Man who created iconic rainbow flag, Gilbert Baker, dies aged 65
The man who created the rainbow flag used to represent LGBT rights has died.
Gilbert Baker, who was an artist and gay rights activist, was 65.
Born in Kansas, Baker originally designed the iconic flag for the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade in 1978.
It originally featured eight coloured stripes, although fabric and material limitations soon saw the design altered to six colours - which remains the most common version today.
A fellow campaigner has tweeted saying his "dearest friend in the world is gone".
A vigil is planned in San Francisco for people to pay their respects to Gilbert.
Tributes have been flowing in across social media.
Lovely to see Twitter light up with joyful tributes to Gilbert Baker. Such a beautiful legacy. 🏳️🌈 pic.twitter.com/25hDbeEpZv
— Colm O'Gorman (@Colmogorman) April 1, 2017
So sad to hear that Gilbert Baker, the original creator of the rainbow flag has passed away❤💛💚💙💜 pic.twitter.com/z86JAPmVtf
— Sean O'Donnell (@TheSeanODonnell) April 1, 2017
Thank you #GilbertBaker, the artist behind the iconic LGBT+ rainbow flag, for creating a unifying symbol for our community #RIP 🏳️🌈🌈 pic.twitter.com/IY4jIGIpwZ
— Pride in London (@PrideInLondon) March 31, 2017
