National Geographic | THE COMPASS

National Geographic

THE COMPASS

This week, we recall the first Pride parade, explore how a single document changed AIDS activism, untangle the deep roots of Hawai’i’s sacred māhū, and uncover everything you don’t know about drag.

A top view of Gilbert Baker in black and white surrounded by flags at a sewing machine

PHOTOGRAPH BY JERRY TELFER/ SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE VIA GETTY IMAGES

WHO WAVED THE RAINBOW FLAG?

The iconic flag has become a symbol of pride around the world, but how did it come to represent the LGBTQIA+ community in the first place? Since its first appearance, the rainbow flag (pictured above, being sewn by Gilbert Baker) has had a number of iterations, all of which are now key symbols of pride. When did the pride flag make its first appearance?

Related: See the first pride parade in 1970
Also: What was the Stonewall Uprising?

A black and white photo from a high vantage point looking down on marchers on the street

PHOTOGRAPH BY SUZANNA VLAMIS, AP PHOTO

HOW THIS MODERN ‘MAGNA CARTA’ SPARKED A REVOLUTION

The dawn of a new movement in activism began in the midst of an escalating AIDS crisis and hysteria in 1983. A group of activists created The Denver Principles, a manifesto that aimed to set the tone for improved healthcare for those in the community impacted by HIV and other infection-related diseases. How did it come to exist?

WHAT IS ITS LEGACY?

Related: The search for a groundbreaking LGBTQ+ liberation center

Hinaleimoana "Kumu Hina" Wong-Kalu, co-curator of The Healer Stones of Kapaemāhū exhibit, in front of a life-size rendering of Nā Pōhaku Ola Kapaemāhū a Kapuni at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Honolulu, HI

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARIE ERIEL HOBRO, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

THE ANCIENT ROOTS OF HAWAI’I’S MĀHŪ

Tucked into Waikiki beach sit four ancient boulders, each dedicated to four healers who once brought their skills and wisdom to the people of Hawai’i. These healers were neither man nor woman, but a true mixture of both in mind, heart, and spirit. (Pictured above, cultural leader Hinaleimoana "Kumu Hina" Wong-Kalu sits for a portrait in front of a life-size rendering of the four legendary healers.) How deeply do the roots of the māhū run? And how are they embraced today?

A POWERFUL ROLE

GOOD READS

Queer joy comes to life in this summer camp haven

These five places still do not allow women

These Black transgender activists are fighting to simply ‘just be’

A photographer documents her own gender transition

How these youth are building community through conservation work

Birth control options for men are advancing—here’s how they work

It’s hard to reconnect with old friends, but science may have a solution

See 100 years of LGBTQ+ history mapped across New York City

How these destinations are helping visitors travel with pride

Three people dressed in gowns with large wigs and lots of color

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRUNO BARBEY/ MAGNUM

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT DRAG?

Drag goes further back than you think. Drag queens (pictured above) are making a name for themselves today, a continuation of a culture that began in clandestine balls hosted by Black performers in the 19th century. These secret competitions created a groundbreaking space that has slowly reached center stage. How did drag begin?

FROM POLICE RAIDS TO POP CULTURE

Related: Why this Buddhist monk has become an LGBTQ+ icon in Tokyo
Also: How historians are documenting the lives of transgender people

100 places to be ‘Out in the World’

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PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON

Wherever you are in the world, you should feel free to be your true self. That’s why National Geographic created this one-of-a-kind guidebook for LGBTQIA+ travelers (and allies). We’ll help you find the most welcoming places to stay, to eat—and help you build an itinerary that lets you be you.

CHECK IT OUT NOW

Today’s Soundtrack: Strange Loop, Liz Phair

WHAT WILL WE EXPLORE NEXT?

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