Pride Month Flags History Australia

At Evan Evans, we produce flags every day. But some flags carry far more than colour, stitching, or fabric. They carry stories. They carry history.

June is Pride Month — a time when LGBTQIA+ communities around the world celebrate their identity, visibility, and resilience. While many associate Pride with vibrant parades, rainbow flags, glitter, and celebration, its roots are much deeper — born out of protest, resistance, and the ongoing fight for equality.

The Origins: Stonewall and a Spark That Traveled Worldwide

In 1969, New York’s Stonewall Inn became the unlikely catalyst for a global movement. For LGBTQIA+ people at the time, even gathering publicly was often criminalised. The Stonewall Inn was a rare sanctuary for trans people, drag queens, sex workers, and young people pushed to society’s margins.

On June 28th, police raided the bar — something common at the time — but this night sparked something different. The crowd outside stood their ground. Tired of years of discrimination and harassment, members of the community resisted, igniting several days of protest and demonstration. This would go on to be remembered as the Stonewall Riots — widely recognised as the birth of the modern LGBTQIA+ rights movement.

Australia’s Own Turning Point

The impact of Stonewall soon crossed oceans. In Australia, LGBTQIA+ people faced their own battles: criminalisation, forced conversion therapies, police harassment, and public humiliation. In 1978, Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ community organised a peaceful march to show solidarity and demand civil rights. That peaceful march quickly turned violent when police revoked their permit mid-event, resulting in the arrests and public outing of 53 people — many losing their jobs, housing, or family support as a result.

This event marked the beginning of what would eventually become Sydney’s Mardi Gras — one of the world’s most iconic celebrations of LGBTQIA+ pride and visibility, born from the courage of the original '78ers.

Why We Still March — And Fly the Flag

When you see rainbow flags — or any of the many Pride flags — flying high, they are far more than decoration. Each stripe and symbol represents visibility, solidarity, and the ongoing journey for equality.

At Evan Evans, we are proud to play a small part in that visibility. The flags we create — whether the Rainbow Flag, Progress Pride Flag, Transgender Flag, Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag, or Philadelphia People of Color Inclusive Pride Flag — are more than just products. They are a reflection of the voices behind the movement: those who stood at Stonewall, marched in Sydney, and continue to advocate today.

Pride Month Is Both Celebration and Reflection

Pride Month is an opportunity to celebrate progress made — and recognise work still ahead. It’s a time to ask: who still needs to be seen, heard, and supported? Trans communities, sex workers, youth experiencing homelessness, asylum seekers, and people of colour continue to face unique challenges within and beyond the LGBTQIA+ spectrum.

Every Flag Tells a Story

In our factory, flags are printed, sewn, and prepared for events across Australia. But during Pride Month, we’re reminded: we’re not just making fabric. We’re helping people fly their story.

Happy Pride Month from all of us at Evan Evans.