San Francisco unveils iconic Pink Triangle to kick off Pride Month

SAN FRANCISCO – The sounds of the San Francisco Pride Band filled Twin Peaks on Saturday as hundreds of volunteers, community leaders and elected officials gathered to celebrate the completion of the city’s annual Pink Triangle installation.

The massive display, made up of 175 pink tarps and spanning nearly an acre, overlooks San Francisco from Twin Peaks and can be seen from miles away on a clear day.

What they’re saying:

Organizers say the installation has become one of the city’s most recognizable Pride Month traditions.

“The pink triangle, of course, started in the concentration camps, and then in the 1970s it was used as a symbol of liberation. Then, in the 1980s it was turned upward, along with the slogan ‘Silence Equals Death’ during the AIDS crisis, and then it’s become a symbol of pride ever since,” said Patrick Carney, founder and producer of The Pink Triangle.

More than 800 volunteers helped assemble the display, continuing a tradition that has been maintained for more than three decades.

From symbol of persecution to symbol of pride

For volunteers attending the installation ceremony, its history remains a powerful reason to participate.

“This is such a great event that I found out that it was a symbol of hate, and it’s so great that they turned it into a symbol of togetherness and love,” said Remi Tan of Pacifica.

Others said they return each year because of the sense of community the event creates.

“I love the crowd, I love the community, I love the volunteers,” said Joon Tan of Pacifica.

Dig deeper:

Organizers say San Francisco is the only city with a Pink Triangle installation of this scale serving as a centerpiece for Pride celebrations.

Sister Roma, a longtime LGBTQ+ activist and San Francisco resident, said the display carries added significance in the current political climate.

“It just feels very empowering and beautiful. There’s such a sense of joy,” she said. “Never in my life have I been more thankful to live here in San Francisco and in California, where humanity prevails, where common sense prevails, where I still feel very protected.”

Several city and state leaders attended Saturday’s dedication ceremony, thanking the volunteers responsible for the installation.

“Most people down there over the next couple of weeks are not going to know about the 800 of you who came up here to make this happen, but they’re going to benefit from the fact that you all did this, and that Patrick and his friends and family have been doing this for 31 years,” said Rafael Mandelman, president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

What’s next:

The Pink Triangle will remain in place throughout Pride Month. 

Organizers are seeking volunteers to help remove the installation following San Francisco’s Pride Parade on June 28 starting at 4:30 pm.