Portland Flag Association 1 ISSN 2474-1787

Portland Flag Association “Free, and Worth Every Penny!” Issue 73 December 2018

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Her Flag 2020

Her Flag 2020 1 In 1920, the necessary 36 states November 2018 Flutterings 2 had ratified the 19th Amendment Transgender Rights Flags 4 to the U.S. Constitution, granting Report: Québec City 6 women the right to vote. Roundup 9 Have Flags Will Travel 9 In celebration of the 100th anni- Do Imports Deface Dutch Flag? 10 versary, Oklahoma-based artist The Flag Quiz 11 Marilyn Artus will journey across Portland Flag Miscellany 12 the country, sewing “Her Flag”, Next Meeting 12 reinterpreting the American flag in measuring 18 by 26 feet. her recent work and has created She plans to collaborate with 36 tributes to Susan B. Anthony, www.portlandflag.org women artists who live in each of Victoria Woodhull, Gloria Steinem, those 36 states—each artist will Ida B. Wells, Candy Darling, and design one stripe of the 36-striped Beyoncé.

flag that Marilyn will sew in the We will be watching this project capital city of each state. She through Facebook and the website expects to take 14 months in herflag.com. 2018–2019 to complete the flag.

Artus herself will sew the , We meet the second Thursday of featuring 36 stars, each 13 inches odd-numbered months. Please high and seemingly arranged semé. mark your 2019 calendars for PFA meetings at 7:00 PM at the following Initially sponsored by the New dates/locations: York Foundation for the Arts, the 1/10/19 Jessie Spillers project will rely on crowdfunding 3/14/19 Patrick Genna through a Kickstarter campaign 5/9/19 Max Liberman begun in November. 7/11/19 Ted Kaye Artus worked as a designer in 9/12/19 David Anchel the gift industry for thirteen years 11/14/19 David Ferriday Homo Sapiens is the species that invents symbols in which to invest and in 2008 she became a full-time Thank you to our generous hosts passion and authority, then forgets visual artist. She has been for their hospitality to the PFA! that symbols are inventions.

—Joyce Carol Oates If you wish to compliment the editor, to contribute in the future, contact Ted Kaye at 503-223-4660 or [email protected]. If you wish to complain, call your mother.

2 The Tabloid November 2018 Flutterings You Need to Know In our November meeting, hosted Ken Dale recognized the upcom- by Dave Anchel, 12 PFA members ing Veterans Day and spoke mov- enjoyed an evening of flags and ingly about military service. extensive conversation. Max Liberman shared his alterna- In his role as host, Dave moderat- tive designs for U.S. governmental ed the discussion, beginning with rank flags. introduction of our guest. David Ferriday showed his art Clarisse Pillard, an art student from work featuring French flag colors France studying at PNCA for the and his “flag of anonymity”—in David Ferriday shows a flag for those fall term, described her research camouflage. who wish to remain anonymous. into flags used as symbols of soli- David Koski explored the rivalry darity for a class on visual culture: Scott Mainwaring described his between the state’s athletic super- “Global Politics of Representa- work on the Flags & powers, the University of Oregon tion”. Facebook page, now sponsored by (Ducks, yellow & green) and NAVA. He gave an interesting Oregon State University (Beavers, presentation on the transgender & black), and how it might flag and intersectionality (see p. 4). be resolved in flag design. Fred Paltridge solicited feedback Mike Hale, in a downsizing effort, on his prospective personal flag, showed examples of the 90+ which features colors, shapes, and books he is donating to NAVA. symbols relating to the Portland streetcars of his youth.

Clarisse Pillard, a student at PNCA this term, explains her flag study.

Max Liberman begins his presentation David Koski combines the iconic Mike Hale shows a 1939 Dettra catalog on alternative U.S. rank flags. symbols of OSU and UofO. from his book collection. December 2018 Portland Flag Association 3

Patrick Genna enjoys the flag of Bhutan, acquired on eBay.

Scott Mainwaring unfurls the 2017 Philadelphia variant of the .

Ken Dale honors Veterans Day.

Patrick Genna unfurled the flag of Bhutan and handed out infoma- Michael Orelove displays a flag sent tion about its history. by Alaska’s governor. Our next meeting will be hosted Michael Orelove unveiled the by Jessie Spillers on 10 January results of his writing all state at his home (Legends) in SW governors requesting flags. Portland. Ted took the Portland Flag Association flag home for Fred Paltridge explains the streetcar Dave Anchel described encounter- Jessie, the customary task of the livery theme of his personal flag. ing flags in his travels—an unusual set in a Japanese ski resort and a next host. historic flag in a small Italian town.

