Deaf Gay & Proud
Abstract
The pink triangle was originally a Nazi concentration camp
signifier for gay men. In the late 1970s, it began its life as a symbol of gay pride; now it is a common identifier of the
LGBTQ rights movement. Because the LGBTQ community
has a much higher percentage of people who are bilingual,
Silver chose not to interpret the ASL word GAY into English. To someone who can’t fingerspell and doesn’t know anything about the LGBTQ community, this sign means DEAF & PROUD — but to those in the know, it shows Deaf gay pride.
signifier for gay men. In the late 1970s, it began its life as a symbol of gay pride; now it is a common identifier of the
LGBTQ rights movement. Because the LGBTQ community
has a much higher percentage of people who are bilingual,
Silver chose not to interpret the ASL word GAY into English. To someone who can’t fingerspell and doesn’t know anything about the LGBTQ community, this sign means DEAF & PROUD — but to those in the know, it shows Deaf gay pride.
Title
Deaf Gay & Proud
Date
1992
Medium
Digital graphics on paper
Description
Pink Triangle, upside down, with the text that says Deaf, Gay and Proud. In the background, blue sky with clouds floating.
Citation
Ann Silver and She/Her/Hers, “Deaf Gay & Proud,” RIT/NTID Dyer Arts Center , accessed March 22, 2023, https://dyerartscenter.omeka.net/items/show/18.