Baker served in the United States Army from 1970 to 1972 . He was stationed as a medic in San Francisco at the beginning of the gay rights movement , and lived there as an openly gay man . After his honorable discharge from the military , he worked on the first marijuana legalization initiative California Proposition 19 ( 1972 ) , and was taught to sew by his fellow activist Mary Dunn . He used his skill to create banners for gay-rights and anti-war protest marches . It was during this time that he met and became friends with Harvey Milk . He also joined the gay drag activist group Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence stating , " At first it was glamorous and political , but when the Sisters became more organized , I became a tool of the right wing and raised money for Jerry Falwell " , referring to video and images of the group that were used for right-wing Christian efforts , " so I stopped . " Baker first created the Rainbow Flag with a collective in 1978 . He refused to trademark it , seeing it as a symbol that was for the LGBT community . In 1979 , Baker began work at Paramount Flag Company in San Francisco , then located on the southwest corner of Polk Street and Post Street in the Polk Gulch neighborhood . Baker designed displays for Dianne Feinstein , the Premier of China , the presidents of France , Venezuela , and the Philippines , the King of Spain , and many others . He also designed creations for numerous civic events and San Francisco Gay Pride . In 1984 , he designed flags for the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
1984 Democratic National Convention
Gilbert Baker (artist)