Ted Kaye shared the latest news of NAVA—including NAVA 52 in Québec and Vatican Flags (edited by Scott). He showed recent flag acquisitions and described his involvement with Tulsa’s recent Host David Anchel recounts Ted Kaye shows the latest addition to adoption of a new flag. a flag encounter in Japan. his collection: Québec City, Québec.

4 The Vexilloid Tabloid Transgender Rights Flags By Scott Mainwaring The blue-pink-and-white flag for transgender rights was in the news October 28 when activists from TransLatin@ Coalition in Los An- geles unfurled a huge flag inscribed TRANS PEOPLE DESERVE TO LIVE during a World Series game at Dodger Stadium.

The protest reacted to New York Times reporting (October 21), headlined “‘Transgender’ Could Be Defined Out of Existence Under Trump Administration”, and the long history of violence against Transgender rights flag unfurled at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles transgender people. This violence during Game 5 of the 2018 World Series, October 28. has led to a national day of remem- (source: twentytwowords.com/transgender-flag-world-series) brance in the U.S., Canada, and many other countries on Novem- visual manifestation. Not coinci- identities tends to get drowned ber 20 (the Trans Day of Remem- dentally, it conforms to most of out by its more potent and earlier brance or TDoR). the design recommendations of symbolism of sexual orientation Good Flag, Bad Flag (departing only (a quite separable concept). And The familiar five-striped trans flag in using the unusual-for-flags color is a single flag and a single rallying was created in 1999 by trans wom- of light pink). point ever the best way of symbol- an Monica Helms, who explained: izing diversity? As implicit in the “The stripes at the top and bottom Gender identity and its role within idea of diversity itself, the answer are light blue, the traditional color larger queer and feminist culture is “sometimes but not always”. for baby boys. The stripes next to is a highly complex and politically them are pink, the traditional color charged domain, and presents In the decades since the rainbow for baby girls. The stripe in the a number of challenges for flag and trans flags were first devised middle is white, for those who are designers. a key theoretical advancement in intersex, transitioning, or consider feminist theory has come to prom- themselves having a neutral or A general issue is whether any inence as a way of wrestling with undefined gender. The pattern is single flag can hope to cover (and these questions of diversity. such that no matter which way you respect) the wide range of perspec- Merriam-Webster defines intersec- fly it, it is always correct, signifying tives and voices in this diverse tionality as “the complex, cumula- us finding correctness in our lives.” community. The LGBT pride flag tive manner in which the effects of (rainbow flag), though arising in different forms of discrimination The trans flag has proven a potent San Francisco as a celebration of combine, overlap, or intersect”. symbol for activists and their sup- diversity among sexual orienta- Originally coined by legal scholar porters to rally around, and a way tions, has in its current understand- Kimberlé Crenshaw to argue that, to give the issue of trans rights— ing included trans rights as well. legally, sex and race discrimination an abstraction—a memorable But its symbolism of trans gender Continued on next page December 2018 Portland Flag Association 5 are not simply additive but need to Quasar describes the symbology: be understood as fundamentally The trans flag and marginalized intertwined in the lives of those community stripes were shifted affected by both, it is now more to the hoist of the flag and giv- broadly applied. en a new arrow shape. The ar- row points to the right to show Intersectional impulses have result- The Toronto Trans Alliance’s forward movement, while being ed in modifications to the trans 2014 Trans Kaleidoscope Flag along the left edge shows that flag. In one straightforward progress still needs to be made. change, Raquel Willis changed the The new white symbol with a white stripe to black to create her black border is an extension of Background: LGBTQ 6 full Black Trans Flag for the 2015 the Trans symbol with the male sized color stripes representing “Black Trans Liberation Tuesday” and female symbols, a com- life (red), healing (orange), protest organized as part of the bined symbol representing sunlight (yellow), nature (green), Black Lives Matter movement. those with a gender identity harmony/peace (blue), and (In a similar move, activists in combining male and female and spirit (purple/violet). Philadelphia added black and a plain pole (with neither arrow Hoist: 5 half-sized stripes brown stripes to the rainbow flag nor ) representing those with representing trans individuals for 2017 Pride events—see bit.ly/ a gender identity that is neither (light blue, light pink, white), phillyrainbow.) male nor female, embodying marginalized POC communities awareness and inclusion of all. Other changes have made the (brown, black), as well as those experiences of people with non- Portland-based non-binary artist/ living with AIDS, those no binary or genderqueer gender iden- designer/musician Daniel Quasar, longer living, and the stigma tities more visible, finding the sym- inspired by the Philadelphia black, surrounding them (black). bology of Helms’s white stripe (or brown, and rainbow flag, has creat- Will these intersectional flags Willis’s black stripe) insufficient. ed “Progress: a Pride Flag Reboot” overcome the problems with For example, Members of the now on sale thanks to a 2018 Kick- excessive complexity discouraged Toronto Trans Alliance (TTA) starter campaign netting $25,000. created the Trans Kaleidoscope by Good Flag, Bad Flag? How can Flag in 2014 to highlight these. Quasar wanted to reflect “the way the importance of intersectionality the [rainbow] flag was shifting be better represented in flags? The TTA describes the symbolism: within the community” and the The answers to these lie in further The graded colours represent need for forward progress, led by vexillological scholarship and the range of gender identities transgendered and marginalized innovation. across the spectrum with communities. individual colours representing: For more, see:  Pink: women/femaleness  Purple: those who feel their Pro: https://www.them.us/story/pride- gender identity is a combi- flag-redesign nation of male and female Con: https://medium.com/  Green: those who feel their @emjaymurphee/we-dont-need-a-new- gender identity is neither pride-flag-efc883e0817b male nor female https://qz.com/quartzy/1303522/the-  Blue: men/maleness new-rainbow-pride-flag-is-a-design- The yellow circle represents Progress: a 2018 Pride Flag Reboot by disaster-but-a-triumph-for-lgbtq- those who are intersex. Portland-based artist Daniel Quasar. inclusiveness/

