nice, the old one is boring..
flag. Great , fantastic.
go for it.
Nice Idea, poorly excecuted!
It’s a money making racket!. Okay, does no one else worry that they have trademarked the flag? That means no one can use it without paying them for it. How is that supposed to represent the gay community, huh? Imagine if the traditional rainbow flag were trademarked? It goes against the spirit of the rainbow flag completely! Its a poor show on their part and sad that almost no one has realised what a joke this is. It’s just another attempt to milk our community while pretending to be a social cause…
Agree totally!. I agree totally that to have this proposed flag trademarked goes 180 degrees against the whole spirit of inclusiveness etc. Not to say I don’t like the flag or having a rainbow flag with a South African flavour, I just don’t think a trade marked symbol can be used as a national symbol. I’d rather recognise it at pure novelty.
Finally!. Firstly @ reggie saying this is a money making thing – have you not read in the press these people are making the flag AFFORDABLE and also I heard that some proceeds will go to Cape Town Pride. (Did you know OUT IN AFRICA is desperate for funds as well?) Where on earth can you get FREE FLAGS FOR THE GAY COMMUNITY? Get real. Someone took the initiative to give South Africa something really great – our own gay flag! Finally!
BRILLIANT. Forgot to mention – LOVE the design. It is someting we can immediatey relate to. Uncomplicated. It even looks South African. BRILLIANT!!! I will be waving it proudly at Pride *wink*
Great!. I don’t see what the problem is with a company running it…
It means it will be managed. I’ve worked for a company where guys had a very kak attitude to the gay community when I was still in the closet and they advertised using the international gay flag.
So if they manage it, and have it stand for gay rights I am for it.
Also those prices are very reasonable, I paid R180 for a flag of Ghana in the world cup.
@ Something’s amiss here….. Hey Jason,
okay i get what you are saying but lets just break it down…
1) if you have been a graphic designer and talk quite highly of yourself…and your position, i am surprised i have not seen you design a
Good blogging!