The Pink Triangle has been installed atop Twin Peaks in San Francisco for each Pride weekend in June since 1996, as a visible yet mute reminder of man's inhumanity to man. It is almost 200 feet across, nearly an acre in size, and can be seen for 20 miles. 

From: Pink Triangle History

 

The pink triangle was used by the Nazis in concentration camps to identify and shame homosexuals. This symbol, which was used to label and shame, has been embraced by the gay community as a symbol of pride.

From: Pink Triangle History

However, in the 1930s & 1940s there was nothing celebratory about the pink triangle. Gays were forced to wear the pink triangle on their breast pockets in the concentration camps to identify them as homosexual to set them apart from other prisoners.

From: Pink Triangle History

San Francisco at dusk, as viewed from Twin Peaks in 2020

This year's Pink Triangle created with 2,700 LED nodes.

 

 

The pink triangles were slightly larger than the other colored triangles so that guards could identify them from a distance. It is said that those who wore the pink triangles were singled out by the guards to receive the harshest treatment, and when the guards were finished with them, some of the other inmates would harm them as well.

From: Pink Triangle History

 

Triangles of various colors were used to identify each category of "undesirable": yellow for Jews, brown of Gypsies, red for political prisoners, green for criminals, black for anti-socials, purple for Jehovah's Witnesses, blue for immigrants, and pink for homosexuals.

Pink Triangle History

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discriminatory laws led to the creation of the Pink Triangle patch that homosexuals were forced to wear in Nazi concentration camps, and the Yellow Star of David badge that Jews were forced to wear under Nazi occupation, and a whole series of colored patches for each of their targeted groups of "undesirables". We try to prevent such hatred from happening again. Click here for further history information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The test of any democracy is how well it treats its minorities. The Third Reich demonstrates how easily a government can devise minority scapegoats. Branding homosexuals as criminals let most Germans feel comfortable looking the other way while the Nazis went about their persecution. Germany is today one of the gay-friendliest places on Earth with true safeguards for LGBTs, however tactics used there so long ago still occur today in other places. While most nations are continually progressing, dozens others are ever more oppressive, less and less tolerant and less inclusive, and are violators of human rights. Many LGBTs in those areas will spend the unforeseen future living in utter fear. 

78 countries where homosexuality is still illegal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the end of the war, when the concentration camps were finally liberated, virtually all of the prisoners were released except those who wore the pink triangle. Many of those with a pink triangle on their pocket were put back in prison and their nightmare continued. 

From: History

 

 

 

 

The annual Pink Triangle on Pride Weekend in 2012, as viewed from Eighth and Market in San Francisco.

To learn more about San Francisco's annual Pink Triangle, go to:

The Pink Triangle

To learn more about the organization that created the Bay Bridge Lights, and this year's LED Pink Triangle, go to: Illuminate

This year's LED Pink Triangle reported by:

SF Chronicle

Bay Area Reporter

SF Weekly