6 The Vexilloid Tabloid Field Report: Québec City, Québec By Ted Kaye Members of the North American Vexillological Association con- vened in October for NAVA 52 in the only walled city in America north of Mexico. As a franco- phone bastion within Canada, Québec resembles a European city with ample flag displays The flags of the city, province, emphasizing its history and charm. and country (a bit worse for wear) bedeck a historic building. The people of Québec consider themselves a nation in the sense of a “people”, and the province’s Flags at City Hall highlight fleurdelisé flies more often than the Ville de Québec’s branding as Maple Leaf flag, along with the “the Accent of America”. striking flag of the city.

Many other flags welcome visitors, especially those of the U.S. and the E.U. Specialty restaurants often fly Québec, justifiably proud of its other flags to show their focus, and UNESCO designation as a world heritage city, flies U.N. flags in the many other vexi-delights await the Place d’Armes. discerning eye.

Québec’s fleurdelisé often flies in multiples (here in the historic Place Royale), but can suffer in the weather.

Flags fly over the Citadelle de Québec, a historic fort and an active military base: A souvenir shop welcomes tourists left: Canada; top right: Royal 22e Régiment (the Canadian Forces’ sole French- with several small national flags. language regular force infantry regiment); lower right: Canadian Forces flag. Continued on next page December 2018 Portland Flag Association 7

A single city flag marks the main train station, the Gare du Palais. Restaurant au Parmesan flies a suite The provincial flag flies alone on many of flags above a set of Ferrari flags. office buildings.

A city banner adorns City Hall, with It is difficult to miss the “London Jack Champlain’s ship, the Don-de-Dieu. Pub” (on Rue Sainte-Joseph Est).

An ATM shows that it dispenses both U.S. and Canadian currency by showing both countries’ flags. However...count the stars!

NAVA’s president, Peter Ansoff, adjusts flags at NAVA 52: Canada, Québec city flags fly below the national flag in the Place d’Armes between a U.S., Québec (province), FIAV, gazebo on the Terrasse Dufferin and the landmark hotel Chateau Frontenac. NAVA, Québec (city), and NAVA 52. Continued on next page

8 The Vexilloid Tabloid More Field Report: Québec City, Québec

Banners at City Hall celebrate Québec’s 13 sister (twin) cities, among them Namur (Belgium) and Xi’an (China)—other walled cities.

A display of the flags of Canada’s francophone communities graces the Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, explained by this interpretive panel.

The flag of Wallonia marks a The Consulate General of the The municipal flag of Saint-Malo francophone organization. United States bears a single U.S. flag. (France) marks a café of the same name.

December 2018 Portland Flag Association 9 Roundup

Kathleen Forrest hoists her Poppy 28 flags representing Australia’s original Aboriginal nations, as imagined Flag in Troutdale in recognition of by Kamilaroi artist Archie Moore, greet visitors to the T1 International terminal Veterans/Armistice Day, 2018 (the of Sydney Airport (photo by Olivia Chen). centennial of the end of World War I). The work, called “United Neytions”, was unveiled in August 2018.

