Prism Prints - Lavender Rhino

For this project, I made a Lavender Rhino in celebration of Pride Month! I wanted to share some of the important history that I learned about the LGBTQ+ rights movement, and why the Lavender Rhino became a symbol for the community as a whole.

In Boston, Massachusetts, 1974, there was a group called Gay Media Action-Advertising that sought to run a subway ad campaign increasing the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community during June, the month of Pride. As an eye-catching visual, the symbol of a lavender rhino was thought up by two local artists, Daniel Thaxton and Bernie Toale. The rhino was chosen as it is actually quite a gentle creature, but is very dangerous when provoked. This seems like a fitting representation for the queer community, and the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. The idea to color the rhino lavender came from mixing blue and pink, two colors that represent the masculine and feminine. There was also a red heart on the shoulder to symbolize shared humanity.

In order to run this ad campaign, it needed to be approved by Metro Transit Advertising or MTA, as well as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority or MBTA. Gay Media Action recieved approval from both by March of 1974. A couple months later in May, conveniently just before Boston's Pride march, the MTA stated they were "unable to determine eligibility of the public service rate." This last minute decision increased the per car-card rate from $2 to $7, more than tripling the cost to run the ad campaign, and putting the entire thing on hold. Even through public protest, the MBTA decided to agree with the price increase just days before the Pride March.

As a response to both the MTA and MBTA's decision, parade go-ers sported the Lavender Rhino design on shirts, pins and signs. There was even a huge papier-mâché Lavender Rhino on wheels that was pushed along the route.

This entire ad campaign was born out of the desire to be seen, and also be treated as an equal. A simple and harmless request. However, the pushback led to the community coming together, and not only raising enough donations to run the ad campaign, but immortalized the Lavender Rhino as a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride and resistance.