bulletproof pride shield is made of 193 LGBTQ+ flags

may 17, 2018 — international day against homophobia and transphobia. it’s a turbulent time for many people across the world, but in one fell swoop, a design can still inspire hope. this powerful installation, the bulletproof ‘pride shield’, symbolizes hope and tangibly reminds the world that together, we can stop violence. 

all images courtesy of fondation émergence

‘the pride shield’ — developed by rethink creative — represents the collective world. a flag on its own is symbolic of love, hope, strength, unity, protection and more. but a flag on its own is still just a symbol. when 193 individual symbols of love and hope and strength come together, they cease to become symbols or metaphors or mantras. literally, they stop bullets.

organizations may order this powerful design on prideshield.com — a website with sound bytes, imagery and text from LGBTQ+ victims of violence. today however, they remind us that they are not individuals, but a collective of victors who stand together.