Today’s badge is very appropriate as I am leading a walking tour all about how Manchester built the first publicly-funded, purpose-designed LGBT Community Centre. This is part of the first national LGBT History Festival. If you would like to go on the tour, you can download a zine and tour guide from this blog.

When I visited the Castro neighbourhood  in San Francisco I learnt how the rainbow flag was adopted by the gay community. It was designed by civil rights activist and openly gay artist Gilbert Baker. He first raised an-8-colour rainbow flag at the pride parade in June 1978. The colours were symbolic and reflected the diversity of the LGBT community. Over the years the number of colours has reduced to 6. The sewing machine and one of Baker’s first handmade flags is on display at the GLBT History Museum in San Francisco.