THE PINK TRIANGLE LEGACIES PROJECT
Queer History for Queer Liberation
During their twelve-year reign, the Nazis devised a color-coded system of triangle badges that identified the so-called crime of prisoners in the concentration camps. Queer men and trans women prisoners were labeled with the pink triangle. Beginning in the 1970s, queer activists reclaimed the symbol and asserted that being queer was in no way shameful. They transformed the pink triangle from a badge of shame and imprisonment into a global rallying cry for queer liberation, community, and pride.
The history has shown us how far homophobia and transphobia can go when left unchallenged. It's up to us to decide how far we let it go today.
Our Mission
The Pink Triangle Legacies Project is a grassroots, non-profit initiative that honors the memory of the Nazis’ queer victims and carries on their legacy by fighting homophobia and transphobia today through education, empowerment, and advocacy.
Our Values
Our work is rooted in the belief that queer history is a powerful force in creating dynamic, inclusive, and thriving societies. Everyone deserves to be able to look back in history and see themselves. When we establish historical roots, we ground our understanding of our place in the world and draw on the strength of previous generations. For far too long, that has not been possible for many queer people because mainstream society has ignored or actively silenced queer history.
The Pink Triangle Legacies Project is dedicated to liberating and uplifting the histories of the Nazis’ queer victims and the subsequent activists who used the pink triangle to demand equality for queer communities. The history of the Holocaust teaches us what is at stake when groups like the queer community are marginalized, and it also provides stories of resilience and inspiration.
History is the foundation of our work because there can be no justice without first acknowledging and remembering injustice. But knowing the history is not enough. Remembering must have consequences.
We believe the origins and transformation of the pink triangle offers historical warnings of the dangers queer people have faced, empowerment for understanding and countering the threats facing queer communities today, and a rallying cry for establishing connections with our queer ancestors and with each other today.
Our Work
The Pink Triangle Legacies Project educates audiences by creating resources for the classroom, social media, and community spaces; uplifts queer people and their allies through paid internships and volunteer opportunities; fosters solidarity and belonging through community building events; and empowers people with the skills, resources, and networks necessary to identify and resist the threats against the queer community today.
Our History
In response to our founder's book, Pink Triangle Legacies: Coming Out in the Shadow of the Holocaust, people across the country wanted to know how they could turn history's lessons into action. How could they get involved with sharing and protecting this history and defending the queer community from the rise in attacks today? The Pink Triangle Legacies Project was launched in January 2024 as an answer to those questions.
