Twin Peaks' pink triangle 2024
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's iconic pink triangle has been installed atop Twin Peaks - a nearly 30-year tradition in the city.
More than 600 volunteers of all ages nailed down the massive pink triangle along the Twin Peaks hillside. It's made up of 175 pink canvases and held down by 5,000 steel spikes.
KTVU's Betty Yu also took a swing at it alongside volunteers who return year after year. There were many first-timers as well.
"Best part is all these people in the fog," said volunteer Douglas Edwards, who volunteered for the first time.
The San Francisco native said he's an ally and supports the LGBTQ community.
"Everybody should be who they want to be, and do what they want in their own agency," he said. "Whenever I see somebody trying to stop that, it causes a surge."
The installation, now in its 29th year, began with Pink Triangle founder Patrick Carney. He put up the first triangle with a group of friends under the cover of darkness, so he wouldn't get arrested. The triangle then was about 40 feet wide. He said this year's measures 240 feet - the largest yet.
"It's a symbol of resilience and a symbol of protest and a symbol of our determination for equality, and it gets bigger every year because we super-sized it," he said. "There's no room for subtlety during Pride Month."
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The pink triangle has a dark history. It was initially used by the Nazis during World War II to identify gay people in concentration camps. Today, the community has embraced it, turning it from a symbol of hate to something that is celebrated.
It's also a reminder of the community's history and present-day challenges.
"There are 500 anti-LGBTQ and anti-drag and anti-trans bills proposed across this country, so the pink triangle is more important than ever. It seems we're never out of the woods," Carney said.
Mayor London Breed, State Sen. Scott Weiner and city attorney David Chiu were among several elected officials who attended the ceremony.
"We are flipping the script in this city every single day, by changing our policies, making sure that the next generation of not just queer people, but allies are growing up with hope and love in their hearts," Breed said.
Drag queen Juanita MORE! emceed the event, which also featured the charitable and performing group - the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
The pink triangle is nearly an acre in size and can be seen for 20 miles. It will remain up through the end of the month.