Black Triangle

The Black Triangle (▼) is a symbol originating in Nazi Germany often used as a reclaimed symbol to represent lesbians, which was used to characterize "asocials" in concentration camps.

Symbology
The symbol originates from concentration camps and ghettos in Nazi Germany, where it was worn as a badge to denote "asocial" prisoners.

History
The black triangle was first used in Nazi Germany during the Holocaust to label "asocial" prisoners. In theory, the symbol was applied to those imprisoned for homelessness and prostitution, though in practice it was applied to a number of behaviors. The primary targets of the black triangle were the Romani and Sinti people, who were deemed asocial, ghettoized, and deported to concentration camps under it. Romani men sometimes wore a brown triangle, while Romani women wore only a black due to the believe they were all thieves, criminals, and prostitutes. Beside the triangle was often a "Z," symbolizing Zigeuner--the German form of the slur "gypsy."

It is of note that lesbians were rarely, if ever, labelled with the black triangle solely for their lesbianism, and there is no known record of this occurring. In fact, "proposals to criminalize female homosexual acts were rejected. Lesbians suffered less from persecution unique to themselves than from the regime's larger vision for women, which hit unwed women particularly hard ..." The majority of the black triangle's victims were Roma; estimates say less than 100 known lesbians, if any, were imprisoned or ghettoized under the black triangle, while the number of Romani killed under it numbers in the thousands and possibly over one million.

Usage
The black triangle is most frequently used as an emblem in the center of the Labrys lesbian flag. It may also be worn as a badge, pin, or similar.

Controversy
The main controversy around reclaiming this symbol is simply that the symbol is not appropriate for lesbians to reclaim. Lesbians were not targeted for extermination, nor was any lesbian murdered in the gas chambers unless they were under another targeted group. As such, the reclamation of the black triangle by non-Roma lesbians is erasure of Romani victims of the Holocaust--or Porajmos/"Devouring"--deeply harmful, and even racist.

Additionally, there is concern over the ethics of reclaiming Nazi symbolism at all, especially when it was not exclusive to one group. Questions have been posed over whether there is a way to reclaim these symbols, when survivors who still live may witness them. And, especially when a symbol targeted an entire other culture, the risk of harm becomes that much greater.

Sibling Symbols

 * Pink Triangle