A gay goth is campaigning to add a black stripe to the rainbow flag
LGBT+ South Africans wave Pride flags at Durban Pride Festival. (RAJESH JANTILAL/AFP/Getty Images)
A gay goth has launched a campaign to have a black stripe included in the Pride flag.
Darkness Vlad Tepes is campaigning for the goth LGBTQ community to be included into the rainbow flag.
Speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph, Tepes said that he felt the black stripe should be added to the Pride flag because it will help goth’s become more integrated into the community.
He explained: “Very few goths are ever seen in the gay community but when they are they are not always welcomed due to their dark gothic fashion.
“When some goths go to the gay scene a minority of them get confused with being into the dominatrix sexual lifestyle which is not the case.
“Gothic intent is to dress black and in black.”
The 27-year-old, who sleeps in a coffin and drinks animal blood as part of his vampiric goth life, added that he felt the “current colours in the gay flag don’t really represent the gothic community”.
“With a black strip we will be treated as equals within the gay community.
“Gay people are already accepted within the gothic community only we don’t have a flag,” he added.
Tepes launched the campaign to have his local council recognise the “need” for the black stripe.
Openly gay MP Nigel Evans, of Ribble Valley which is Tepes constituency, said that LGBTQ community couldn’t “get more inclusive” and that the flag recognises the “diversity” within the community.
“The EU flag only has 12 stars on it and is just symbolic of the countries in the organisation.
“We do not need to add further colours to differentiate gay goths,” he added.
Charity Lancashire LGBT added that they “wish the gay goth community well but our view is that the rainbow flag already reflects the full diversity of LGBT people.
“The designer of the flag, Gilbert Baker, said the stripes do not stand for specific subgroups but for themes such as life, healing, art, nature and spirits,” the spokesperson added.
Pride flag designer Gilbert Baker (Getty)
The group, More Color More Pride, hopes that the traditional six-colour rainbow flag designed by artist Gilbert Baker will be altered to include black and brown.
“In 1978, artist Gilbert Baker designed the original rainbow flag,” reads the campaign site.
“An iconic symbol of LGBTQ+ unity. So much has happened since then. A lot of good, but there’s more we can do. Especially when it comes to recognizing people of colour in the LGBTQ+ community.
“To fuel this important conversation, we’ve expanded the colours of the flag to include black and brown. It may seem like a small step. But together we can make big strides toward a truly inclusive community.”
The original Pride flag designer Gilbert Baker died in March last year, age 65.
