Celebrating 50 Years Of Pride

Today's slideshow Doodle celebrates 50 years of Pride by taking us through five decades of Pride history—all told through the lens of a growing, evolving, and international Pride parade!

Below, Doodler Nate Swinehart shares more on the making-of today's Doodle, as well as what the project means to him.

The Pride Parade is a symbol of celebration and liberation for the entire LGBTQ+ community. From its early days of activism on Christopher Street in New York City, to the worldwide celebrations of today, it has empowered and given voice to a bright and vibrant community.  

In celebrating 50 years of Pride, my coworker Cynthia Cheng first had the idea to depict the parade itself and show it growing in size and momentum across the decades.  

Concept Image by Cynthia Cheng

Inspired by this concept, I began exploring different styles that could fully capture the feeling of a growing parade and relate to all who are a part of it. After several experiments, I landed on the idea of using strips of cut paper to depict the people and setting.

Cut Paper Test by Nate Swinehart

Paper is flat and simple by nature, but by adding multiple layers of depth across the decades, I could show the growth of the community over time. Color also played a huge part in the concepting, as I wanted to depict the vibrance and energy of the community. While everything begins with shades of grey, we first see the rainbow through a community space. Color then begins to spread, first in individual people, then to the city around them, until it finally overtakes the entire composition. I also wanted the progression of color to be meaningful, beginning with the initial pink triangle that was reclaimed by the community as a symbol of liberation. From there, we go backwards through the rainbow from purple to red, until we see all the colors come together harmoniously in the final image.

Working on this Doodle was a very personal project for me. As a member of the LBGTQ+ community, I am very familiar with the struggle of feeling included, accepted, and that I am a ‘part’ of this world. Before I joined Google in 2014, I remember opening up the Google homepage to see a Doodle celebrating the Winter Olympics, depicting the colors of the Pride flag. I was completely blown away. Looking at the front page of Google, I was filled with hope and a feeling of belonging. That moment was a large part of why I wanted to become a Doodler. I recognized the opportunity we have to make a positive impact on the world, and to help make people feel seen, heard, and valued.

I have witnessed the strides forward for queer people over the decades, and today, many of us celebrate a level of freedom I could not have imagined in my wildest dreams while I was growing up. I'm hopeful for the future and a day when everyone, regardless of their identification, can stand and march proudly in celebration. Happy Pride!

Google Doodle Art Director Erich Nagler, who also partnered on this project, shares his thoughts on the Doodle below:

When I was 18 years old, I went to college in New York City. Even as I was still finding my way out of the closet, I found myself on a walk through Greenwich Village, across Seventh Avenue where the street grid shifts and the streets get names instead of numbers. I passed Sheridan Square onto Christopher Street, the historic gay heart of the city. Here was the Stonewall Inn, the Lucille Loretta Theatre, the entrance to the PATH train, and the piers out into the Hudson River. Here was a neighborhood and a community where I could begin to love myself more and hate myself less, where I finally felt accepted, where I didn’t have to hide or pretend, where I could fully be me and find others like me. Over the past 50 years, that powerful spirit of pride has spread from Christopher Street to other streets and neighborhoods and communities, connecting people all around the world. That expanding spirit of love and acceptance is something we've hoped to capture in today's Doodle.