Pink Triangle

The Pink Triangle is a symbol originating in Nazi Germany often used as a reclaimed symbol to represent gay men and AMAB queer people, which was used to characterize "homosexuals" in concentration camps.

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

Alternate Designs

 * The pink triangle is shown upright specifically as a reclaimed symbol of queer pride--the upright usage is exclusively used for reclamation. It is prominently featured in the famous SILENCE=DEATH posters and logos.

History
The pink triangle was first used in Nazi Germany during the Holocaust to label "homosexual" prisoners, imprisoned on the basis of §175 of the German criminal code --which, notably, only criminalized male homosexuality, not female. "Male homosexuals" imprisoned under the triangle also included bisexual men, transgender women, and other queer AMAB individuals. Before the pink triangle, homosexuals wore green triangles (criminal prisoners) or red triangles (political prisoners) with an "A" for "Arschficker"--literally "Assfucker." Initially, punishment for the crime of homosexuality was imprisonment and forced sterilization. However, in 1942, homosexuality became punishable by death.

During the 1970s, movements to reclaim the pink triangle began to pick up in popularity. In 1972, an autobiography of a gay camp survivor, "Die Männer mit dem rosa Winkel" or "The Men with the Pink Triangle" was published, inspiring the West German gay liberation group Homosexuelle Aktion Westberlin (HAW) to adopt the pink triangle in 1973 as a symbol of liberation. During the '70s, queer activists in the United States promoted the triangle as both a symbol of remembrance and liberation. Rocky Horror Picture Show, a historic queer film released in 1975, depicted bisexual self-proclaimed transvestite Dr. Frank N. Furter wearing a triangle while in drag that is often seen as pink--though the triangle on the outfit may simply be red.

In the 1980s, when the AIDS epidemic hit, the pink triangle's popularity grew. ACT UP, an international organization to combat the AIDS pandemic and support queer people with HIV/AIDS, adopted the now famous "Silence=Death" symbol featuring an upright pink triangle as their logo. The 1987 Gay and Lesbian March on Washington's logo featured the Capitol dome superimposed over an inverted pink triangle, further solidifying the triangle as a symbol of queer activism and liberation.

Usage
The pink triangle is used in a vast number of ways. Most famously, of course, is the SILENCE=DEATH posters, pins, and stickers that rose to fame during the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s. The triangle has also been used in logos, on various pride flags, displayed for pride celebrations, and worn on clothing. It's been seen at nearly every queer rights demonstration since its popularization.

Controversy
Most controversy surrounding reclamation of the pink triangle is surrounding whether it is ethical to reclaim any Holocaust symbol, due to the horror and trauma of the event. An estimated 5,000 to 15,000 homosexuals were killed under the pink triangle, and over 10,000 imprisoned --as such, many are uncomfortable with the use of the symbol at all. However, that painful history is, for many, the precise reason they find reclaiming the triangle important. A letter by the organizers of the 1987 National Lesbian and Gay March alludes to this history and significance, saying, "Dear friends, we are not going back into the closet. We are not going to be herded into any concentration camps. We are not giving back the hard-won rights we have fought for."

Sibling Symbols

 * Black Triangle

Derived Symbols

 * BiAngles