Have Flags Will Travel By Michael Orelove that whoever made the flag could put the stars on the flag anyway In early November I went to they wanted because until 1912 visit Abel, my nephew. Abel is an there were no rules about the elementary school teacher at the placement of the stars. Hadley Middle School in Homer Glen, Illinois. While planning my Able is putting together an assign- trip, Abel asked if I would bring ment for the students to make some flags and do a presentation flags for each of their class groups. for his 6th grade class. Michael Orelove explains the I brought a bunch of historical Continental Colors. American flags and put on a I then talked about our first flag show. I started with the Continen- with 13 stars and 13 stripes. I de- tal Colors, which was our flag on scribed our second flag with 15 July 4, 1776. stars and 15 stripes. I explained

10 The Vexilloid Tabloid Do American Imports Deface the Dutch Flag? By Theun Okkerse Dear friends,

The Dutch flag is horizontally striped, red-white-blue. On one of my visits in England I spotted red- white-blue flags with words like “open” or “antiques” on the white The American “OPEN” flag (1973)— The centuries-old flag of middle stripe. When I asked a see article in VT #65. the Kingdom of the Netherlands. friend of mine in England about it and he told me that these flags were American imports.

In The Netherlands before the twenties of the last century, it was not uncommon to use the flag for advertising. The white middle stripe was used for this purpose. In this way, a fishmonger would advertise “Hollandse Nieuwe” when fresh fish had arrived.

But because the government of the day considered disfiguring the flag this way an abuse, since then it is not permitted to add anything to the flag—it must be a plain red- “Antiques” flags displayed in Wales, as seen on the BBC Two program “Antiques Road Trip”. white-blue.

I’m a little puzzled as to why flags like these are produced in a coun- try such as the United States—a nation that is so careful to protect its own flag.

Would it be possible to stop this practice?

Theun Okkerse is a designer and visual artist in Dordrecht, The Netherlands, a Fellow of FIAV, and a member of NVvV (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Vlaggenkunde) An “OPEN” flag hoisted in Southwold in Suffolk, England, reportedly imported from the U.S.

December 2018 Portland Flag Association 11 What’s that Flag? What Was that Flag? Answers to the last quiz

By Dale Grimes By Ted Kaye I observed Vexiday on September These are new versions of the 29 this year because I knew my worst-rated flags in NAVA’s 2004 chainsaw crew of five volunteers survey that have since been would be traveling to Pollocksville, changed (or nearly changed, in the N.C., for a week of disaster relief case of Milwaukee and Portland). the next day. I put up a display of Mesa, Arizona (2005) twelve Revolutionary War flags Congrats to solver Bill Neckrock. with a “Vexiday 2018” sign spread out over a 1/3 of a mile along the main road to my community. There were many positive com- ments about the display left on the community website. I posed them in my back yard to take this photo. Pocatello, Idaho (2017) Provo, Utah (2015) How many flags can you identify? One flag doesn't really belong. Which one and why? Can you match the name with the flag, starting with the front row going left to right? ___ Bedford ___ Bennington ___ Betsy Ross Montpelier, Vermont (2017) ___ Bunker Hill Rapid City, South Dakota (2018) ___ First Continental Regiment ___ First Navy Jack ___ Gadsden ___ Grand Union ___ Moultrie ___ Rhode Island ___ Star Spangled Banner ___ Washington Cruiser Milwaukee, Wisconsin (prop. 2016) Portland, Maine (prop. 2017) Answers in the next issue…

12 The Vexilloid Tabloid Portland Flag Miscellany

The “Portland Ivy” Ultimate Frisbee team participated in the Elite Select Challenge in Columbus, Ohio in August. Members wore their new jerseys, inspired by the Portland flag.

As they describe it, “Since we are out In an MLS Cup Playoffs Knockout of Portland, we wanted to rep our town Round game on October 31 pitting the Portland Ivy team member Lauren and the flag design is also perfect for a Portland Timbers against FC Dallas, Jablonski (“Jabbles”) runs down the jersey! It has only a couple of main Argentine midfielder Diego Valeri field in Columbus, Ohio, bearing the colors and a simple pattern. We’ve wore a captain’s armband featuring Portland flag. gotten rave reviews on the jersey and the Portland city flag. can’t wait to wear it again next year!”

January Meeting

The next meeting of the Portland Flag Association will be at 7 p.m., Thursday, January 10, 2019, at the home of Jessie Spillers (Legends), 1132 S.W. 19th Ave., Portland, OR 97205. MAX runs close by.

See the map at right.

We look forward to seeing those of you who have missed recent meetings and engaging in provoca- tive flag-related discussion. Newcomers are welcome!

If you can’t get to the meeting, perhaps you can give the editor something to share with readers. The Vexilloid Tabloid , founded in 1999 by the late John Hood, is published bi-monthly by and for the Portland Flag Association—Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. Find back issues at www.portlandflag.org.

December 2018