The pink triangle is popularly recognized as a symbol for the gay community, but did you know that it originated in Nazi Germany? The history of our pink triangle began before WWII during Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime.

In 1935, during his rise to power Adolf Hitler revised a clause in German law, Paragraph 175, which prohibited homosexuality, to include kissing, embracing and having homosexual fantasies. Up until 1939, offenders were sent to prisons and later concentration camps. Gay men were punished by sterilization or castration. In 1942, the punishment was extended to death.

In concentration camps and prisons, prisoners wore inverted triangles on their clothing to indicate their reasons for imprisonment. The pink triangle was worn by homosexual men. Making them the target of unspeakable hatred and misunderstanding, by guards as well as other prisoners.

Lesbians were luckier than their male counterparts. Lesbianism was not recognized in Paragraph 175, yet lesbianism was considered anti-social behavior. Women that were not following the Nazi traditions of womanhood, focusing on children, child baring; the kitchen, a husband and the church were considered anti-social. Those women were identified in the concentration camps with an inverted black triangle and it is said that the majority of them were lesbians.

Paragraph 175, remained a law in Germany until 1969!

Today, the black triangle has been reclaimed by the lesbian community and feminist groups as a symbol of pride and unity.